Lexical Summary nciyk: Drink offering, libation Original Word: נְסִיךְ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance drink offering, duke, principal From nacak; properly, something poured out, i.e. A libation; also a molten image; by implication, a prince (as anointed) -- drink offering, duke, prince(-ipal). see HEBREW nacak Brown-Driver-Briggs I. [נָסִיךְ] noun masculine 1 libation; 2 molten image; — 1 suffix יֵין נְסִיכָם wine of their drink-offering Deuteronomy 32:38. 2 molten image, suffix נְסִכֵיהֶם Daniel 11:8. II. [נָסִיךְ] noun masculine prince; — plural construct נְסִיכֵי Joshua 13:21; Ezekiel 32:30; Micah 5:4; suffix נְסִיכֵמוֺ Psalm 83:12. נִסְמָן see סמן. Topical Lexicon Etymology and Range of Meaning Derived from a verb meaning “to pour out,” נְסִיךְ embraces both what is poured (a libation) and the one upon whom oil is poured (an anointed ruler). The term therefore links two spheres—worship and governance—both of which come under the sovereign evaluation of God in Scripture. Occurrences and Contexts 1. Deuteronomy 32:38 – libations offered to false gods. Drink Offering in Pagan Worship Deuteronomy 32:38 exposes the futility of idolatry: “the gods who ate the fat of their sacrifices and drank the wine of their drink offerings”. The libation—here denoted by נְסִיךְ—highlights Israel’s lapse into Canaanite practice. Moses’ song mocks such misplaced trust, underscoring that lifeless idols can neither “rise up” nor “help” (verse 38). The lone occurrence referring to a libation thus serves as a polemic: any act of worship not directed to the LORD is empty, regardless of its costliness or sincerity. Princes of the Nations In the remaining verses נְסִיךְ designates rulers outside the covenant community: • Joshua 13:21 catalogs “Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the princes of Sihon”. Israel’s conquest of these chiefs prefigures God’s ultimate victory over every hostile authority. Theological Themes 1. Transience of Human Power: Each pagan נְסִיךְ is eventually overthrown, whether by Joshua’s armies, Gideon’s band, imperial shifts in Daniel, or God’s direct judgment in Ezekiel. Ministry Significance • Leadership: Church leaders are reminded that authority is a stewardship, not a personal possession. The fall of pagan princes warns against pride. Application for Believers Today 1. Place no confidence in human rulers; pray for them, but trust solely in God. Forms and Transliterations נְסִֽכֵיהֶם֩ נְסִיכֵ֣י נְסִיכֵ֥י נְסִיכֵֽמוֹ׃ נְסִיכָ֑ם נסיכי נסיכם נסיכמו׃ נסכיהם nə·sî·ḵām nə·sî·ḵê nə·si·ḵê·hem nə·sî·ḵê·mōw nesiCham nesiChei nesicheiHem nesiChemov nəsîḵām nəsîḵê nəsiḵêhem nəsîḵêmōwLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Deuteronomy 32:38 HEB: יִשְׁתּ֖וּ יֵ֣ין נְסִיכָ֑ם יָק֙וּמוּ֙ וְיַעְזְרֻכֶ֔ם NAS: the wine of their drink offering? Let them rise KJV: the wine of their drink offerings? let them rise up INT: drank the wine of their drink abide and help Joshua 13:21 Psalm 83:11 Ezekiel 32:30 Daniel 11:8 Micah 5:5 6 Occurrences |