Lexical Summary nahal: To lead, guide, refresh, bring to a place of rest Original Word: נָהַל Strong's Exhaustive Concordance carry, feed, guide, lead gently, on A primitive root; properly, to run with a sparkle, i.e. Flow; hence (transitively), to conduct, and (by inference) to protect, sustain -- carry, feed, guide, lead (gently, on). NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to lead or guide to a watering place, bring to a place of rest, refresh NASB Translation fed (1), guide (3), guided (2), lead (1), leads (1), led (1), proceed (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [נָהַל] verb Pi`el lead, guide to a watering-place or station, and cause to rest there; bring to a station or place of rest; lead, guide; refresh (compare Arabic  watering-place,  take a first drink; likewise (Dozy)  station, stage of the road; perhaps also Assyrian Nâlu, lie down DlHWB 438; DlHA 5f.; Prol. 17 ff. tries to explain all the passages from this Assyrian nâlu; against him see PräLOPh i. 195 CheAcad., April 12,1884 DHMZKF i. 357 f. NöZMG xi. 1886, 728; two √ √ proposed by RDWilsonPresb. Rev. (N.Y.), April, 1885 (careful article), compare T. ChePsalm 23:2. critical note.); — Pi`el Perfect2masculine singular נֵהַלָתָּ Exodus 15:13; Imperfect3masculine singular יְנַהֵל Isaiah 40:11; suffix יְנַהֲלֵנִי Psalm 23:2, יְנַהְלֵם Isaiah 49:10; וַיְנַהֲלֵם Genesis 47:17; 2Chronicles 32:22; 2 masculine singular suffix תְּנַהֲלֵנִי Psalm 31:4; 3masculine plural suffix וַיְנַהֲלוּם2Chronicles 28:15; Participle מְנַהֵל Isaiah 51:18; — 1 lead to watering-place (or station), and cause to rest there, subject ׳י as shepherd, Isaiah 49:10 (עַלֿ location; "" נהג), Psalm 23:2 (with עַלֿ location; "" הִרְבִּיץ), Isaiah 40:11 ("" רעה, קִבֵּץ). 2 lead or bring to a station, a goal, ׳י subject Exodus 15:13 (song; no object expressed, אֶלֿ location; "" נחה); human subject 2 Chronicles 28:15 and they conducted all the feeble of them by means of (ב) asses ("" הֵבִיא). 3 lead, guide: figurative, אֵין מְנַהֵל לָהּ Isaiah 51:18 there is no one to be a guide for her, i.e. for Jerusalem, drunk with cup of ׳יs fury ("" מַחֲזִיק בְּיָדָהּ); ׳י subject Psalm 31:4 lead me ("" תַּנְחֵנִי). 4. give rest to (?) מִסָּבִיב ׳וַיְנ2Chronicles 32:22 and he gave them rest on every hand, compare ᵐ5 ᵑ9 (= ׳וַיָּנִח לָהֶם מִסּ 1 Chronicles 2,18 +, probably so read here, see Be DHM Öttli). 5 refresh with food, ׳וַיְנ בַּלֶּחֶם Genesis 47:17 (J). Hithpa`el Imperfect probably journey by stations, stages, only 1 singular אֶתְנַהֲלָה Genesis 33:14 (J), I will proceed, journey on, by stages (i.e. deliberately with family and cattle). נַהֲלָל see II. נַהֲלֹל. below Topical Lexicon Overview The Hebrew verb נָהַל (nahal, Strong’s 5095) describes gentle but purposeful leading: a shepherd taking sheep to water, a king escorting captives to safety, or God Himself guiding His covenant people to rest. Across its ten occurrences the word consistently conveys nurture, protection, and forward movement toward life-sustaining provision. Occurrences in the Old Testament • Genesis 33:14 – Jacob promises Esau that he will “lead on slowly” so the young and the flocks are not over-driven; the verb highlights considerate leadership. Shepherding and Pastoral Care Psalm 23 and Isaiah 40 anchor nahal in the shepherd motif. The verb