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Hebrew · H4994

נָא

נָא (nāʾ): Softens imperatives into polite requests; transforms commands into supplications through modal particles.

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נָאH4994
Pronunciationnāʾ

What does נָא (nāʾ) mean in the Bible?

Full entry for נָא (H4994) · Open the biblical lexicon

Questions this entry answers

What does נָא (nāʾ) mean in the Bible?

נָא (nāʾ): Softens imperatives into polite requests; transforms commands into supplications through modal particles.

How does the BSB render H4994?

The BSB source-word alignment has 404 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include Please (158), . . . (147), Now (58), I pray (7), So please (4).

Where does נָא (nāʾ) appear in Scripture?

The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 12:11. Its strongest book concentrations include Genesis (74), 2 Samuel (36), 1 Samuel (35), 2 Kings (34).

Source Word Evidence

BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.

How English Renders It
Please158×Genesis 12:13, Genesis 13:8, Genesis 16:2, Genesis 18:3
. . .147×Genesis 12:11, Genesis 18:3, Genesis 18:4, Genesis 18:21
Now58×Genesis 13:9, Genesis 13:14, Genesis 15:5, Genesis 16:2
I pray7×Numbers 14:17, Numbers 14:19, Nehemiah 1:8, Nehemiah 1:11
So please4×Numbers 22:6, Numbers 22:17, 1 Kings 22:13, 2 Chronicles 18:12
-3×Numbers 12:13, Judges 19:24, 1 Samuel 10:15
I beg You2×2 Samuel 24:10, 1 Chronicles 21:8
O2×Psalms 7:9, Psalms 119:108
Therefore2×1 Chronicles 22:5, Jeremiah 18:11
we pray2×Psalms 80:14, Isaiah 64:9
but please1×1 Samuel 25:24
carefully1×Haggai 2:15
I am now1×Genesis 27:2
I exhort1×Isaiah 5:3
I urge you1×Joshua 7:19
if you please1×Job 5:1
indeed1×Exodus 33:13
let them now1×Jeremiah 27:18
may1×2 Chronicles 6:40
now, I plead1×Job 4:7
Please allow me1×Judges 6:39
please stay1×Genesis 30:27
Then1×Job 40:10
This time1×Judges 6:39
to see whether1×Genesis 37:32
until1×2 Samuel 13:28
We beseech You1×Psalms 118:25
Would you please1×1 Samuel 9:18
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 12:11נָ֣אto. . .InterjectionGenesis 12:13נָ֖אtoPleaseInterjectionGenesis 13:8נָ֨אtoPleaseInterjectionGenesis 13:9נָ֖אtoNowInterjectionGenesis 13:14נָ֤אtoNowInterjectionGenesis 15:5נָ֣אtoNowInterjectionGenesis 16:2נָ֞אtonowInterjectionGenesis 16:2נָא֙toPleaseInterjectionGenesis 18:3נָ֨אtopleaseInterjectionGenesis 18:3נָ֥אto. . .Interjection
Usage map

A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.

First aligned rowGenesis 12:11
Aligned rows404
Books represented30
Genesis74Exodus15Numbers19Deuteronomy2Joshua4Judges32Ruth21 Samuel352 Samuel361 Kings192 Kings341 Chronicles52 Chronicles3Ezra1Nehemiah6Job23Psalms16Ecclesiastes1Song Of Solomon2Isaiah17Jeremiah30Lamentations2Ezekiel5Daniel2Amos2Jonah3Micah4Haggai4Zechariah3Malachi3
Source forms
נָ֣א65xnāGenesis 12:11, Genesis 15:5, Genesis 18:4, Genesis 27:3
נָ֥א48xnāGenesis 18:3, Genesis 19:7, Genesis 24:2, Genesis 24:12
נָ֤א33xnāGenesis 13:14, Genesis 18:27, Genesis 18:31, Genesis 24:14
נָא֙33xnāGenesis 16:2, Genesis 25:30, Genesis 27:9, Genesis 33:10
נָ֖א31xnāGenesis 12:13, Genesis 13:9, Genesis 19:18, Genesis 24:23
נָּ֣א20xnāGenesis 18:21, Genesis 32:29, Genesis 33:15, Genesis 37:16
נָ֨א19xnāGenesis 13:8, Genesis 18:3, Genesis 19:8, Genesis 31:12
נָ֞א19xnāGenesis 16:2, Genesis 18:30, Genesis 18:32, Judges 9:2
Parsing patterns
Interjection404xGenesis 12:11, Genesis 12:13, Genesis 13:8, Genesis 13:9
Sources

MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain

Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0

Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0

STEPBible Data — CC BY 4.0

Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain

Full license details