נֶ֫גֶד151 H5048
In front of, before, opposite; in the presence of; at a distance facing; away from before; against; corresponding to
A spatial preposition and adverb built on the root meaning 'conspicuous' or 'what is in front.' Stronger and more precise than the common liphnei ('before'), neged insists on face-to-face orientation — you are positioned directly opposite, in clear sight of, the referent. When Israel encamps neged hahar (Exod 19:2), they are not merely near Sinai but arrayed facing the mountain. With the directional min prefix it marks departure from someone's presence (Ps 31:22). In two striking occurrences in Gen 2:18, 20, it describes the helper made kenegdo — 'corresponding to him' — a relational counterpart facing and matching Adam. French en face de and German gegenueber both capture this face-to-face spatial precision.
5. against, in opposition to — An adversarial sense where neged shifts from spatial facing to hostile opposition — 'against' rather than merely 'before.' Spanish contra and French a-devant (in adversarial context) capture this shift. Prov 21:30 ('no wisdom, no understanding, no counsel against the LORD') and Job 10:17 ('you renew your witnesses against me') show the opposition nuance clearly. Eccl 4:12 notes that though one may be overpowered, two can withstand — the preposition frames confrontation. 3×
AR["أَمامي","أَمَامَهُ","تُجاهَ"]·ben["আমার-বিরুদ্ধে","তার-বিরুদ্ধে","সামনে"]·DE["gegenueber","zu-verkuendete"]·EN["against","against-him","against-me"]·FR["devant-lui","devant-moi","à-devant"]·heb["ל-נגד","נגדו","נגדי"]·HI["उसके-सामने","मेरे-विरुद्ध","सामने"]·ID["di-hadapan","dia","terhadapku"]·IT["di-fronte-mio","di-fronte-suo","per-di-fronte"]·jav["nglawan","nglawan-piyambakipun","wonten-ngajeng-kawula"]·KO["그-에게","나-앞에서","대항하여-"]·PT["contra","contra-ele","contra-mim"]·RU["против","против-меня","против-него;"]·ES["contra-mí,","contra-él","frente-a"]·SW["dhidi-ya","dhidi-yake","dhidi-yangu"]·TR["karsisinda","karşımda","karşısında"]·urd["اس-کے-سامنے","مقابلے-میں","میرے-خلاف"]
▼ 5 more senses below
Senses
1. before, in the presence of — The primary adverbial/prepositional sense of being in front of or in the presence of someone, with the implication that the person is aware and can see what is before them. French devant and German gegenueber both encode the 'in plain sight' nuance. Gen 31:32 ('in front of our kinsmen, identify what is yours'), Exod 34:10 ('before all your people I will do wonders'), and Ps 78:12 anchor this sense in contexts of witness and awareness. 83×
AR["أمامَ","أَمامَ","أَمَامَ","تُجَاهَ","قُبالَةَ"]·ben["-সামনে","সামনে"]·DE["gegenueber","gegenüber","verkuendete","vor","vor-gegenüber","zu-verkuendete"]·EN["before","is-before"]·FR["annoncer","devant","en-face-de","à-annoncer","à-devant"]·heb["ל-נגד","נגד"]·HI["ले-सामने","सअमने","सामने","सामने-है","साम्हने"]·ID["di-depan","di-hadapan","menghadap"]·IT["davanti","davanti-a","di-fronte-a","per-di-fronte"]·jav["ing-ngajeng","ing-ngajeng-","ing-ngajengipun","ing-ngarsanipun","madhep","sangajeng","wonten-ing-ngajeng","wonten-ing-ngarsaning","wonten-ing-sangajeng","wonten-ngajeng","wonten-ngarsanipun"]·KO["-앞에","맞으어","앞-에","앞-에서","앞에","앞에-의","앞에-있다","앞에서","앞에서-"]·PT["diante","diante-de","diante-de-","está-diante-de","perante"]·RU["перед","пред","против"]·ES["delante-de","frente-a"]·SW["maji","mbele-ya","mbele-ya-","mbele-yake"]·TR["-önünde","karşısında","karşısında-","onunde","önünde"]·urd["-سامنے","سامنے","کے-سامنے"]
Gen 31:32, Gen 31:37, Exod 10:10, Exod 34:10, Num 22:32, Num 25:4, Deut 31:11, Josh 8:35, Ruth 4:4, Ruth 4:4, 1 Sam 12:3, 1 Sam 12:3 (+38 more)
