What does נֶצַח (neṣaḥ) mean in the Bible?
נֶצַח (neṣaḥ): Movement from distant goal to perpetual duration: "forever" captures the horizon point one travels toward endlessly.
Hebrew · H5331
נֶצַח
Properly, a goal , i.e. the bright object at a distance travelled towards; hence (figuratively), splendor , or (subjectively) truthfulness , or (objectively) confidence ; but usually (adverbially), continually (i.e. to the most distant point of view)
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נֶצַח H5331
Pronunciation neṣaḥ
What does נֶצַח (neṣaḥ) mean in the Bible?
נֶצַח (neṣaḥ): Movement from distant goal to perpetual duration: "forever" captures the horizon point one travels toward endlessly.
Full entry for נֶצַח (H5331) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H5331?
The BSB source-word alignment has 43 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include forever (15), . . . (12), always (3), and the majesty (1), has come to eternal (1).
Where does נֶצַח (neṣaḥ) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at 1 Samuel 15:29. Its strongest book concentrations include Psalms (18), Isaiah (7), Job (6), Jeremiah (3).
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 forever 15× Job 4:20, Job 20:7, Job 23:7, Job 36:7
. . . 12× 2 Samuel 2:26, Psalms 10:11, Psalms 44:23, Psalms 49:19
always 3× Psalms 9:18, Psalms 103:9, Isaiah 57:16
and the majesty 1× 1 Chronicles 29:11
has come to eternal 1× Psalms 9:6
incessantly 1× Amos 1:11
My strength 1× Lamentations 3:18
the Glory 1× 1 Samuel 15:29
the utmost 1× Job 34:36
to everlasting ruin 1× Psalms 52:5
to the end 1× Jeremiah 3:5
to the everlasting 1× Psalms 74:3
unending 1× Jeremiah 15:18
will ever again 1× Isaiah 34:10
with eternal 1× Psalms 16:11
You forever 1× Job 14:20
Show sample aligned rows
1 Samuel 15:29 נֵ֣צַח to the Glory Noun - masculine singular construct 2 Samuel 2:26 הֲלָנֶ֙צַח֙ to . . . Article, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular 1 Chronicles 29:11 וְהַנֵּ֣צַח to and the majesty Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular Job 4:20 לָנֶ֥צַח to forever Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular Job 14:20 לָ֭נֶצַח to You forever Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular Job 20:7 לָנֶ֣צַח to forever Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular Job 23:7 לָ֝נֶ֗צַח to forever Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular Job 34:36 נֶ֑צַח to the utmost Noun - masculine singular Job 36:7 לָ֝נֶ֗צַח to forever Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular Psalms 9:6 לָ֫נֶ֥צַח to has come to eternal Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row 1 Samuel 15:29
Aligned rows 43
Books represented 11
1 Samuel 1 2 Samuel 1 1 Chronicles 1 Job 6 Psalms 18 Proverbs 1 Isaiah 7 Jeremiah 3 Lamentations 2 Amos 2 Habakkuk 1
Source forms
לָנֶ֑צַח 5x lā·ne·ṣaḥ Psalms 49:9, Psalms 74:1, Psalms 79:5, Psalms 89:46
לָנֶֽצַח׃ 5x lā·ne·ṣaḥ Psalms 10:11, Psalms 44:23, Psalms 68:16, Psalms 74:10
לָנֶ֔צַח 4x lā·ne·ṣaḥ Isaiah 13:20, Isaiah 25:8, Isaiah 33:20, Jeremiah 50:39
לָנֶ֖צַח 4x lā·ne·ṣaḥ Isaiah 28:28, Isaiah 57:16, Amos 8:7, Habakkuk 1:4
לָנֶ֥צַח 3x lā·ne·ṣaḥ Job 4:20, Psalms 103:9, Proverbs 21:28
נֶ֑צַח 3x ne·ṣaḥ Job 34:36, Psalms 13:1, Psalms 74:3
לָ֭נֶצַח 2x lā·ne·ṣaḥ Job 14:20, Psalms 9:18
לָנֶ֣צַח 2x lā·ne·ṣaḥ Job 20:7, Psalms 77:8
Parsing patterns
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular 30x Job 4:20, Job 14:20, Job 20:7, Job 23:7
Noun - masculine singular 7x Job 34:36, Psalms 13:1, Psalms 16:11, Psalms 49:19
Article, Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular 1x 2 Samuel 2:26
Conjunctive waw, Article | Noun - masculine singular 1x 1 Chronicles 29:11
Noun - masculine plural 1x Isaiah 34:10
Noun - masculine singular construct 1x 1 Samuel 15:29
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular 1x Lamentations 3:18
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct 1x Isaiah 34:10
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Movement from distant goal to perpetual duration: "forever" captures the horizon point one travels toward endlessly.
Source Gloss
properly, a goal , i.e. the bright object at a distance travelled towards; hence (figuratively), splendor , or (subjectively) truthfulness , or (objectively) confidence ; but usually (adverbially), continually (i.e. to the most distant point of view)
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Movement from distant goal to perpetual duration: "forever" captures the horizon point one travels toward endlessly.
properly, a goal, i.e. the bright object at a distance travelled towards; hence (figuratively), splendor, or (subjectively) truthfulness, or (objectively) confidence; but usually (adverbially), continually (i.e. to the most distant point of view) BDB: eminence Usage: alway(-s), constantly, end, ( n-) ever(more), perpetual, strength, victory.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
A false witness speaks lies that persist or endure without restraint
Showing 1 selected witness from 43 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
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.
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
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain