5059. nagan

Lexicon

nagan: To play (a stringed instrument), to make music

Original Word: נָגַן
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: nagan
Pronunciation: naw-GAN
Phonetic Spelling: (naw-gan')
Definition: To play (a stringed instrument), to make music
Meaning: to thrum, beat a, tune with the fingers, to play on a, stringed instrument, to make music

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

player on instruments, sing to the stringed instruments, melody, ministrel, player,

A primitive root; properly, to thrum, i.e. Beat a tune with the fingers; expec. To play on a stringed instrument; hence (generally), to make music -- player on instruments, sing to the stringed instruments, melody, ministrel, play(-er, -ing).

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to touch or play a stringed instrument
NASB Translation
minstrel (1), minstrel played (1), musician (1), musicians (1), play (5), play songs (1), player (1), playing (2), plays (1), pluck the strings (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

[נָגַּן] verb touch (strings), play a stringed instrument (Late Hebrew Pi`el; Aramaic נְגַן Pa`el); —

Qal Participle נֹגְנִים Psalm 68:26 players ("" שָׁרִים, עֲלָמוֺת תּוֺפֵפוֺת).

Pi`el Perfect וְנִגֵּן 1 Samuel 16:16 (consecutive), 1 Samuel 16:23; Imperfect1plural נְנַגֵּן Isaiah 38:20; Infinitive construct נַגֵּן 1 Samuel 16:17 5t.; Participle מְנַגֵּן 1 Samuel 16:16 4t.; — play בַּכִנּוֺר 1 Samuel 16:16; בְּיָדוֺ 1 Samuel 16:16; 1 Samuel 16:23 (כִּנּוֺר in context), 1 Samuel 18:10; 1 Samuel 19:9; with accusative of cognate meaning Isaiah 38:20; in simile מֵטִב נַגֵּן Ezekiel 33:32 ("" שִׁיר עֲגָבִים יְפֵהקֿוֺל); אִישׁ ׳מֵיטִיב לְנ 1 Samuel 16:17, compare Psalm 33:3; Isaiah 23:16 (both "" שִׁיר), ׳יָדַע נ 1 Samuel 16:18; also 2 Kings 3:15; Participle = player, minstrel (compare Qal) 2 Kings 3:15 (twice in verse); compare also אִישׁ יֹדֵעַ מְנַגֵּן בַכִנּוֺר 1 Samuel 16:16 (Ges^{§ 120b}).

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: A primitive root

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • G2127 (εὐλογέω, eulogeo): To bless, speak well of
• G2789 (κεράννυμι, kerannymi): To mix, mingle
• G5567 (ψάλλω, psallo): To sing, make melody
• G5568 (ψαλμός, psalmos): A psalm, song of praise

These Greek entries, particularly G5567 (ψάλλω) and G5568 (ψαλμός), relate closely to the concept of making music and singing praises, similar to the Hebrew נָגַן. They reflect the continuity of musical expression as a form of worship and spiritual practice from the Hebrew Scriptures into the Greek New Testament context.

Usage: The verb נָגַן (nagan) is used in the context of playing music, particularly on stringed instruments. It conveys the action of making music, often in a worship or celebratory setting.

Context: The Hebrew verb נָגַן (nagan) appears in various contexts within the Old Testament, primarily associated with the playing of stringed instruments. This action is often linked to worship, celebration, or prophetic activity. The act of playing music, as denoted by נָגַן, is seen as a means of expressing joy, worship, and sometimes even invoking the presence of God.

In 1 Samuel 16:16-23, David is described as playing the harp to soothe King Saul, illustrating the therapeutic and spiritual power of music. The verb is also used in 2 Kings 3:15, where Elisha calls for a musician to play (נָגַן) to facilitate a prophetic experience. This highlights the role of music in creating an atmosphere conducive to divine revelation.

The Psalms frequently reference the act of playing instruments as part of worship. For example, Psalm 33:3 encourages believers to "Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully with a shout of joy." Here, נָגַן underscores the skill and intentionality involved in musical worship.

The use of נָגַן in the Old Testament reflects the cultural and religious significance of music in ancient Israel. It was not merely an art form but a vital component of spiritual life, serving as a bridge between the human and the divine.

Forms and Transliterations

הַֽמְנַגֵּ֔ן המנגן וְנִגֵּ֣ן וְנִגֵּ֥ן ונגן כְּנַגֵּ֣ן כנגן לְנַגֵּ֔ן לנגן מְנַגֵּ֑ן מְנַגֵּ֣ן מְנַגֵּ֥ן מנגן נְנַגֵּ֛ן נַ֝גֵּ֗ן נַ֠גֵּן נַגֵּ֑ן נַגֵּן֙ נֹגְנִ֑ים נגן נגנים ננגן ham·nag·gên hamnagGen hamnaggên kə·nag·gên kenagGen kənaggên lə·nag·gên lenagGen lənaggên mə·nag·gên menagGen mənaggên nag·gên Naggen naggên nə·nag·gên nenagGen nənaggên nō·ḡə·nîm nogeNim nōḡənîm venigGen wə·nig·gên wəniggên

