5156. nachir
Lexical Summary
nachir: Foreign, strange, unfamiliar

Original Word: נְחִיר
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: nchiyr
Pronunciation: naw-kheer'
Phonetic Spelling: (nekh-eer')
KJV: (dual) nostrils
NASB: nostrils
Word Origin: [from the same as H5170 (נַחַר נַחֲרָה - To snort)]

1. a nostril

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
dual nostrils

From the same as nachar; a nostril -- (dual) nostrils.

see HEBREW nachar

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from the same as nachar
Definition
a nostril
NASB Translation
nostrils (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
[נָחִיר noun [masculine] nostril (apparently from above √, and not connected with Arabic stab camel in wind-pipe, etc., Aramaic נְחַר kill by stabbing, in nose or throat, compare Late Hebrew נָחַר perforate, kill by stabbing, so that נָחִיר would = perforation, and נחר snort would be denominative); — only dual sf מִנְּחִירָיו יֵצֵא עָשָׁן Job 41:12 (of crocodile).

Topical Lexicon
Canonical Occurrence

The noun נְחִיר (nichír) appears once in the Old Testament, at Job 41:20, within the extended divine description of Leviathan. There the reads, “Out of his nostrils comes forth smoke, as from a boiling pot over burning reeds.” In a book that wrestles with the mystery of suffering and the greatness of God, the term highlights an anatomical feature that becomes a vehicle for awe-inspiring imagery.

Literary and Theological Context

Job 41 forms part of YHWH’s second speech (Job 40–41), where the Almighty silences Job not by answering every question but by unveiling His incomparable power over creation. Leviathan personifies an untamable creature of the deep; its smoking nostrils encapsulate ferocity that only the Creator can restrain (Job 41:1–11). By drawing attention to Leviathan’s “nostrils,” Scripture reinforces the contrast between human frailty and divine sovereignty. The image evokes the smoldering vent of a living furnace, underscoring that even the most intimidating forces in the cosmos remain subject to God’s word.

Symbolism of Smoke and Breath Issuing from Nostrils

1. Power and Wrath: Throughout the Old Testament, smoke from nostrils conveys potent force or anger. David sings, “Smoke rose from His nostrils, and consuming fire came from His mouth” (Psalm 18:8). In Job 41, the same picture is transferred to the creature, indirectly magnifying the Creator who fashioned such power.
2. Life-Force: Breath through the nostrils is also a symbol of life itself (Genesis 2:7). By describing Leviathan’s nostrils, the text hints at a life that pulses with volcanic energy, yet derives its very breath from God (Job 12:10).
3. Judgment Imagery: Isaiah 65:5 speaks of rebellious worshipers as “smoke in My nostrils, a fire that burns all day,” linking offense and divine displeasure. Leviathan’s smoky exhalation therefore carries overtones of impending judgment or chaos that can flare under God’s righteous oversight.

Comparative Old Testament Imagery

Exodus 15:8 – “At the blast of Your nostrils the waters piled up,” portraying salvation and judgment in the Red Sea event.
2 Samuel 22:16 – “The valleys of the sea were exposed … at the rebuke of the LORD, at the blast of breath from His nostrils,” illustrating the seismic reach of divine breath.
Job 4:9 – “By the breath of God they perish,” reminding readers that breath can both give and remove life.

By situating Leviathan’s nostrils among such passages, Job 41 accentuates that all overwhelming forces—natural or supernatural—operate under the same divine prerogative that parts seas and topples armies.

Doctrinal and Devotional Implications

1. Sovereignty: The mention of נְחִיר contributes to Job’s growing realization that the God who governs Leviathan’s every breath is worthy of reverent trust even amid unexplained suffering (Job 42:1–6).
2. Anthropology: Human beings, endowed with breath yet dust-bound (Psalm 103:14–16), cannot rival the creature whose nostrils exhale smoke; how much less can they rival its Maker.
3. Christological Echoes: Revelation 12 and 20 depict a final subduing of the great dragon, echoing the Leviathan theme. The single occurrence of נְחִיר, therefore, anticipates ultimate victory over every monstrous power through Christ’s dominion (Colossians 2:15).

Preaching and Teaching Pathways

• The verse can serve as an illustration of how God reveals His majesty through vivid, even terrifying, aspects of creation.
• It provides a doorway into discussing spiritual warfare and the assurance that God alone contains forces beyond human control.
• The contrast between the fleeting breath of humanity (Isaiah 2:22) and the controlled ferocity of Leviathan invites congregations to humble reliance on God.

Related Topics

Breath of God; Leviathan; Divine Sovereignty; Imagery of Smoke in Scripture; Theodicy in Job.

Forms and Transliterations
מִ֭נְּחִירָיו מנחיריו min·nə·ḥî·rāw Minnechirav minnəḥîrāw
Links
Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Job 41:20
HEB: מִ֭נְּחִירָיו יֵצֵ֣א עָשָׁ֑ן
NAS: Out of his nostrils smoke goes forth
KJV: Out of his nostrils goeth smoke,
INT: of his nostrils goes smoke

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 5156
1 Occurrence


min·nə·ḥî·rāw — 1 Occ.

5155
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