2. opposite, facing across from — The spatial sense of being directly opposite or facing across from something, emphasizing frontal orientation rather than mere proximity. French en face de and Spanish enfrente de both specify facing directionality. Exod 19:2 (Israel encamped 'opposite the mountain'), Josh 3:16 (waters standing in a heap at a distance 'opposite' Adam), Josh 8:33 (half of Israel 'opposite' Mount Gerizim, half 'opposite' Mount Ebal), and 1 Kgs 8:22 (Solomon standing 'before' the altar facing the assembly) all demand a facing-toward spatial reading. 36×
AR["أمامَ","أَمامَ","أَمَامَ","تُجاهَ","تُجَاهَ","مُقابِلَ","مُقَابِلَ"]·ben["-সম্মুখে","-সামনে","বিপরীতে","সামনে"]·DE["gegenueber","opposite","verkuendete","zu-verkuendete"]·EN["before","in-front-of","opposite"]·FR["en-face","en-face-de","opposite","zu-en-face-de"]·heb["ל-נגד","נגד"]·HI["भारी-थे","सामने"]·ID["berhadapan-dengan","depan","di-depan","di-hadapan"]·IT["a-di-fronte-a","di-fronte","di-fronte-a","opposite"]·jav["cèlak","dhateng-ngadepipun","ing-ngadepipun","ing-ngajeng","kangge-ing-ngajeng","madhep","ngadepipun","ngadhepi","ngadhepi-"]·KO["~앞-에서","맞은편","맞은편-에","맞은편에","앞","앞에","에게-앞"]·PT["defronte-de","diante-de","em-frente-de","para-em-frente-de"]·RU["напротив","перед","против"]·ES["delante-de","enfrente-de","frente-a","frente-a-"]·SW["kuwaelekea","mbele-ya","mkabala-na"]·TR["karşısına","karşısında"]·urd["سامنے","سامنے-کے","کے-سامنے"]
Exod 19:2, Josh 3:16, Josh 8:11, Josh 8:33, 1 Kgs 8:22, 1 Kgs 20:27, 1 Chr 5:11, 1 Chr 8:32, 1 Chr 9:38, 2 Chr 6:12, 2 Chr 6:13, 2 Chr 7:6 (+24 more)
3. at a distance, from opposite side — The sense of being at a distance or from the opposite side while still maintaining a facing orientation — remote observation from across a gap. German bei ein Distance and Spanish desde enfrente de capture this nuance of separated but facing. Gen 21:16 is paradigmatic: Hagar sits down 'at a distance, opposite' (minneged), unwilling to watch Ishmael die. Num 2:2 positions the tribes encamped 'at a distance facing' the tent of meeting. Deut 32:52 lets Moses see the promised land only 'from opposite.' 14×
amh["በ-ተቃራኒ"]·AR["مقابلاً","مُقابِلًا","مُقَابِلَهُ","مُقَابِلَهُمَا","مُقَابِلَهُمْ","مِن-مُقَابِلِ","مِنْ-أَمَامِ","مِنْ-بَعِيدٍ","مِنْ-قُبَالَةٍ"]·ben["-সামনে","থেকে-দূরে","দূর-থেকে","বিপরীতে","বিরুদ্ধে","সামনে","সামনে-থেকে"]·ces["naproti"]·dan["over-for,"]·DE["bei-ein-distance","gegenüber","opposite","von-opposite","von-verkuendete"]·ell["απέναντι,"]·EN["at-a-distance","from-opposite","opposite"]·FR["de-en-face","de-en-face-de","de-opposite","en-face","à-distance,","à-un-distance"]·guj["સામે"]·hat["opoze"]·hau["a-nesa"]·heb["מ-נגד","מנגד"]·HI["दूर","दूर-से","पास","सामने","सामने-से","साम्हने-से","से-सामने"]·hun["szemben"]·ID["dari-depan","dari-jauh","dari-seberang","di-depan"]·IT["a-un-distance","da-di-fronte","da-di-fronte-a","da-dirimpetto","da-parte","di-fronte","di-fronte-a"]·jav["ing-ngarep","saking-kadohan","saking-katebihan","saking-ngadepipun","saking-ngarep","wonten-ngarep"]·JA["反対側-に"]·KO["맞은편-에","맞은편-에서","맞은편에","반대편에서","앞에서","에서-맞은편","에서-맞은편에서","에서-앞"]·mar["समोरुन-"]·mya["-မှလှမ်း"]·nld["van-tegenover"]·nor["på-avstand"]·pnb["ساہمنوں"]·pol["naprzeciwko"]·PT["de-em-frente","de-em-frente-de","de-frente","de-longe","do-lado-oposto"]·ron["deoparte,"]·RU["издали","напротив"]·ES["de-enfrente","desde-enfrente","desde-enfrente-de","en-contra","enfrente"]·SW["kando","kutoka","kutoka-mbali","kutoka-mbele","mbele-ya","mkabala"]·swe["mitt-emot"]·tam["எதிரே"]·tel["ఎదురుగా"]·tgl["sa-tapat"]·TH["ตรงข้าม"]·TR["karsidan","karsisinda","karşıda","karşıdan","karşısında","karşısında-","karşısından"]·ukr["осторонь"]·urd["الگ","دور-سے","سامنے-سے","سے-سامنے"]·VI["đối-diện"]·yor["ní-òdìkejì,"]·yue["從對面"]·ZH["-在对面"]
