Lexical Summary nahag: To drive, lead, guide, conduct Original Word: נָהַג Strong's Exhaustive Concordance acquaint, bring away, carry away, drive away, lead away, forth, be guide, lead away, A primitive root; to drive forth (a person, an animal or chariot), i.e. Lead, carry away; reflexively, to proceed (i.e. Impel or guide oneself); also (from the panting induced by effort), to sigh -- acquaint, bring (away), carry away, drive (away), lead (away, forth), (be) guide, lead (away, forth). Brown-Driver-Briggs I. נָהַג verb drive, conduct (Late Hebrew conduct oneself, behave, be accustomed; Arabic  go along the road, keep to the road; Aramaic נְהַג lead); — Qal Perfect ׳נ Lamentations 3:2; נָָֽהֲגוּ 1 Samuel 30:20; Imperfect יִנְהַג Isaiah 20:4, etc.; Imperative נְהַג 2 Kings 4:24; Participle active נֹהֵג Isaiah 11:6 2t., etc.; passive נְהוּגִים Isaiah 60:11; — 1 drive, flocks Exodus 3:1; compare (in predict.) Isaiah 11:6 (followed by בְּ); figurative, object Joseph, Psalm 80:2 (simile of flock); hence, object human being, lead on, Songs 8:2 ("" הֵבִיא אֶלֿ)); also figurative, subject ׳י, Lamentations 3:2 ("" הוֺלִיךְ); passive participle of kings led in procession Isaiah 60:11 compare Di (rather than as captives, Che, as earlier usage; "" הֵבִיא); drive away, off, (object מִקְנֶה) Genesis 31:18 ( of Jacob, going by stealth); usually as booty (object flocks and herds) 1 Samuel 23:5, חמור יתומים ינהגו Job 24:3 (unjustly); compare 1 Samuel 30:2 (twice in verse) (read וַיִּנְהֲגוּ We Dr Kit Bu, compare Th, not HPS q. v. ), 1 Samuel 30:22 (no object expressed but really captives "" הָלַךְ), Isaiah 20:4; drive an ass for riding 2 Kings 4:24 ("" הָלַךְ); a cart (עֲגָלָה) 2 Samuel 6:3 = 1 Chronicles 13:7 (where ׳בָּע); absolute of driving chariot 2 Kings 9:20; lead out an army to battle (late) 1 Chronicles 20:12; 1 Chronicles 25:11. 2 figurative וְלִבִּי נֹהֵג בַּחָכְמָה Ecclesiastes 2:3 my heart behaving itself in wisdom (compare Late Hebrew above). Pi`el Perfect נִהַג Exodus 10:3; נִהַ֫גְתָּ Isaiah 63:14; Imperfect יְנַהֵג Deuteronomy 4:27, etc.; — 1 drive away, lead off, followed by accusative, daughters of Laban Genesis 31:26 ("" גָּנַב); of ׳י, leading off people into exile, followed by שָׁ֫מָּה Deuteronomy 4:27 ("" הֵפִיץ), Deuteronomy 28:37 ("" הוֺלִיךְ). 2 lead on, guide, followed by accusative, subject ׳י Psalm 78:52 (כַּעֵ֫דֶר "" הִסִּיעַ כַּצּאֹן); Isaiah 49:10 ("" נִהֵל, compare Psalm 23:2); Isaiah 63:14; Isaiah 48:15; guide on, a wind, Exodus 10:13 (followed by בָּאָרֶץ), Psalm 78:26; ("" הִסִּיעַ). 3 cause to drive (compare Qal, 2 Kings 9:20) Exodus 14:25 (J E; subject ׳י, see Di) II. [נָהַג] verb Pi`el moan, lament (Arabic Pi`el Participle feminine plural מְנַהֲגוֺה Nahum 2:8 (כְּקוֺל יוֺנִים ). Topical Lexicon OverviewThe verb נָהַג (Strong’s 5090) describes an act of driving or leading something or someone from one place to another. It is used approximately thirty-one times across the Old Testament and covers everyday pastoral activity, military movements, forced exile, and the gracious guidance of God. The word often stands at the intersection of human responsibility and divine sovereignty: people drive flocks, kings propel armies, oppressors force captives, yet ultimately the Lord is portrayed as the Shepherd who “will guide them” (Isaiah 49:10). Agricultural and Societal Usage 1. Shepherding and livestock 2. Domestic servants and donkeys 3. Chariots and vehicles In all of these texts, נָהַג carries the idea of exerted control over a living creature or object to achieve relocation, a mundane picture that Scripture later elevates to illustrate spiritual truths. Warfare, Captivity, and Exile 1. Military escorts 2. Forced displacement These contexts reveal the darker aspect of נָהַג: being driven against one’s will, an image that underscores the seriousness of covenant disobedience and the reality of divine discipline. Divine Shepherd and Gentle Guidance 1. Sustaining guidance 2. Restoration after exile Here נָהַג moves from coercive force to compassionate leadership, painting God as the perfect Shepherd who never loses one sheep (John 10 archetypically fulfills this). Leadership—Ethical and Pastoral Lessons 1. Accountability of leaders Jeremiah 23 exposes earthly leaders who misuse their authority to scatter rather than shepherd. The verb warns pastors, parents, and officials that driving people harshly invites divine censure. 