H5003 H5003
To commit adultery, literally of illicit sexual union and figuratively of idolatrous unfaithfulness to God.
Na'af is the Hebrew Bible's dedicated verb for adultery — more specific than zanah ('to be sexually promiscuous') and far more morally charged than shakab ('to lie with'). It appears in the Decalogue's blunt prohibition lo' tin'af ('you shall not commit adultery,' Exod 20:14), and that legal-covenantal gravity pervades every occurrence. The prophets, especially Jeremiah and Ezekiel, extend it powerfully into the metaphorical realm: Israel 'commits adultery' with stones and trees — that is, with idols (Jer 3:9) — and the faithless nation is portrayed as an adulteress who abandons her husband for foreign lovers (Ezek 16:32, 38). The word's force lies in the covenant framework it presupposes: adultery is not merely sexual misconduct but betrayal of a binding relationship, which is precisely why it serves as the prophets' metaphor of choice for idolatry.
Senses
1. adulterer (masculine agent noun) — Masculine agent noun — the adulterer, from substantivized Qal and Piel participles. Nine occurrences identify the male perpetrator of adultery, whether in legal prescription (Lev 20:10, where both the no'ef and the no'efet shall be put to death), wisdom literature (Prov 6:32, 'he who commits adultery lacks sense'), or prophetic denunciation (Isa 57:3, 'you sons of a sorceress, offspring of the adulterer'). Job 24:15 vividly describes the adulterer watching for twilight, saying 'no eye shall see me.' Spanish adultero and German Ehebrecher ('marriage-breaker') both mark the agent substantively. 9×
AR["ال-زَّانِي","الزَّانِي","الزُّناة","الزُّنَاةَ","زَانٍ","زُناةٌ","زُنَاةٌ","وَعَلَى-الزُّنَاةِ"]·ben["এবং-ব্যভিচারীদের-বিরুদ্ধে","ব্যভিচারী","ব্যভিচারীদের","ব্যভিচারীদের-দ্বারা","ব্যভিচারীদের-মতো-","ব্যভিচারীর","যে-ব্যভিচার-করে"]·DE["adulterers","bricht-Ehe","der-adulterer","ehebrechen","und-bricht-Ehe"]·EN["adulterer","adulterers","and-against-the-adulterers","are-adulterers","he-who-commits-adultery-with","the-adulterer"]·FR["commettre-adultère","de-commettre-l'adultère","et-commettre-adultère","le-adulterer","נאף"]·heb["ה-נאף","ו-ב-מנאפים","מנאף","מנאפים","נואף"]·HI["और-में-व्यभिचारियों","व्यभिचारियों-के","व्यभिचारियों-से","व्यभिचारी","व्यभिचारी-की","व्यभिचारी-हैं","व्यभिचारीका"]·ID["Orang-yang-berzinah","berzinah","dan-terhadap-para-pezina","pezina","pezinah-laki-laki","pezinah-pezinah"]·IT["adulterer","commettere-adulterio","commise-adulterio","e-commettere-adulterio","egli-chi-commits-adultery-con","il-adulterer"]·jav["kang-laku-jina","lan-dhumateng-kang-laku-jina","para-jina","piyambakipun","tiyang-bandrek-kakung","tiyang-jina","tiyang-kang-bandrek","tiyang-laku-jina","tukang-laku-jina"]·KO["간음하는-자-는","간음하는-자들","간음하는-자들로","간음하는-자들이니","간음하는-자들이요","간음하는-자의","그-간음한-남자","그리고-에-간음하는-자들"]·PT["O-que-adultera","adúltero","adúlteros","de-adúlteros","do-adúltero","e-contra-os-adúlteros","o-adúltero"]·RU["Прелюбодействующий","и-против-прелюбодеев","прелюбодеи","прелюбодей","прелюбодея","прелюбодеями"]·ES["El-que-adultera","adúltero","adúlteros","de-adúlteros","el-adúltero","y-contra-los-adúlteros"]·SW["anayezini-na","mzinzi","na-dhidi-ya-wazinzi","wa-mzinzi","wazinzi"]·TR["ve-zina-edenlere-karşı","zina-eden","zina-edenin","zina-edenler","zina-edenlerle","zinacılarla"]·urd["اور-زناکاروں-کے","زانی","زناکار","زناکار-کی","زناکاروں-سے","زناکاروں-کے"]