Englishman's Concordance

1 Samuel 16:16
HEB: אִ֕ישׁ יֹדֵ֖עַ מְנַגֵּ֣ן בַּכִּנּ֑וֹר וְהָיָ֗ה
NAS: who is a skillful player on the harp;
KJV: [who is] a cunning player on an harp:
INT: A man skillful player the harp shall come

1 Samuel 16:16
HEB: אֱלֹהִים֙ רָעָ֔ה וְנִגֵּ֥ן בְּיָד֖וֹ וְט֥וֹב
NAS: from God is on you, that he shall play [the harp] with his hand,
KJV: from God is upon thee, that he shall play with his hand,
INT: God the evil shall play his hand will be well

1 Samuel 16:17
HEB: אִ֚ישׁ מֵיטִ֣יב לְנַגֵּ֔ן וַהֲבִיאוֹתֶ֖ם אֵלָֽי׃
NAS: a man who can play well
KJV: me now a man that can play well,
INT: A man well play and bring then

1 Samuel 16:18
HEB: הַלַּחְמִי֒ יֹדֵ֣עַ נַ֠גֵּן וְגִבּ֨וֹר חַ֜יִל
NAS: who is a skillful musician, a mighty man
KJV: [that is] cunning in playing, and a mighty
INT: the Bethlehemite skillful musician A mighty of valor

1 Samuel 16:23
HEB: אֶת־ הַכִּנּ֖וֹר וְנִגֵּ֣ן בְּיָד֑וֹ וְרָוַ֤ח
NAS: the harp and play [it] with his hand;
KJV: an harp, and played with his hand:
INT: David the harp and play his hand would be refreshed

1 Samuel 18:10
HEB: הַבַּ֔יִת וְדָוִ֛ד מְנַגֵּ֥ן בְּיָד֖וֹ כְּי֣וֹם ׀
NAS: while David was playing [the harp] with his hand,
KJV: and David played with his hand,
INT: of the house David was playing his hand usual

1 Samuel 19:9
HEB: בְּיָד֑וֹ וְדָוִ֖ד מְנַגֵּ֥ן בְּיָֽד׃
NAS: and David was playing [the harp] with [his] hand.
KJV: and David played with [his] hand.
INT: his hand and David was playing with hand

2 Kings 3:15
HEB: קְחוּ־ לִ֣י מְנַגֵּ֑ן וְהָיָה֙ כְּנַגֵּ֣ן
NAS: bring me a minstrel. And it came
KJV: But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel
INT: now bring A minstrel came the minstrel

2 Kings 3:15
HEB: מְנַגֵּ֑ן וְהָיָה֙ כְּנַגֵּ֣ן הַֽמְנַגֵּ֔ן וַתְּהִ֥י
NAS: And it came about, when the minstrel played,
KJV: me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played,
INT: A minstrel came the minstrel played came

2 Kings 3:15
HEB: וְהָיָה֙ כְּנַגֵּ֣ן הַֽמְנַגֵּ֔ן וַתְּהִ֥י עָלָ֖יו
NAS: about, when the minstrel played, that the hand
KJV: And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand
INT: came the minstrel played came that

Psalm 33:3
HEB: חָדָ֑שׁ הֵיטִ֥יבוּ נַ֝גֵּ֗ן בִּתְרוּעָֽה׃
NAS: song; Play skillfully
KJV: song; play skilfully
INT: A new skillfully Play A shout

Psalm 68:25
HEB: שָׁ֭רִים אַחַ֣ר נֹגְנִ֑ים בְּת֥וֹךְ עֲ֝לָמ֗וֹת
NAS: went on, the musicians after
KJV: went before, the players on instruments [followed] after;
INT: the singers after the musicians the midst of the maidens

Isaiah 23:16
HEB: נִשְׁכָּחָ֑ה הֵיטִ֤יבִי נַגֵּן֙ הַרְבִּי־ שִׁ֔יר
NAS: harlot; Pluck the strings skillfully,
KJV: make sweet melody, sing many
INT: forgotten skillfully Pluck many songs

Isaiah 38:20
HEB: לְהוֹשִׁיעֵ֑נִי וּנְגִנוֹתַ֧י נְנַגֵּ֛ן כָּל־ יְמֵ֥י
NAS: will surely save me; So we will play my songs on stringed
KJV: me: therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days
INT: save my songs will play All days

Ezekiel 33:32
HEB: ק֖וֹל וּמֵטִ֣ב נַגֵּ֑ן וְשָֽׁמְעוּ֙ אֶת־
NAS: voice and plays well
KJV: and can play well on an instrument: for they hear
INT: voice well and plays hear your words

15 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 5059
15 Occurrences

ham·nag·gên — 1 Occ.
kə·nag·gên — 1 Occ.
lə·nag·gên — 1 Occ.
mə·nag·gên — 4 Occ.
nag·gên — 4 Occ.
nə·nag·gên — 1 Occ.
nō·ḡə·nîm — 1 Occ.
wə·nig·gên — 2 Occ.