portrays the deliberate rhythm of a shepherd who knows both terrain and flock. Leading “beside quiet waters” implies not mere direction but the securing of conditions where sheep can safely drink—an image richly applied to pastoral ministry. Under-shepherds imitate the Chief Shepherd by guiding congregations toward spiritual nourishment without harshness. Divine Guidance in Deliverance and Wilderness Pilgrimage In Exodus 15:13, nahal stands between redemption and arrival: God who ransoms also escorts. The Exodus pattern becomes the template for every subsequent deliverance—whether Hezekiah’s crisis in 2 Chronicles 32 or the Servant’s future salvation in Isaiah 49. Guidance is therefore covenantal: the redeemed are never abandoned to chart their own course. Royal and Military Protection Genesis 33 and 2 Chronicles 28 combine leadership with logistics. Jacob regulates the pace for fragile members of his household; Ephraim’s soldiers reverse from takers of captives to caretakers who “clothe, feed, anoint, and lead” their former enemies home. Righteous rule is measured not by conquest but by the welfare of the weakest. Eschatological Comfort and Restoration Isaiah 49:10 projects nahal into the prophetic vision of a new exodus where exiles, once parched, are escorted to springs. Revelation echoes this hope when “the Lamb… will guide them to springs of living water” (Revelation 7:17), suggesting that the Shepherd-Lamb fulfills every Old Testament nuance of nahal. Christological Fulfillment Jesus’ self-identification as the Good Shepherd (John 10) embodies nahal in flesh. He leads disciples to spiritual refreshment (John 4; John 6) and ultimately to the “Father’s house” (John 14:2-3). His gentle invitation, “Come to Me…and you will find rest” (Matthew 11:28-29), mirrors the pastoral cadence of Psalm 23. Practical Ministry Implications 1. Leadership marked by pace: shepherds adjust to the weakest (Genesis 33:14). Key References Exodus 15:13 – “You have led in Your steadfast love the people You have redeemed; You have guided them by Your strength to Your holy dwelling.” Psalm 23:2 – “He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.” Isaiah 40:11 – “He will feed His flock like a shepherd… He will gently lead the nursing ewes.” Isaiah 49:10 – “For He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water.” Forms and Transliterations אֶֽתְנָהֲלָ֣ה אתנהלה וַֽיְנַהֲלֵ֖ם וַיְנַהֲל֤וּם וַיְנַהֲלֵ֤ם וּֽתְנַהֲלֵֽנִי׃ וינהלום וינהלם ותנהלני׃ יְנַהֲלֵֽם׃ יְנַהֲלֵֽנִי׃ יְנַהֵֽל׃ ינהל׃ ינהלם׃ ינהלני׃ מְנַהֵ֣ל מנהל נֵהַ֥לְתָּ נהלת ’eṯ·nā·hă·lāh ’eṯnāhălāh etnahaLah mə·na·hêl menaHel mənahêl nê·hal·tā neHalta nêhaltā ū·ṯə·na·hă·lê·nî UtenahaLeni ūṯənahălênî vaynahaLem vaynahaLum way·na·hă·lêm way·na·hă·lūm waynahălêm waynahălūm yə·na·hă·lê·nî yə·na·hă·lêm yə·na·hêl yenahaLem yənahălêm yenahaLeni yənahălênî yenaHel yənahêlLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 33:14 HEB: עַבְדּ֑וֹ וַאֲנִ֞י אֶֽתְנָהֲלָ֣ה לְאִטִּ֗י לְרֶ֨גֶל NAS: his servant, and I will proceed at my leisure, KJV: his servant: and I will lead on softly, INT: his servant and I will proceed my leisure to the pace Genesis 47:17 Exodus 15:13 2 Chronicles 28:15 2 Chronicles 32:22 Psalm 23:2 Psalm 31:3 Isaiah 40:11 Isaiah 49:10 Isaiah 51:18 10 Occurrences |
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