Strong’s H5172 · Hebrew

נָחַשׁ
nâchash
naw-khash'

Definition

properly, to hiss, i.e. whisper a (magic) spell; generally, to prognosticate

Etymology

a primitive root;

Where the KJV renders it

  • certainly
  • divine
  • enchanter
  • (use) enchantment
  • learn by experience
  • indeed
  • diligently observe

Every distinct English word the King James Version uses to translate this Hebrew term. The variety shows what readers in English receive across many different surface words — the same underlying word, scattered across the English Bible under different names.

What the first audience heard

A deep-dive treatment of this word is in the works. The featured chapter above carries the long form of what this word meant to its first audience.