H5227 H5227
Opposite, facing, in front of (spatial); on behalf of; straight ahead (directional)
A spatial word at heart, this term places something squarely before the eyes or directly opposite in position. The candlestick stands facing the table (Exod 26:35), armies encamp opposite one another (1 Kgs 20:29), and Proverbs 5:21 reminds that a person's ways lie open before the eyes of the LORD. Arabic muqabil (opposite) and Hindi samne (in front of) both confirm the core spatial force. One intriguing occurrence in Genesis 25:21 extends the facing posture into intercession, where Isaac prays on behalf of his wife, standing before God for her sake. In Proverbs 4:25 it takes a directional turn: let your eyes look straight ahead.
Senses
1. opposite, facing, before (spatial) — A spatial preposition meaning opposite, facing, or in front of, indicating direct positional alignment. Used of objects placed before other objects (Exod 26:35), armies camped face to face (1 Kgs 20:29), and the awareness of being in someone's sight (Prov 5:21). German gegenueber, French devant, and Spanish enfrente-de all converge on this frontal orientation. 21×
AR["أَمَامَ","تُجاهَ","تُجَاهَ","مُقابِلَ","مُقَابِلَ","مُقَابِلِ"]·ben["বিপরীতে","সামনে"]·DE["[נכח]","facing","gegenüber","opposite","vor"]·EN["before","facing","in-front-of","opposite"]·FR["[נכח]","dans-devant-de","devant","en-face","faisant-face","opposite","נכח"]·heb["ל-נכח","נוכח","נכח"]·HI["सामने"]·ID["berhadapan","berhadapan dengan","depan","di hadapan","di-depan","di-hadapan","menghadap"]·IT["[נכח]","davanti-a","di-fronte","di-fronte-a","dirimpetto","in-front-di","opposite","prima"]·jav["adu-arep","ing-ngajeng","ing-ngarsanipun","mapan","ngadhepi","ngajeng","nglawan","wonten-ing-ngajeng","wonten-ngajeng"]·KO["마주보는","마주하여","맞은편","맞은편에","맞은편으로","앞-에","앞-에서","앞에","앞에-"]·PT["defronte-de","diante-de","diante-de-","diante-dos","em-frente-de"]·RU["напротив","перед","пред"]·ES["Delante-de","delante-de","enfrente-de","frente","frente-a"]·SW["akikabiliana-na","mbele-ya","mkabala-na","mkabala-wa","wazi"]·TR["karşısına","karşısında","karşısında-","koyacak","önünde"]·urd["سامنے","سامنے-"]
Gen 30:38, Exod 26:35, Exod 40:24, Num 19:4, Josh 15:7, Josh 18:17, Judg 18:6, Judg 19:10, Judg 20:43, 1 Kgs 20:29, 1 Kgs 22:35, 2 Chr 18:34 (+9 more)
2. on behalf of (figurative) — A figurative extension from standing before someone to acting on their behalf, used in Genesis 25:21 where Isaac entreats the LORD on behalf of Rebekah. The spatial image of facing God becomes the posture of intercession, with Arabic min ajli (for the sake of) and Spanish frente-a reflecting this relational shift. 1×
AR["مِنْ-أَجْلِ"]·ben["জন্য"]·DE["angesichts"]·EN["on-behalf-of"]·FR["sur-part-de"]·heb["ל-נכח"]·HI["-के-सामने"]·ID["untuk"]·IT["su-behalf-di"]·jav["kangge-ngarepaken"]·KO["앞-에서"]·PT["em-favor-de"]·RU["напротив"]·ES["frente-a"]·SW["kwa-ajili-ya"]·TR["karşısında"]·urd["خاطر"]
3. straight ahead (directional) — A directional adverb meaning straight ahead or forward, indicating movement in a direct line rather than static position. Proverbs 4:25 counsels the young person to let their gaze go straight before them. Spanish hacia-adelante (toward the front) captures the forward momentum that distinguishes this usage from mere spatial facing. 1×
AR["إِلَى-الْأَمَامِ"]·ben["সামনের-দিকে"]·DE["[לנכח]"]·EN["straight-ahead"]·FR["à-לנכח"]·heb["ל-נוכח"]·HI["सीधे-सामने"]·ID["ke-depan"]·IT["per-straight-avanti"]·jav["dhateng-ngarep"]·KO["앞-을"]·PT["para-diante"]·RU["прямо"]·ES["hacia-adelante"]·SW["mbele"]·TR["doğrudan-öne"]·urd["سیدھے"]
Related Senses
H5921a 1. upon, on, over (spatial) (5443×)H0413 1. directional: to, toward (5366×)H1121a 1. son, male offspring, descendant (4914×)H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)H4428 1. king, human ruler (2518×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)H6440 1. before, in front of (spatial) (1870×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H3027 1. physical hand (body part) (1596×)H1697 1. word, speech, utterance (1235×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† נֹ֫כַח subst. front, always in prep. or adv. phrases, with sf. נִכְחוֹ Ex 14:2; Ez 46:9:— 1. as adv. acc. in front of, opposite to, Ex 14:2 נִכְחוֹ תַּחֲנוּ, 26:35 the candlestick נֹכַח הַשֻּׁלְחָן, 40:24, Jos 18:17 (in the ‖ 15:7, נֹכַח לְ: v. לְ 5 c), 1 K 20:29 וַיַּחֲנוּ אֵלֶּה נֹכַח אֵלֶּה, 22:35 (= 2 Ch 18:34), Est 5:1(×2); Ez 46:9 Qr כִּי נִכְחוֹ יֵצֵא shall go out in front of himself,…