H5230 H5230
nakal — to be crafty, deceitful; plot with cunning intent to harm
This verb means to be crafty, deceitful, or knavish, describing deliberate cunning designed to harm or deceive others. The term appears in Akkadian (be crafty), Aramaic, and Syriac with similar meanings of deception and plotting. Biblical usage includes both the basic quality of being a knave or deceiver and active plotting against others. The contexts involve treacherous conspiracy (Joseph's brothers), enemy deception (Midianites), and faithless worship (offering blemished sacrifices). The word emphasizes not mere lying but calculated, cunning schemes to achieve selfish or harmful ends.
Senses
1. sense 1 — To be crafty, deceitful, or knavish; to plot with cunning. Genesis 37:18 describes Joseph's brothers: 'they plotted against him (vayitnakkelu oto) to kill him'—forming a cunning conspiracy. Numbers 25:18 warns against the Midianites 'for they beguiled you (nikkelu lakhem nikhleihem) with their wiles'—using a cognate accusative emphasizing the craftiness of their deception in the Baal-Peor incident. Psalm 105:25 describes how God 'turned their heart to deal craftily (lehitnakkel) with his servants'—using cunning oppression against Israel in Egypt. Malachi 1:14 pronounces curse on 'the deceiver (nokhel)' who vows a perfect animal but sacrifices a blemished one—cunning religious fraud. The verb emphasizes calculated treachery. 4×
AR["المُحْتَالُ", "كَادُوا", "لِيَحتالوا", "وَ-تَآمَرُوا"]·ben["আর-তারা-ষড়যন্ত্র-করল", "তারা-ছলনা-করেছে", "প্রতারক", "ষড়যন্ত্র-করতে"]·DE["[נוכל]", "sie-betrog", "und-schmiedeten-Ränke", "zu-deal-craftily"]·EN["and-plotted", "deceiver", "they-deceived", "to-deal-craftily"]·FR["et-plotted", "ils-deceived", "tromper", "à-tromper"]·heb["ו-יתנכלו", "ל-התנכל", "נוכל", "נכלו"]·HI["और-षड्यंत्र-रचा", "छल-करने-के-लिए", "छला-किया", "छली"]·ID["dan-mereka-berkomplot", "menipu", "penipu", "untuk-memperdaya"]·IT["[להתנכל]", "e-plotted", "essi-deceived", "ingannare"]·jav["kang-apus", "kangge-ngapusi", "lan-piyambakipun-sami-ngrancang", "sami-ngapusi"]·KO["그리고-꿔했다", "속였다", "속이는-자는", "속이도록"]·PT["e-conspiraram", "enganaram", "o-enganador", "para-agir-traicoeiramente"]·RU["и-замыслили", "коварствовали", "коварствовать", "обманщик"]·ES["a-tratar-con-astucia", "engañador", "os-engañaron", "y-conspiraron"]·SW["kuwadanganya", "mdanganyifu", "na-wakafanya-hila", "waliwahila"]·TR["aldatıcı", "hile-yapmaya", "hile-yaptılar", "ve-düzen-kurdular"]·urd["اور-سازش-کی-انہوں-نے", "دھوکے-باز", "چال-چلنے-کو", "چالیں-چلائیں"]
Related Senses
G4102 1. faith, trust, belief (239×)G4100 1. believe / have faith in (233×)H0982 1. trust in, rely on (105×)H3988a 1. reject, refuse (56×)G4103 1. faithful, trustworthy, reliable (54×)H0530 1. faithfulness, fidelity, reliability (47×)H0539 1. believe, accept as true (42×)H3985 1. refuse, be unwilling (41×)H0539 2. faithful, trustworthy, sure (39×)H8582 1. lead astray, cause to err (22×)H2623 1. faithful ones / saints (community) (21×)G0571 1. unbelieving, unbeliever (20×)G3982 1. be persuaded or convinced (19×)H8582 2. go astray, err morally (19×)G4105 1. to deceive, lead astray (18×)G3982 2. trust or have confidence in (17×)H2186a 1. reject, spurn (Qal) (16×)H3988a 2. despise, scorn (14×)G3982 3. persuade or convince someone (13×)G4103 2. believing, a believer (13×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [נָכַל] vb. be crafty, deceitful, knavish (Assyrian nakâlu, be crafty, cunning; 𝔗 נְכֵל be crafty, Pa. deceive; Syriac ܢܟܶܠ deceive, plot; cf. perhaps Amh. ወነጀለ act faithlessly, ወነጌለ faithless, PräAmhar. Spr. 90);— Qal Pt. נוֹכֵל Mal 1:14 knave. Pi. Pf. 3 mpl. c. acc. cogn. נִכְּלוּ לָכֶם נִכְלֵיהֶם אֲשֶׁר Nu 25:18 their wiles with which they beguiled you. Hithp. Impf. וַיִּתְנַכְּלוּ אֹתוֹ…