Lexical Summary nuach or noach: To rest, to settle down, to repose, to be quiet Original Word: נוּחַ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance rested, Or nowach {no'-akh}; from nuwach; quiet -- rest(-ed, -ing place). see HEBREW nuwach NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina form of nuach, q.v. Topical Lexicon Core Idea of נוּחַAt its heart נוּחַ depicts a settled calm that follows conflict or movement: a secure “resting” which God gives, God enjoys, and God calls His people to experience in fellowship with Him. Canonical Appearances 2 Chronicles 6:41 situates נוּחַ at the climax of Solomon’s Temple dedication. The king prays, “Now therefore arise, O LORD God, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your might”. Here the word designates the holy habitation where the LORD’s presence abides among His covenant people. Esther 9:16 speaks of corporate relief for God’s dispersed nation: “The rest of the Jews in the royal provinces… had rest from their enemies”. The term signals the cessation of hostility and the enjoyment of secure life under God’s providence, even in exile. Historical and Redemptive Significance 1. Rest and God’s Dwelling 2. Rest and Covenant Victory 3. Rest as Eschatological Hope Ministry Implications • Worship Leadership Solomon’s appeal models prayer that welcomes God’s manifest presence. Modern worshipers can echo this cry, seeking that congregational gatherings become true “resting places” for the Lord’s glory. • Pastoral Care under Persecution Esther’s context encourages believers facing hostility. God-given rest does not depend on circumstances but on divine intervention; shepherds can point suffering saints to Christ, “Come to Me… and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). • Community Celebration The post-deliverance feast of Purim shows that rest occasions corporate remembrance. Churches should mark God’s interventions with testimonies and festivals that nourish collective faith. Related Biblical Themes Sabbath (Genesis 2:2-3; Exodus 20:8-11) Inheritance rest (Joshua 21:44) Messianic rest (Isaiah 11:10; Matthew 11:29) Eternal rest (Revelation 14:13) In every context נוּחַ directs attention to the LORD who secures, sustains, and satisfies His people, foreshadowing the unshakeable peace found in the crucified and risen Christ. Forms and Transliterations וְנ֙וֹחַ֙ ונוח לְֽנוּחֶ֔ךָ לנוחך lə·nū·ḥe·ḵā lenuChecha lənūḥeḵā veNoach wə·nō·w·aḥ wənōwaḥLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 2 Chronicles 6:41 HEB: יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהִים֙ לְֽנוּחֶ֔ךָ אַתָּ֖ה וַאֲר֣וֹן KJV: God, into thy resting place, thou, and the ark INT: LORD God resting You and the ark Esther 9:16 2 Occurrences |