This verb describes causing someone or something to move along, including leading livestock or guiding people. Exodus 3:1 presents Moses leading Jethro's flock into the wilderness as part of ordinary shepherding before the burning bush encounter.
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Full entry for נָהַג (H5090) · Open the biblical lexicon
This verb describes causing someone or something to move along, including leading livestock or guiding people. Exodus 3:1 presents Moses leading Jethro's flock into the wilderness as part of ordinary shepherding before the burning bush encounter.
The BSB source-word alignment has 31 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include will drive you (2), . . . (1), and carried off (1), and drove (1), and guided them (1).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 31:18. Its strongest book concentrations include Isaiah (5), 1 Samuel (4), Psalms (4), Exodus (3).
This verb describes causing someone or something to move along, including leading livestock or guiding people. Exodus 3:1 presents Moses leading Jethro's flock into the wilderness as part of ordinary shepherding before the burning bush encounter. Psalm 78:52 pictures the Lord leading Israel out like sheep, remembering the exodus within the psalm's account of His acts and the people's responses.
Isaiah 49:10 promises compassionate leading beside springs of water within a restoration passage. The verb's contribution is directed movement; the identity, purpose and manner of the leader determine whether that movement is caring or harmful. These positive witnesses do not make every human leader a shepherd with divine authority. Nor do they permit the inference that being guided always means avoiding danger.
God's saving and compassionate acts must be heard in their whole narratives and promises.
Ordinary flock movement becomes a picture for the Lord's exodus guidance and compassionate restoration. The passages establish caring leadership by naming the leader and His action, not by assigning goodness to the verb alone.
Meanwhile, Moses was shepherding the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, the priest of Midian. He led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
Moses leads his father-in-law's flock to Horeb before the encounter with God; the shepherding action supplies narrative setting rather than a secret prediction in the verb.
He led out His people like sheep and guided them like a flock in the wilderness.
Israel's departure is recalled through a flock image after the account of Egypt's plagues; the Lord's guidance belongs to that specific saving history.
They will not hunger or thirst, nor will scorching heat or sun beat down on them. For He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water.
The promised leader acts from compassion and brings the people beside water, within the restoration of prisoners and desolate land described nearby.
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItA compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
Hebrew word. to drive forth (a person, an animal or chariot), i.e. lead , carry away ; reflexively, to proceed (i.e. impel or guide oneself); also (from the panting induced by effort), to sigh
to drive forth (a person, an animal or chariot), i.e. lead, carry away; reflexively, to proceed (i.e. impel or guide oneself); also (from the panting induced by effort), to sigh BDB: drive Usage: acquaint, bring (away), carry away, drive (away), lead (away, forth), (be) guide, lead (away, forth).
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.
נָהַג is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Isaiah 49:10 describes leading that arises from compassion. Water, relief from scorching heat and the restoration setting give the reader a concrete account of the promised care. The verb alone would not establish that character: movement can be directed for many purposes. Psalm 78 identifies the Lord as Israel's guide in the exodus, while Exodus 3 first shows Moses engaged in an ordinary flock task.
These settings prevent a teacher from treating every leader as though he stood in God's place. John 10 supplies Jesus' own account of the good shepherd, distinguished by laying down His life for the sheep. Christian leadership can receive a pattern of costly care from that passage without claiming ownership of Christ's saving role or using guidance language to demand unchecked control.
Isa.49.10
The verb can describe driving or guiding, so its ethical character cannot be fixed by a favorable gloss. The stated agent, affected people, destination and surrounding promises govern how the movement is understood.
The exodus psalm and Isaiah's restoration promise depict God's compassionate guidance. John 10 names Jesus as the good shepherd who gives His life, and Revelation 7:17 presents the Lamb leading to living water. The relationship is canonical shepherding imagery, without treating Moses' ordinary leading verb as a direct prediction or granting human leaders Christ's unique saving office.