H5063 H5063
A blow or plague sent as divine judgment; also a stone of striking against which one stumbles
This noun from the root ngp ('to strike, smite') denotes a divinely inflicted blow or plague. It appears prominently in the Exodus narrative, where God promises 'no plague shall befall you' during the death of the firstborn (Exod 12:13), and in the wilderness stories where plague threatens Israel for rebellion (Num 16:46-47; 8:19). In one distinctive usage, Isaiah 8:14 speaks of an 'even negep,' a stone of striking that causes stumbling, a metaphor for God becoming an obstacle to those who reject him. The shift from lethal plague to stumbling-stone is vividly reflected in Spanish tropiezo ('stumbling block') versus plaga ('plague').
Senses
1. plague — A fatal blow or plague sent as divine judgment, used exclusively in Priestly and related texts. In Exod 12:13 God says the destructive plague (negep) will not touch Israel during the Passover; in Exod 30:12 a census without ransom risks plague; Num 8:19 warns of plague should unauthorized persons approach the sanctuary. Spanish plaga, French plaie, German Plage all consistently render it as epidemic disaster, underscoring the sense of catastrophic divine punishment falling on a community. 6×
AR["الْوَبَاءُ","وَباءٌ","وَبَاءٌ"]·ben["আঘাত","মহামারী","মারী"]·DE["Plage","der-Plage","eine-Plage"]·EN["a-plague","plague","the-plague"]·FR["le-plaie","plaie","une-plaie"]·heb["ה-נגף","נגף"]·HI["विपत्ति"]·ID["tulah","tulah-itu"]·IT["il-piaga","il-plague","piaga","una-piaga"]·jav["pageblug","pagebluk","wabah-punika","wewelak","wewelak-punika"]·KO["그-재앱이","역병이","재앙","재앙이","재앱이"]·PT["a-praga","praga"]·RU["мор","поражение","поражения","язва","язвы"]·ES["la-plaga","plaga"]·SW["ha-tauni","pigo","tauni"]·TR["bela","veba"]·urd["وبا"]
2. striking — A striking or stumbling, used uniquely in Isa 8:14 where God becomes 'a stone of striking' (even negep) and 'a rock of stumbling' for both houses of Israel. The image is not of epidemic plague but of an obstacle against which the foot strikes and the person falls. Spanish tropiezo ('stumbling') and the parallel with tsûr mikhshôl ('rock of stumbling') confirm this distinct metaphorical sense of collision and downfall rather than pestilence. 1×
AR["عَثرَةٍ"]·ben["আঘাতের"]·DE["[נגף]"]·EN["striking"]·FR["[נגף]"]·heb["נגף"]·HI["ठोकर-का"]·ID["sandungan"]·IT["[נגף]"]·jav["kasandhungan"]·KO["부딪침의"]·PT["tropeço"]·RU["преткновения"]·ES["tropiezo"]·SW["la-kujikwaa"]·TR["carpmak"]·urd["ٹھوکر-کا"]
Related Senses
H7200 1. Qal: to see, perceive (1257×)G4771 2. you (singular address) (1077×)H8085 1. Qal: hear, perceive aurally (921×)H0859a 1. you (2nd person masculine singular pronoun) (743×)H0398 1. eat (consume food) (697×)H4191 1. die (Qal: natural/general death) (645×)G3708 1. see, perceive visually (419×)G0191 1. hear, perceive sound (360×)H???? 3. (352×)H1818 1. blood (physical substance) (327×)G3708 2. behold, look (exclamatory) (256×)H7272 1. foot (body part) (236×)H8354 1. drink, consume liquid (209×)H1320 1. body, physical being (207×)H3205 1. Qal active: bear/give birth (female subject) (204×)H3205 2. Qal active: beget/father (male subject) (198×)H7965 1. peace, absence of conflict (198×)H2421 1. Qal: live, be alive (177×)H8085 2. Qal: listen, heed, pay attention (172×)H3467 1. save, deliver, rescue (Hifil active) (156×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† נֶ֫גֶף n.m. Ex 12:13 blow, striking (as judgment, only P);—נ׳ abs. Ex 12:13 + 6 times;— 1. fatal blow, plague, Ex 12:13 (death of first-born); 30:12; Nu 8:19 (indef.); = pestilence Nu 17:11, 12; Jos 22:17. 2. striking, אֶבֶן נ׳ Is 8:14 i.e. against which the foot strikes and so stumbles (‖ צוּר מִכְשׁוֹל).