נֵכַח
ne.khach (H5227)
before
AI Word Study
# Analysis of נֵכַח (nekakh): "Before" The Hebrew word *nekakh* appears 25 times in the biblical text with the primary meaning "before." This preposition functions as a spatial and relational term, indicating position or presence in front of something or someone. The consistency of its occurrence across these texts suggests it was a standard way for biblical Hebrew speakers to express frontal positioning or precedence, whether literal or figurative. While the lexicon data provides only the basic definition without detailed usage examples, the frequency of 25 occurrences indicates this was a common enough term to warrant its own lemma entry rather than being subsumed under related words. The simplicity of its definition—"before"—suggests *nekakh* likely served straightforward descriptive purposes in biblical narrative and law, establishing spatial relationships or the order of presentation without necessarily carrying specialized theological weight. Understanding *nekakh* as a foundational spatial preposition helps readers recognize how biblical Hebrew communicates physical and temporal relationships. Its modest frequency compared to more common prepositions suggests it filled a specific communicative niche, perhaps preferred in particular contexts or registers of biblical language.
AI synthesis uses only provided lexicon data -- never training knowledge.
Isaac entreated Yahweh for his wife, because she was barren. Yahweh was entreated by him, and Rebekah his wife conceived.
He set the rods which he had peeled opposite the flocks in the watering troughs where the flocks came to drink. They conceived when they came to drink.
“Speak to the children of Israel, that they turn back and encamp before Pihahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, before Baal Zephon. You shall encamp opposite it by the sea.
You shall set the table outside the veil, and the lamp stand opposite the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south. You shall put the table on the north side.
He put the lamp stand in the Tent of Meeting, opposite the table, on the south side of the tabernacle.
Eleazar the priest shall take some of her blood with his finger, and sprinkle her blood toward the front of the Tent of Meeting seven times.
The border went up to Debir from the valley of Achor, and so northward, looking toward Gilgal, that faces the ascent of Adummim, which is on the south side of the river. The border passed along to the waters of En Shemesh, and ended at En Rogel.
It extended northward, went out at En Shemesh, and went out to Geliloth, which is opposite the ascent of Adummim. It went down to the stone of Bohan the son of Reuben.
The priest said to them, “Go in peace. Your way in which you go is before Yahweh.”
But the man wouldn’t stay that night, but he rose up and went near Jebus (also called Jerusalem). With him were a couple of saddled donkeys. His concubine also was with him.
They surrounded the Benjamites, chased them, and trod them down at their resting place, as far as near Gibeah toward the sunrise.
They encamped opposite each other for seven days. So it was, that in the seventh day the battle was joined; and the children of Israel killed one hundred thousand footmen of the Syrians in one day.
The battle increased that day. The king was propped up in his chariot facing the Syrians, and died at evening. The blood ran out of the wound into the bottom of the chariot.
The battle increased that day. However the king of Israel propped himself up in his chariot against the Syrians until the evening; and at about sunset, he died.
Now on the third day, Esther put on her royal clothing, and stood in the inner court of the king’s house, next to the king’s house. The king sat on his royal throne in the royal house, next to the entrance of the house.
Let your eyes look straight ahead. Fix your gaze directly before you.
For the ways of man are before Yahweh’s eyes. He examines all his paths.
As for me, I have not hurried from being a shepherd after you. I haven’t desired the woeful day. You know. That which came out of my lips was before your face.
Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the watches! Pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord. Lift up your hands toward him for the life of your young children, who faint for hunger at the head of every street.
“Son of man, these men have taken their idols into their heart, and put the stumbling block of their iniquity before their face. Should I be inquired of at all by them?
Therefore speak to them, and tell them, ‘The Lord Yahweh says: “Every man of the house of Israel who takes his idols into his heart, and puts the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and comes to the prophet; I Yahweh will answer him therein according to the multitude of his idols;
“ ‘ “For everyone of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who live in Israel, who separates himself from me, and takes his idols into his heart, and puts the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face, and comes to the prophet to inquire for himself of me; I Yahweh will answer him by myself.
“ ‘ “But when the people of the land come before Yahweh in the appointed feasts, he who enters by the way of the north gate to worship shall go out by the way of the south gate; and he who enters by the way of the south gate shall go out by the way of the north gate. He shall not return by the way of the gate by which he came in, but shall go out straight before him.
“The west side shall be the great sea, from the south border as far as opposite the entrance of Hamath. This is the west side.