H5059 H5059
To play a stringed instrument; as a participle, a musician or minstrel who performs on strings.
This verb specifically denotes playing a stringed instrument — plucking or striking the strings of a lyre or harp. David was sought out as someone skilled at playing (מֵיטִיב לְנַגֵּן, 1 Samuel 16:17), and his performance on the lyre drove away Saul's tormenting spirit. Spanish 'tocar' and French 'jouer' both convey the hands-on act of instrumental performance. The participle can stand alone as a noun meaning 'musician' or 'minstrel,' as when Elisha calls for a player (2 Kings 3:15) to invoke prophetic inspiration, and in Psalm 68:25 where instrumentalists march in the festive procession.
Senses
1. play a stringed instrument — To play or make music on a stringed instrument (Piel verbal forms and infinitives). In 1 Samuel 16:16–23 David plays the lyre (כִּנּוֹר) to soothe Saul; Spanish 'tocar' and French 'jouer' both emphasize the physical act of playing. Isaiah 38:20 uses the first-person plural 'we will play' (נְנַגֵּן) in Hezekiah's song of thanksgiving. Ezekiel 33:32 compares the prophet to one who plays skillfully (מֵטִיב נַגֵּן), a performer whose beautiful music is heard but not heeded. 12×
AR["العَزْفَ", "العَزْفِ", "الْعَزْفَ", "عَزْفَ", "عِنْدَ-عَزْفِ", "نُرَنِّمُ", "وَ-عَزَفَ", "وَ-يَعْزِفَ", "يَعْزِفُ", "ٱلْعَزْفِ"]·ben["আমরা-বাজাব", "এবং-বাজাত", "এবং-বাজাবে", "বাজাও", "বাজাচ্ছিল", "বাজাতে", "বাদ্যযন্ত্র", "বাদ্যযন্ত্র-বাজানো", "যখন-বাজাল"]·DE["[נגן]", "[ננגן]", "music", "playing", "und-er-wird-play", "und-played", "wann-played", "war-playing", "zu-play"]·EN["and-he-will-play", "and-played", "music", "playing", "to-play", "was-playing", "we-will-play", "when-played"]·FR["[נגן]", "[ננגן]", "et-il-fera-joue", "et-joua", "fut-jouant", "jouant", "jouer", "quand-joua", "à-joue"]·heb["ו-ניגן", "כ-נגן", "ל-נגן", "מנגן", "נגינה", "נגן", "ננגן"]·HI["और-जो", "और-बजअत", "और-वोह-बजअयेग", "बजअत-थ", "बजअन", "बजअने-मेइन", "बजाओ", "बजाते-में", "वादन", "हम-बजाएंगे"]·ID["bermain-musik;", "dan-ia-memainkan", "dan-memainkan", "kami-mainkan", "ketika-bermain", "memainkan", "petik"]·IT["[נגן]", "[ננגן]", "a-suona", "e-egli-vorrà-suona", "e-suonò", "era-suonando", "quando-suonò", "suonando", "suono'"]·jav["kalayan-trampil", "kawula-sadaya-mainaken", "lan-nabuh", "lan-nylenthem", "naléka-nabuh", "ngunèkaké", "nyanyia", "nyekel-kecapi", "nylenthem"]·KO["그리고-연주하리라", "그리고-연주했다", "연주하기를", "연주하는", "연주하라", "우리가-연주하리이다", "타들-때-에"]·PT["e-tocará", "e-tocava", "melodia", "quando-tocou", "tangeendo", "tocando", "tocar", "tocaremos"]·RU["будем-играть", "и-заиграет", "и-играл", "играть", "играющий", "играя", "игрою", "когда-играл", "наигрывая"]·ES["cuando-tocaba", "en-tocar", "la-música", "tocad", "tocando", "tocando;", "tocar", "tocaremos", "y-tocaba", "y-tocará"]·SW["akipiga-kinubi", "kupiga-ala", "kupiga-kinubi", "mpiga-kinubi", "na-akapiga", "na-atapiga", "piga", "tutaimba", "wakati-alipopiga"]·TR["calacagiz", "calmak", "de-calarken", "ve-çalacak", "ve-çalardı", "çalanı", "çalmakta", "çalmayı", "çalın", "çalıyordu"]·urd["اور-بجائے", "اور-بجاتا-تھا", "بجا-رہا-تھا", "بجاؤ", "بجانا", "بجانے-میں", "بجانے-والی", "جب-بجایا", "ساز", "ہم-بجائیں-گے"]
2. musician, instrumentalist — A musician, player, or minstrel — the participle used substantivally as an agent noun. In 2 Kings 3:15 Elisha says 'bring me a musician' (הַמְנַגֵּן), and as the player performs, the hand of the Lord comes upon the prophet. Psalm 68:25 places 'the players' (נֹגְנִים, Qal participle) in a temple procession alongside singers and maidens with tambourines. Spanish 'músico' and French 'musician' reflect the professional identity this participle conveys. 3×
AR["العازِفونَ", "الْعَازِفِ", "عَازِفًا"]·ben["বাদকেরা", "বাদ্যকর"]·DE["der-musician", "der-musicians", "ein-musician"]·EN["a-musician", "the-musician", "the-musicians"]·FR["jouer", "le-musician", "un-musician"]·heb["ה-מנגן", "מנגן", "נוגנים"]·HI["बजानेवाला", "बजानेवाले-के"]·ID["pemain-alat-musik", "pemetik-kecapi-itu", "seorang-pemetik-kecapi"]·IT["il-musician", "suono'", "un-musician"]·jav["juru-musik", "juru-nabuh"]·KO["그-악사-가", "악사", "연주하는-자-들-이"]·PT["o-tocador", "tocador", "tocadores"]·RU["-музыкант", "играющие", "музыканта"]·ES["el-músico", "músicos", "un-músico"]·SW["mpiga-kinubi", "wapiga-vinanda"]·TR["muzisyen", "çalgıcılar"]·urd["بجانے-والا", "بجانے-والے", "بجانے-والے-نے"]
Related Senses
H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)H7121 1. call, summon, name (575×)H6680 1. command, order, charge (483×)H6030b 1. answer, respond, reply (289×)G2980 1. speak, talk (277×)H5046 1. Hifil: to tell, report (237×)G0611 1. answer or respond verbally (232×)H1288 1. Piel: bless, invoke blessing (227×)H7650 1. swear, take an oath (Niphal) (154×)H3789 1. Qal passive participle: written, recorded (112×)H1984b 1. praise, laud (Piel) (111×)H7592 1. ask, inquire, question (96×)H3034 1. give thanks, praise (Hifil) (94×)G1321 1. teach, instruct actively (92×)H3789 2. Qal active: write, compose (89×)G1125 1. to write, compose (a letter or document) (84×)H5046 2. Hifil: to declare, proclaim (79×)H7892a 1. song, musical composition (78×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [נָגַן] vb. touch (strings), play a stringed instrument (NH Pi.; Aramaic נְגַן Pa.);— Qal Pt. נֹגְנִים ψ 68:26 players (‖ שָׁרִים, עֲלָמוֹת תּוֹפֵפוֹת). Pi. Pf. וְנִגֵּן 1 S 16:16 (consec.), v 23; Impf. 1 pl. נְנַגֵּן Is 38:20; Inf. cstr. נַגֵּן 1 S 16:17 + 5 times; Pt. מְנַגֵּן 1 S 16:16 + 4 times;—play בַּכִּנּוֹר 1 S 16:16; בְּיָדוֹ v 16, 23 (כִּנּוֹר in context), 18:10; 19:9; c. acc. cogn.…