2. adulteress (feminine agent noun) — Feminine agent noun — the adulteress, from substantivized feminine participles. Seven occurrences identify the woman in the act, most prominently in Ezekiel's devastating allegories: Jerusalem as the adulteress wife who 'takes strangers instead of her husband' (Ezek 16:32), judged 'as women who commit adultery' (Ezek 23:45). Lev 20:10 pairs the no'efet with the no'ef for equal capital punishment. Prov 30:20 describes the adulteress who 'eats and wipes her mouth and says I have done no wrong' — a portrait of brazen denial. Spanish adultera and the consistent pairing with masculine forms in legal texts confirm a genuine lexicalized feminine sense. 7×
AR["الزَّانِيَةُ","الزَّوَانِي","زانِيَةٍ","زَانِيَاتٍ","زَانِيَتَانِ","وَ-ال-زَّانِيَةُ","وَزانيَةً"]·ben["এবং-ব্যভিচারিণী","ব্যভিচারিণী","ব্যভিচারিণীদের","ব্যভিচারিণীর","ব্যভিচারিণীরা"]·DE["[המנאפת]","[נאפות]","[נאפת]","bricht-Ehe","und-bricht-Ehe","und-der-adulteress"]·EN["adulteress","adulteresses","and-adulterous","and-the-adulteress","the-adulteress"]·FR["commettre-adultère","et-commettre-adultère","et-le-adulteress","מנאפת"]·heb["ה-מנאפת","ו-ה-והנאפת","ו-מנאפת","מנאפת","נואפות"]·HI["और-व्यभिचारिणी","व्यभिचारिणियाँ","व्यभिचारिणियों","व्यभिचारिणियों-का","व्यभिचारिणी","व्यभिचारिणी-का"]·ID["-yang-berzina!","dan-berzinah","dan-pezinah-perempuan","perempuan-perempuan-berzinah","perempuan-perempuan-yang-berzina","yang-berzinah"]·IT["adulteress","commettere-adulterio","e-commettere-adulterio","e-il-adulteress"]·jav["ingkang-jina","kang-laku-jina","lan-laku-jina","lan-tiyang-bandrek-èstri.","para-èstri-jina","tiyang-bandrek"]·KO["간음하는","간음하는-여자들의","간음하는-자들이다","간음한-자들의","그-간음하는","그리고-간음하는","그리고-그-간음한-여자"]·PT["a-adúltera","adúltera","adúlteras","e-a-adúltera","e-adúltera"]·RU["и-прелюбодейка","и-прелюбодействующую","прелюбодеек","прелюбодейки","прелюбодейная","прелюбодейной"]·ES["adúltera","adúlteras","la-adúltera","y-adúltera","y-la-adúltera"]·SW["mzinzi","na-mzinzi","na-mzinzi-wa-kike","wazinzi"]·TR["ve-zina-eden","ve-zina-eden-kadın","yargılarıyla","zina-eden","zina-edenin","zina-edenler","zina-edenlerin"]·urd["اور-زانیہ","اور-زناکار","زناکار","زناکار-عورتوں-کی","زناکاروں-کی","زناکاریں"]
3. commit adultery (Piel intensive) — Piel intensive finite forms — committing adultery with habitual, emphatic, or intensified force. Seven occurrences, concentrated in Jeremiah and Ezekiel's prophetic accusations. Jer 5:7 accuses the people of flocking to the harlot's house; Jer 29:23 indicts false prophets who 'committed adultery with their neighbors' wives.' Ezek 23:37 charges both Oholah and Oholibah with adultery — here with idols, blending the literal and metaphorical. The Piel's intensive force captures the repeated, habitual nature of the infidelity. Spanish cometieron adulterio and German ehebrechen both render the completed-action aspect, while the Piel stem signals that this is not a single lapse but a pattern of betrayal. 7×