Gen 21:16, Gen 21:16, Num 2:2, Deut 32:52, Judg 20:34, 2 Sam 18:13, 2 Kgs 2:7, 2 Kgs 2:15, 2 Kgs 3:22, 2 Kgs 4:25, Neh 3:19, Neh 3:25 (+2 more)
4. from before, away from presence — With the prefixed min (minneged or min-neged), the sense of departure or separation away from someone's front or presence. French de-devant and Spanish de-delante-de encode this ablative directionality. Ps 31:22 ('I said in my alarm, I am cut off from before your eyes') and 1 Sam 26:20 ('let not my blood fall to the ground away from the presence of the LORD') express anguished removal from divine or royal sight. Deut 28:66 ('your life shall hang in doubt before you') uses the spatial tension of something dangling before your eyes yet unreachable. 12×
AR["أَمَامَكَ","بَعيدًا-عَن","بَعيدًا-عَنْ","مِ-نِجْدِي","مِن-أمامِ","مِن-أَمَامِ","مِنْ-أَمَام","مِنْ-أَمَامِ","مِنْ-أَمَامِهِ"]·ben["-আমার-থেকে","-সামনে-থেকে","থেকে-সামনে","দূরে-থেকে","সমস্ত-","সামনে-থেকে"]·DE["gegenueber","sein-gegenüber","von-gegenueber","von-in-Vorderseite","von-verkuendete","von-vor","von-vor-gegenüber"]·EN["from-before","from-before-me","from-in-front","from-the-presence-of","out-of-his-sight"]·FR["de-annoncer","de-dans-front","de-devant","de-devant-moi,","en-face-de"]·heb["מ-נגד","מ-נגדו","מ-נגדי"]·HI["उसकी-दृष्टि-से-बाहर","मुझसे","सामने","सामने-से","सामने-से-दूर","सामनेसे","से-सामने"]·ID["dari-depan","dari-hadapan","dariku","di-depan","jauh-dari","jauh-darinya"]·IT["da-davanti-a","da-di-fronte","da-di-fronte-mio","da-in-front","davanti-a","di-fronte"]·jav["ing-ngajeng","saking-kula","saking-ngajeng","saking-ngajeng-ipun","saking-ngajeng-soca-Kawula","saking-ngarepan","saking-ngarsaning","saking-ngarsanipun","tebih-saking"]·KO["(전)-앞에서","-앞-에서","-에서","나-에게서","로부터-멀리","부터-앞","앞-에서","에서-떨어진"]·PT["de-diante","de-diante-de","de-diante-de-mim","de-frente","diante-de","para-ele"]·RU["вдали-от","напротив","от-меня","от-него","от-перед","от-пред","от-против","против","прочь"]·ES["de-delante-de","de-enfrente-de","de-frente-a-mí","enfrente","lejos-de-él"]·SW["kutoka-kwangu","kutoka-mbele-ya","mbali-na","mbali-naye","mbele","mbele-ya","mbele-yako"]·TR["-uzaktan","benden","den-karşısında","görüşünden","karşında","karşısında","karşısından-","onunden-","önünden"]·urd["-سامنے-سے","اُس-کی-نظر-سے-دور","خطرے-میں","دور","دور-سے","سامنے-سے","سے-دُور","سے-نظر","مجھ-سے"]
6. sense 6 — A distinctive relational sense meaning 'corresponding to, matching, counterpart of' — not merely spatial but describing essential complementarity. Only two occurrences, both in Gen 2:18, 20: God says 'I will make him a helper kenegdo' — a partner facing him as his match. The multilingual glosses (English 'corresponding-to-him,' Spanish como-frente-a-el, French corresponding-a-lui) all strain to capture a meaning that transcends spatial opposition: a counterpart who is both opposite and equal, facing and fitted to the other. 2×
AR["نَظِيرَهُ"]·ben["তার-যোগ্য"]·DE["ihm-gegenüber"]·EN["corresponding-to-him"]·FR["corresponding-à-lui"]·heb["כ-נגדו-ו"]·HI["उसके-अनुकूल"]·ID["yang-sepadan-dengannya"]·IT["corresponding-a-lui"]·jav["ingkang-cocog-kangge-piyambakipun"]·KO["에-맞는"]·PT["como-diante-dele"]·RU["соответственного-ему"]·ES["como-frente-a-él"]·SW["mwenye-kufanana-naye"]·TR["ona-uygun"]·urd["اُس-کے-مناسب"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
נֶ֫גֶד151 subst. what is conspicuous or in front, always as adv. or prep. in front of, in sight of, opposite to, נֶ֑גֶד, cstr. נֶגֶד, sf. נֶגְדִּי ψ 38:11 +, נֶגְדְּךָ 38:10 +, etc.; with ה loc. נֶ֫גְדָּה †ψ 116:14, 18;— 1. as adv. accus. in front of, a. locally (rather stronger and distincter than לִפְנֵי), (a) Gn 31:32 נֶגֶד אַחֵינוּ הַכֶּר־נָא in front of our brethren own it, now, v 37 47:15…