Lexical Summary nakal: To deceive, to trick, to conspire Original Word: נָכַל Strong's Exhaustive Concordance beguile, conspire, deceiver, deal subtilly A prim root; to defraud, i.e. Act treacherously -- beguile, conspire, deceiver, deal subtilly. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to be crafty, deceitful or knavish NASB Translation deal craftily (1), deceived (1), plotted (1), swindler (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [נָכַל] verb be crafty, deceitful, knavish (Assyrian nakâlu, be crafty, cunning; ᵑ7 נְכֵל be crafty, Pa`el deceive; Syriac ![]() ![]() ![]() Qal Participle נוֺכֵל Malachi 1:14 knave. Pi`el Perfect3masculine plural with accusative of congnate meaning with verb נִכְלֵיהֶם אֲשֶׁר נִכְּלוּ לָכֶם Numbers 25:18 their wiles with which they beguiled you. Hithpa`el Imperfect וַיִּתְנַכְּלוּ אֹתוֺ לַהֲמִיתוֺ Genesis 37:18 they knavishly planned against him (Köiii. 9), etc.; Infinitive construct לְחִתְנַכֵּל בְ Psalm 105:25 to deal knavishly with. Topical Lexicon Overview of Biblical Usage נָכַל (Strong’s 5230) depicts intentional deceit, plotting, or fraudulent maneuvering. In every canonical occurrence the word is attached to an act of calculated ill-will that sets itself against the covenant purposes of God and the wellbeing of His people. Narrative Contexts • Genesis 37:18 – Joseph’s brothers “conspired against him to kill him.” The verb marks the decisive moment when jealousy hardened into a premeditated plot. Cultic and Covenant Implications Fraud toward God’s worship (Malachi 1:14) reveals that deceit is not merely horizontal but vertical, a violation of first-commandment loyalty. By pairing נָכַל with sacrificial infidelity, Malachi underscores that dishonest hearts corrupt even orthodox liturgy. The covenant community is thus warned that external compliance cannot mask internal duplicity. Theological Themes 1. Human Depravity: Every occurrence ties deceit to the fallen heart, whether in family betrayal, political hostility, or religious hypocrisy. Practical Ministry Applications • Guarding Fellowship: Congregational life must address hidden agendas and relational manipulation (cf. Genesis 37). Christological and Redemptive Foreshadowing Joseph’s experience prefigures Christ, the beloved Son against whom his own brothers “conspired,” yet whose suffering became the means of salvation. The cross unmasks and overcomes the ultimate נָכַל of Satan, transforming deceitful plotting into the very pathway of redemption (Acts 2:23-24). Related Hebrew Concepts • רָמָה (Strong’s 7411) – to beguile or betray. These terms share the motif of calculated wrongdoing but נָכַל uniquely accents organized, often communal, conspiracy. Key Study Questions 1. How does the presence of נָכַל advance the narrative tension in Genesis 37 and what parallels appear in the Gospel passion accounts? Forms and Transliterations וַיִּֽתְנַכְּל֥וּ ויתנכלו לְ֝הִתְנַכֵּ֗ל להתנכל נִכְּל֥וּ נוֹכֵ֗ל נוכל נכלו lə·hiṯ·nak·kêl lehitnakKel ləhiṯnakkêl nik·kə·lū nikkeLu nikkəlū nō·w·ḵêl noChel nōwḵêl vaiyitnakkeLu way·yiṯ·nak·kə·lū wayyiṯnakkəlūLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 37:18 HEB: יִקְרַ֣ב אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם וַיִּֽתְנַכְּל֥וּ אֹת֖וֹ לַהֲמִיתֽוֹ׃ NAS: he came close to them, they plotted against KJV: even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay INT: came to plotted to put Numbers 25:18 Psalm 105:25 Malachi 1:14 4 Occurrences |