AR["زَنَتَا","زَنَتْ","وَ-زَنَوْا","وَزَنَيَا","يَزنينَ"]·ben["আর-ব্যভিচার-করেছে-তারা","এবং-ব্যভিচার-করেছে","ব্যভিচার-করে","ব্যভিচার-করেছে","ব্যভিচার-করেছে-তারা"]·DE["[נאפו]","bricht-Ehe","ehebrechen","und-ehebrechen"]·EN["and-they-committed-adultery","commit-adultery","committed-adultery","they-commit-adultery","they-committed-adultery"]·FR["commettre-adultère","et-commettre-adultère"]·heb["ו-נאפו","ו-ניאפו","ניאפה","ניאפו","תנאפנה"]·HI["और-उन्होंने-व्यभिचार-किया","और-व्यभिचार-किया-उन्होंने","व्यभिचार-करती-हैं","व्यभिचार-किया","व्यभिचार-कीं-उन्होंने"]·ID["berzinah","dan-mereka-berzinah","mereka-berzinah","tetapi-mereka-berzinah"]·IT["commettere-adulterio","e-commettere-adulterio"]·jav["laku-jina-nipun","lan-piyambakipun-sami-laku-jina","lan-sami-laku-jina","sami-laku-bandrek","sami-laku-jina"]·KO["간음한","간음한다","간음했다","그리고-간음했다"]·PT["adulteram","adulterou","cometeram-adultério","e-adulteraram"]·RU["и-прелюбодействовали","прелюбодействовала","прелюбодействовали","прелюбодействуют","своими"]·ES["adulteran","adulteró","cometieron-adulterio","y-adulteraron"]·SW["alizini","kuzini","lakini-walizini","na-walifanya-uzinzi","wamezini","wanazini"]·TR["ve-zina-ettiler","zina-ediyorlar","zina-etti","zina-ettiler"]·urd["اور-زنا-کیا","اور-زنا-کیا-انہوں-نے","زنا-کی","فحاشی-کرتی-ہیں"]
4. commit adultery (Qal) — Qal finite verb forms — the basic act of committing adultery. Five occurrences including the Decalogue prohibition itself (Exod 20:14; Deut 5:18), along with the legal casuistry of Lev 20:10 (twice, for the man who 'commits adultery with' another man's wife). Jer 3:9 provides the great metaphorical extension: Israel 'committed adultery with stone and tree' — idolatry as marital betrayal. The Qal presents the action in its simplest, most unmarked form, and the multilingual evidence is remarkably consistent: Spanish adulterar, French commettre adultere, German ehebrechen all render a straightforward verbal act without the intensification of the Piel. 5×
AR["تَزْنِ","وَ-زَنَتْ","يَزْنِي"]·ben["এবং-ব্যভিচার-করেছে","তুমি-ব্যভিচার-করবে","ব্যভিচার-করবে।","ব্যভিচার-করে"]·DE["commits-adultery-mit","du-soll-commit-adultery","und-ehebrechen"]·EN["and-committed-adultery","commits-adultery-with","you-shall-commit-adultery"]·FR["commits-adultery-avec","et-commettre-adultère","tu---commit-adultère","tu-devra-commit-adultery"]·heb["ו-ניאפה","ינאף","תנאף"]·HI["और-व्यभिचार-किया-उसने","व्यभिचार-करे","व्यभिचार-करेगा"]·ID["berzina","berzinah","dan-berzinah"]·IT["commits-adultery-con","e-commettere-adulterio","tu-dovra-commit-adultery","tu-shall-commit-adultery"]·jav["bandrek","laku-jina.","lan-laku-jina","panjenengan-laku-jina"]·KO["간음하는","간음하라","간음하지","그리고-간음했다"]·PT["adulterará","adulterarás","e-adulterou"]·RU["будет-прелюбодействовать","и-прелюбодействовала","прелюбодействуй"]·ES["adulterarás","cometa-adulterio","cometerás-adulterio","y-adulteró"]·SW["atazini","na-akazini","usizini"]·TR["ve-zina-etti","zina-edeceksin","zina-ederse"]·urd["اور-زنا-کی","زنا-کر","زنا-کرے"]
