נָאַף
To commit adultery ; figuratively, to apostatize
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
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Canonical witness: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
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What does נָאַף (naaph) mean in the Bible?
נָאַף (naaph) is a Hebrew word meaning "to commit adultery ; figuratively, to apostatize". to commit adultery; figuratively, to apostatize BDB: commit adultery Usage: adulterer(-ess), commit(-ing) adultery, woman that breaketh wedlock. The term identifies the destructive act that the passage strongly warns against.
Meaning
Sexual infidelity metaphorically frames Israel's covenant betrayal with God as marital unfaithfulness.
to commit adultery; figuratively, to apostatize BDB: commit adultery Usage: adulterer(-ess), commit(-ing) adultery, woman that breaketh wedlock.
Why This Word Matters
The term identifies the destructive act that the passage strongly warns against. Proverbs 6:20-35
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
Piel intensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action 11×
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 10×
Biblical Occurrences
Each occurrence shows the passage reference, the original language term as it appears in that context, its transliteration, and the contextual sense.
Old Testament Witnesses
Showing 8 of 31 occurrences in the biblical text.
Appears In
Compound and idiomatic lexemes in which this word is a constituent. Follow a link to study the phrase and its other participating words.