Lexical Summary nezeq: annoyance Original Word: נֵזֶק Strong's Exhaustive Concordance damage From an unused root meaning to injure; loss -- damage. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom the same as nezem Definition injury, damage NASB Translation annoyance (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [נֶ֫זֶק] noun [masculine] injury, damage (Aramaic loan-word see Biblical Aramaic); — only construct כְּנֶזֶק הַמֶּלֶךְ Esther 7:4 at the price of injury to the king. Topical Lexicon Usage in Scripture The noun נֵזֶק occurs only once, in Esther 7:4, where Queen Esther pleads, “If we had only been sold as menservants and maidservants, I would have remained silent, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king” (Berean Standard Bible). Here נֵזֶק designates the “damage” or “loss” that the king himself would suffer. Esther frames Haman’s plot not merely as a Jewish tragedy but as a royal liability, turning a threatened genocide into a matter of state interest. Historical Context The single occurrence belongs to the Persian period (fifth century B.C.) under King Ahasuerus—generally identified with Xerxes I. Persian monarchs were sensitive to anything that eroded their prestige, wealth, or stability. In the legal atmosphere of the empire, words synonymous with “damage” carried commercial and political weight. By invoking נֵזֶק, Esther invokes Persian legal logic: the king’s treasuries will lose tax-paying subjects, his reputation will suffer, and enemies will exploit the upheaval. Exegetical and Theological Significance 1. Covenant Preservation: Though God is never named in Esther, the book presents His providence. The vocabulary of “damage” underscores the reversal theme: what was intended for Israel’s harm becomes harm for her enemies (compare Genesis 50:20; Esther 9:25). Intertextual and Lateral Biblical Connections Though נֵזֶק itself is rare, its concept parallels: These texts collectively affirm that God notices and rectifies all forms of harm to His people. Practical and Ministry Applications • Advocacy for the Vulnerable: Esther models courageous intercession. Believers are called to articulate the real-world “damage” that sin and injustice cause and to seek redress (Proverbs 31:8–9). Summary נֵזֶק, though appearing only once, crystallizes a pivotal moment in redemptive history. It highlights the cost of evil schemes, the responsibility of rulers to avert harm, and the sovereign God who converts intended damage into deliverance for His covenant people. Forms and Transliterations בְּנֵ֥זֶק בנזק bə·nê·zeq beNezek bənêzeqLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Esther 7:4 HEB: הַצָּ֛ר שֹׁוֶ֖ה בְּנֵ֥זֶק הַמֶּֽלֶךְ׃ ס NAS: would not be commensurate with the annoyance to the king. KJV: the king's damage. INT: the trouble not be commensurate the annoyance to the king 1 Occurrence |
    |