5. committing adultery (infinitive) — Infinitive absolute forms — the act of adultery as a verbal noun or adverbial intensifier. Three occurrences, all in prophetic lists of covenant violations. Jer 7:9 strings together infinitives: 'stealing, murdering, committing adultery, swearing falsely...' — a catalog of broken commandments. Jer 23:14 similarly includes na'of in a list of the prophets' sins. Hos 4:2 delivers the famous indictment: 'swearing, lying, murdering, stealing, and committing adultery — they break all bounds.' The infinitive absolute here functions as a verbal noun in a list, naming the sin as a category. Spanish adulterar and German ehebrechen both use infinitive forms in translation, confirming the grammatical parallelism. 3×
AR["زِنًا","وَ-تَزْنُونَ","وَزِنىً"]·ben["এবং-ব্যভিচার","এবং-ব্যভিচার-করতে","ব্যভিচার"]·DE["ehebrechen","und-bricht-Ehe","und-ehebrechen"]·EN["and-adultery","and-commit-adultery","committing-adultery"]·FR["commettre-adultère","et-commettre-adultère"]·heb["ו-נאוף","ו-ניאוף","נאוף"]·HI["और-व्यभिचार","व्यभिचार"]·ID["berzinah","dan-berzinah"]·IT["commettere-adulterio","e-commettere-adulterio"]·jav["laku-jina","lan-jina","lan-laku-jina"]·KO["간음하고","그리고-간음하고","그리고-간음하며"]·PT["adulterar","e-adulterar"]·RU["и-прелюбодействовать","и-прелюбодеяние","прелюбодейство"]·ES["adulterar","y-adulterar"]·SW["kuzini","na-kuzini"]·TR["ve-zina","ve-zina-etmek","zina"]·urd["اور-زنا","زنا"]
Related Senses
H2896a 1. good (quality or moral) (305×)H7563 1. wicked person (259×)H7451c 1. moral evil or wickedness (234×)H5771 1. iniquity, sin, wrongdoing (222×)H6662 1. righteous person (substantive) (195×)G0266 1. sin, failure, transgression (173×)H2403b 1. sin, transgression (170×)H2617a 1. Covenant faithfulness, steadfast love (167×)H2398 1. Qal: to sin, commit sin (165×)H6666 1. righteousness, moral uprightness (145×)G5485 1. grace, divine favor (141×)H7451a 1. morally evil, wicked (129×)H2403b 2. sin-offering, sacrifice for sin (120×)H6664 1. righteousness, justice (116×)G2570 1. good, right, excellent (98×)G1343 1. (92×)H6588 1. transgression, offense against God (88×)G0018 1. good (moral quality) (85×)H2896b 1. good, what is good (85×)H7451b 1. evil, wickedness (moral) (83×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [נָאַף] vb. commit adultery (NH id.; Aramaic נְאַף (rare));— Qal Impf. 3 ms. יִנְאַף Lv 20:10(×2); 3 mpl. וַיִּנְאָ֑פוּ Je 5:7 + 3 times Impf., Inf. abs. נָאוֹף 23:14; נָאֹף Ho 4:2 Je 7:9; Pt. נֹאֵף Pr 6:32 Jb 24:15; fs. נֹאָ֑פֶת Lv 20:10; fpl. נֹאֲפוֹת Ez 16:38 + 2 times;— 1. lit. commit adultery: a. usually of man, always with wife of another; c. acc. woman, Lv 20:10(×2) (H), Pr 6:32;…