5309. nephel
Lexical Summary
nephel: Miscarriage, stillborn

Original Word: נֶפֶל
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: nephel
Pronunciation: NEH-fel
Phonetic Spelling: (neh'-fel)
KJV: untimely birth
NASB: miscarriage, miscarriages
Word Origin: [from H5307 (נָפַל - fall)]

1. something fallen, i.e. an abortion

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
untimely birth

Or nephel {nay'-fel}; from naphal; something fallen, i.e. An abortion -- untimely birth.

see HEBREW naphal

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from naphal
Definition
miscarriage, abortion
NASB Translation
miscarriage (2), miscarriages (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
נֵ֫פֶל noun masculineJob 3:16 untimely birth, abortion; — נֵ֫פֶל absolute Job 3:16 (Baer, Ginsb., > van d. H. נֶפֶל), נָ֑פֶל Ecclesiastes 6:3; construct נֵפֶל אֵשֶׁת Psalm 58:9.

Topical Lexicon
Definition and Semantic Range

Ne·f̱el denotes a stillborn child or miscarriage. The noun evokes the abrupt ending of a life that never reaches the light of day and therefore becomes a powerful image for brevity, futility, and hiddenness.

Occurrences in Scripture

Job 3:16; Psalm 58:8; Ecclesiastes 6:3.

Cultural and Historical Context

In the Ancient Near East, fertility was prized and children were perceived as a covenant blessing (Genesis 1:28; Psalm 127:3). A stillbirth, therefore, was not only a personal tragedy but also a communal sign of loss and unfulfilled promise. By using ne·f̱el, the biblical writers tapped into an experience universally understood—one that carried emotional weight and theological implications regarding life, death, and divine sovereignty.

Literary and Theological Insights

1. Symbol of Hiddenness (Job 3:16)

Job, overwhelmed by suffering, longs for the oblivion of a “stillborn child.” The imagery underscores his desire to be concealed from both earthly anguish and divine scrutiny, portraying ne·f̱el as shelter from pain rather than a mere calamity.

2. Emblem of Futility (Psalm 58:8)

“May they be… like a woman’s stillborn child that never sees the sun.” The psalmist prays that the plans of the wicked will come to nothing as abruptly as a miscarriage. Ne·f̱el here conveys the ultimate frustration of evil—destined to perish before its intentions are realized.

3. Measure of Vanity (Ecclesiastes 6:3)

Qoheleth judges a life of abundance without satisfaction as worse than a “stillborn child.” The comparison elevates ne·f̱el from a tragedy to a benchmark by which all earthly striving is assessed; a soul empty of contentment negates longevity and prosperity.

Pastoral and Ministry Implications

• Comfort in Loss: Scripture does not shy away from the reality of miscarriage; instead, it dignifies the grief by naming it. Pastors can point mourners to these passages to validate sorrow and to remind them that every unborn life is known to God (Psalm 139:15-16).
• Warning against Vanity: Ecclesiastes 6:3 urges believers to seek satisfaction in God rather than in accumulated blessings. Preaching can employ the image of ne·f̱el to illustrate that a life detached from its Creator, though outwardly full, is ultimately stillborn in purpose.
• Prayer Language: Psalm 58:8 provides a biblical pattern for imprecatory prayer, urging the faithful to ask God to halt wickedness before it comes to fruition, just as a ne·f̱el never “sees the sun.”

Biblical Theology

Ne·f̱el threads together themes of concealment, judgment, and vanity. Against the backdrop of redemptive history, these motifs point forward to Jesus Christ, who took on our frailty (Hebrews 2:14) and tasted death for everyone. In Him, every apparent futility finds resolution, and the sting of premature death is swallowed up in resurrection hope (1 Corinthians 15:54–55).

Summary

Though occurring only three times, ne·f̱el provides a poignant lens through which Scripture addresses the mysteries of suffering, the emptiness of wicked ambition, and the futility of wealth without godliness. Its imagery equips the church to minister compassionately while proclaiming the fullness of life that is secured in Christ alone.

Forms and Transliterations
הַנָּֽפֶל׃ הנפל׃ כְנֵ֣פֶל כנפל נֵ֥פֶל נפל cheNefel han·nā·p̄el hanNafel hannāp̄el ḵə·nê·p̄el ḵənêp̄el nê·p̄el Nefel nêp̄el
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Job 3:16
HEB: א֤וֹ כְנֵ֣פֶל טָ֭מוּן לֹ֣א
NAS: Or like a miscarriage which is discarded,
KJV: Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been; as infants
INT: Or A miscarriage is discarded never

Psalm 58:8
HEB: תֶּ֣מֶס יַהֲלֹ֑ךְ נֵ֥פֶל אֵ֝֗שֶׁת בַּל־
NAS: as it goes along, [Like] the miscarriages of a woman
KJV: let [every one of them] pass away: [like] the untimely birth of a woman,
INT: melts goes along the miscarriages of a woman never

Ecclesiastes 6:3
HEB: ט֥וֹב מִמֶּ֖נּוּ הַנָּֽפֶל׃
NAS: Better the miscarriage than
KJV: I say, [that] an untimely birth [is] better
INT: Better than the miscarriage

3 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 5309
3 Occurrences


ḵə·nê·p̄el — 1 Occ.
han·nā·p̄el — 1 Occ.
nê·p̄el — 1 Occ.

5308
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