2. Responsibility to protect the vulnerable Job 24:3’s indictment of oppressors who “drive away” the orphan’s donkey teaches that power must never trample the defenseless. Legitimate leadership guides for others’ good, mirroring the Lord’s benevolent נָהַג. 3. Spiritual formation Isaiah 49:9–10, set in the context of the Servant’s worldwide salvation, urges Christ-centered ministry to lead souls “out of darkness” and “beside springs of water.” Shepherds today emulate this by directing believers to Scripture and sacramental life. Eschatological Hope and Messianic Overtones The gentle guidance motifs foreshadow the Messiah who declares, “Come to Me, all you who labor… I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Revelation 7:17 echoes Isaiah 49:10, “The Lamb… will shepherd them and lead them to springs of living water,” completing the Old Testament promise of perfect נָהַג under the reign of Christ. Worship and Processional Imagery Joshua 3:14 pictures the priests “carrying” the Ark ahead of Israel as they approach the Jordan River. The movement of the Ark under priestly leadership illustrates how God-centered worship leads the congregation. Modern corporate worship likewise aims to guide hearts toward the presence of the Lord, with leaders conscious that they are only under-shepherds. Selected Key Texts • Genesis 31:18 – Jacob drives his livestock. Ministry Significance Today 1. Modeling Christ’s shepherd-leadership: Gentle guidance, not oppressive control. Through its varied uses, נָהַג challenges every reader: Are you driving people away or leading them to streams of living water? The faithful answer follows the pattern of the Good Shepherd, whose leadership is both powerful and tender. Forms and Transliterations אֶנְהָֽגֲךָ֗ אנהגך וְיִנְהֲג֖וּ וַֽיְנַהֲגֵ֖הוּ וַֽיְנַהֲגֵ֥ם וַיְנַהֵ֖ג וַיִּֽנְהֲג֔וּ וַיִּנְהַ֣ג וַיִּנְהַ֤ג וַיִּנְהַג֙ וַתְּנַהֵג֙ וינהג וינהגהו וינהגו וינהגם ותנהג יְנַהֲגֵ֔ם יְנַהֲגֵ֣נוּ יְנַהֵ֧ג יְנַהֶגְךָ֥ יִנְהַ֣ג יִנְהָ֑גוּ יִנְהָֽג׃ ינהג ינהג׃ ינהגו ינהגך ינהגם ינהגנו מְנַֽהֲגוֹת֙ מנהגות נְהַ֣ג נְהוּגִֽים׃ נִהַ֣גְתָּ נִהַ֤ג נָהֲג֗וּ נָהַ֛ג נֹהֲגִ֖ים נֹהֵ֣ג נֹהֵ֤ג נֹהֵ֥ג נהג נהגו נהגים נהגת נהוגים׃ ’en·hā·ḡă·ḵā ’enhāḡăḵā enhagaCha mə·na·hă·ḡō·wṯ mənahăḡōwṯ menahagoyT nā·hă·ḡū nā·haḡ naHag nāhaḡ nahaGu nāhăḡū nə·haḡ nə·hū·ḡîm neHag nəhaḡ nehuGim nəhūḡîm ni·haḡ ni·haḡ·tā niHag nihaḡ niHagta nihaḡtā nō·hă·ḡîm nō·hêḡ nohaGim nōhăḡîm noHeg nōhêḡ vaiyinHag vaiyinhaGu vattenaHeg vaynahaGehu vaynahaGem vaynaHeg veyinhaGu wat·tə·na·hêḡ wattənahêḡ way·na·hă·ḡê·hū way·na·hă·ḡêm way·na·hêḡ way·yin·hă·ḡū way·yin·haḡ waynahăḡêhū waynahăḡêm waynahêḡ wayyinhaḡ wayyinhăḡū wə·yin·hă·ḡū wəyinhăḡū yə·na·hă·ḡê·nū yə·na·hă·ḡêm yə·na·hêḡ yə·na·heḡ·ḵā yenahaGem yənahăḡêm yenahaGenu yənahăḡênū yenaHeg yənahêḡ yenahegCha yənaheḡḵā yin·hā·ḡū yin·haḡ yin·hāḡ yinHag yinhaḡ yinhāḡ yinHagu yinhāḡūLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 31:18 HEB: וַיִּנְהַ֣ג אֶת־ כָּל־ NAS: and he drove away all his livestock KJV: And he carried away all his cattle, INT: drove all his livestock Genesis 31:26 Exodus 3:1 Exodus 10:13 Exodus 14:25 Deuteronomy 4:27 Deuteronomy 28:37 1 Samuel 23:5 1 Samuel 30:2 1 Samuel 30:20 1 Samuel 30:22 2 Samuel 6:3 2 Kings 4:24 2 Kings 9:20 1 Chronicles 13:7 1 Chronicles 20:1 2 Chronicles 25:11 Job 24:3 Psalm 48:14 Psalm 78:26 Psalm 78:52 Psalm 80:1 Ecclesiastes 2:3 Songs 8:2 Isaiah 11:6 31 Occurrences |
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be out of breath, pant, breathe heavily; Aramaic 
sigh, groan); —