Word Study

LIBERTY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF DIVINITY

Word Study: Noun

Submitted to Dr. Roden

in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of

OTCL 505 – B TERM

Hebrew Language Tools

by

Samuel C. Petty

June 15, 2020

Contents

Introduction 3

Word For Study

Hebrew word for English word

Hebrew Word Usage

English Words Used

Influence of the Contextual Setting

Conclusion

Bibliography

Introduction

This word study will be on the word “inheritance” coming from Ruth 4:1-6, emphasis on verse 6, “And the close realitive said, “I cannot redeem it for myself, lest I ruin my own inheritance. You redeem my right of redemption for yourself, for I cannot redeem it.”[footnoteRef:1] [1: Holy Bible, New King James Version. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1983. ]

Hebrew Word for English Word

The word inheritance in this text is the feminine Hebrew verb, נַחֲלָה or transliterated nachalah. This word is numbered from Strong’s Hebrew concordance: #H5159,[footnoteRef:2] and comes from the original Hebrew word, נָחַל, transliterated nachal, in its original and primitive root sense. A complete definition of nachalah is a possession, property, inheritance, or heritage. This word is further defined as a portion or share in the property of another. Finally, in its primitive root sense, nachal is transitioned from a feminine noun to a verb, meaning—to get possession, acquire, inherit, possess, or to divine with the intent on receiving what has been allotted or rightly given.[footnoteRef:3] [2: "Nachalah - Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon - New American Standard," Bible Study Tools, , accessed June 19, 2019, https://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/hebrew/nas/nachalah.html. ] [3: "Ruth 4:1-6," Blue Letter Bible, , accessed June 19, 2019, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H1350&t=KJV. ]

Strong’s further defines this word as properly, something inherited, i.e. (abstractly) occupancy, or (concretely) and heirloom; generally an estate, patrimony or portion:-heritage, to inherit, inheritance, possession.[footnoteRef:4] [4: Ibid. ]

Hebrew Word Usage

The Hebrew word nachalah is used approximately 224 times in 192 verses in the NKJV translation of the Scripture. This usage is broken up into 4 major words: inheritance (192x), heritage (27x), inherit (2x), and possession (1x). Furthermore, nachalah is used the most within Numbers (31x), Joshua (43x), and Deuteronomy (23x). Each of these specific texts, this word is used to convey the message of the people of God (the nation of Israel) receiving the inheritance that God had for them. Whether through obedience to the commandments of the Lord in Numbers, or freedom from bondage in Deuteronomy, to walking in the freedom they had received in Joshua; nachalah dealt greatly with the blessing of God towards His people. Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon defined nachalal as the ability to receive any thing as a possession, to possess, as wealth, or glory, which is often used frequently to describe the children of Israel, as acquiring the possession of Canaan, and as possessing it.[footnoteRef:5] [5: "Gesenius's Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon - Study Resources," Blue Letter Bible, , accessed June 19, 2019, https://www.blueletterbible.org/study/lexica/gesenius/index.cfm.]

English Words Used

As stated above, the Hebrew word nachalah has several English words which are used to describe this one word. Inheritance, heritage, inherit, and possess are the most prominent. However, in its root/primitive form the words inherit, inheritance, possess, have, divide, heritage, possession and other synonymous words are used as descriptors.

Influence of the Contextual Setting

In the case of the Hebrew word חֲלָה,

Bibliography

Holy Bible, New King James Version. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 1983.

Forrest, Benjamin K. Biblical Leadership: Theology for the Everyday Leader. Grand Rapids: Kregel Academic, 2017.

"Nachalah - Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon - New American Standard." Bible Study Tools. Accessed June 19, 2019. https://www.biblestudytools.com/lexicons/hebrew/nas/nachalah.html.