What does נָגַשׂ (nāgaś) mean in the Bible?
נָגַשׂ (nāgaś): Coercive subjugation: driving animals to labor, then humans under oppressive authority or forced taxation
Hebrew · H5065
נָגַשׂ
To drive (an animal, a workman, a debtor, an army); by implication, to tax , harass , tyrannize
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נָגַשׂH5065
Pronunciationnāgaś
What does נָגַשׂ (nāgaś) mean in the Bible?
נָגַשׂ (nāgaś): Coercive subjugation: driving animals to labor, then humans under oppressive authority or forced taxation
Full entry for נָגַשׂ (H5065) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H5065?
The BSB source-word alignment has 23 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include the taskmasters (2), a tax collector (1), and exacted (1), and you oppress (1), as your ruler (1).
Where does נָגַשׂ (nāgaś) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 3:7. Its strongest book concentrations include Isaiah (8), Exodus (5), 1 Samuel (2), Deuteronomy (2).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itthe taskmasters2×Exodus 5:6, Exodus 5:13
a tax collector1×Daniel 11:20
and exacted1×2 Kings 23:35
and you oppress1×Isaiah 58:3
as your ruler1×Isaiah 60:17
He was oppressed1×Isaiah 53:7
of a driver1×Job 39:7
of the oppressor1×Job 3:18
of their oppressor1×Isaiah 9:4
oppress1×Isaiah 3:12
over their oppressors1×Isaiah 14:2
ruler1×Zechariah 10:4
So the taskmasters1×Exodus 5:10
taskmasters1×Exodus 5:14
the oppressor1×Isaiah 14:4
their oppressors1×Exodus 3:7
to collect1×Deuteronomy 15:2
were hard-pressed1×1 Samuel 13:6
were in distress1×1 Samuel 14:24
will an oppressor1×Zechariah 9:8
will oppress one another1×Isaiah 3:5
You may collect1×Deuteronomy 15:3
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 3:7נֹֽגְשָׂ֔יוtotheir oppressorsVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singularExodus 5:6הַנֹּגְשִׂ֣יםtothe taskmastersArticle | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralExodus 5:10נֹגְשֵׂ֤יtoSo the taskmastersVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural constructExodus 5:13וְהַנֹּגְשִׂ֖יםtoThe taskmastersConjunctive waw, Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine pluralExodus 5:14נֹגְשֵׂ֥יtotaskmastersVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural constructDeuteronomy 15:2יִגֹּ֤שׂtoto collectVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularDeuteronomy 15:3תִּגֹּ֑שׂtoYou may collectVerb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular1 Samuel 13:6נִגַּ֖שׂtowere hard-pressedVerb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular1 Samuel 14:24נִגַּ֖שׂtowere in distressVerb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular2 Kings 23:35נָגַ֞שׂtoand exactedVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowExodus 3:7
Aligned rows23
Books represented8
Exodus5Deuteronomy21 Samuel22 Kings1Job2Isaiah8Daniel1Zechariah2
Source forms
נִגַּ֖שׂ2xnig·gaś1 Samuel 13:6, 1 Samuel 14:24
נוֹגֵ֖שׂ2xnō·w·ḡêśDaniel 11:20, Zechariah 10:4
בְּנֹגְשֵׂיהֶֽם׃ס1xbə·nō·ḡə·śê·hemIsaiah 14:2
הַנֹּגֵ֣שׂ1xhan·nō·ḡêśIsaiah 9:4
הַנֹּגְשִׂ֣ים1xhan·nō·ḡə·śîmExodus 5:6
וְהַנֹּגְשִׂ֖ים1xwə·han·nō·ḡə·śîmExodus 5:13
וְנִגַּ֣שׂ1xwə·nig·gaśIsaiah 3:5
וְנֹגְשַׂ֖יִךְ1xwə·nō·ḡə·śa·yiḵIsaiah 60:17
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular6xJob 3:18, Job 39:7, Isaiah 14:4, Daniel 11:20
Verb - Nifal - Perfect - third person masculine singular3x1 Samuel 13:6, 1 Samuel 14:24, Isaiah 53:7
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct2xExodus 5:10, Exodus 5:14
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular2xExodus 3:7, Isaiah 3:12
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural1xExodus 5:6
Article | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular1xIsaiah 9:4
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular1xIsaiah 3:5
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural construct | second person feminine singular1xIsaiah 60:17
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Coercive subjugation: driving animals to labor, then humans under oppressive authority or forced taxation
Strong'sH5065
Lexical occurrences23 versesWord forms2 forms15 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Study linkExodus 5:10-21Source Gloss
to drive (an animal, a workman, a debtor, an army); by implication, to tax , harass , tyrannize
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Coercive subjugation: driving animals to labor, then humans under oppressive authority or forced taxation
to drive (an animal, a workman, a debtor, an army); by implication, to tax, harass, tyrannize BDB: press Usage: distress, driver, exact(-or), oppress(-or), × raiser of taxes, taskmaster.
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups2Aligned forms15
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense12×
Participle activeDan 11:20 · Exod 5:10 · Exod 5:14 · Isa 14:4 · Job 3:18 · Job 39:7 · Zech 9:8 · Zech 10:48×
ImperfectDeut 15:2 · Deut 15:3 · Isa 58:33×
Perfect2Kgs 23:351×
Niphalpassive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action3×
Perfect1Sam 13:6 · 1Sam 14:24 · Isa 53:73×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Egyptian overseers who drive and oppress Hebrew slaves with harsh labor demands
Those who harass and tyrannize the people as divine judgment on Jerusalem
The king of Babylon who drove and tyrannized others, now brought to rest and relief
The suffering servant who is afflicted and pressed down yet remains silent and submissive
Showing 4 selected witnesses from 23 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
נָגַשׂ is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.