Original Word: נְחִיר
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: nchiyr
Pronunciation: naw-kheer'
Phonetic Spelling: (nekh-eer')
Definition: Foreign, strange, unfamiliar
Meaning: a nostril

dual nostrils

From the same as nachar; a nostril -- (dual) nostrils.

see HEBREW nachar

Word Origin
from the same as nachar
Definition
a nostril
NASB Translation
nostrils (1).

[נָחִיר noun [masculine] nostril (apparently from above √, and not connected with Arabic stab camel in wind-pipe, etc., Aramaic נְחַר kill by stabbing, in nose or throat, compare Late Hebrew נָחַר perforate, kill by stabbing, so that נָחִיר would = perforation, and נחר snort would be denominative); — only dual sf מִנְּחִירָיו יֵצֵא עָשָׁן Job 41:12 (of crocodile).

Word Origin: Derived from the root נָחַר (nachar), which means to snort or to breathe heavily.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • Strong's Greek Number 4428: ῥίς (rhis) • meaning "nose" or "nostril."
• Strong's Greek Number 4157: πνεῦμα (pneuma) • often translated as "breath" or "spirit," related to the concept of breathing through the nostrils.

These Greek terms, while not direct translations, relate to the concept of breathing and the physical feature of the nose, providing a broader understanding of the biblical portrayal of life and emotion.

Usage: The term נְחִיר is used in the Hebrew Bible to denote the nostrils, often in contexts that describe breathing, anger, or the physical characteristics of animals and humans.

Context: The Hebrew word נְחִיר (nechiyr) appears in the Old Testament to describe the nostrils, a significant part of the human and animal anatomy. In biblical literature, the nostrils are often associated with the breath of life, a concept deeply rooted in the creation narrative where God breathes life into Adam. The nostrils are also symbolically linked to emotions such as anger, as seen in expressions where the flaring of nostrils indicates wrath or intense emotion. This imagery is used to convey the intensity of God's anger or the fierceness of a creature. The word נְחִיר is found in poetic and descriptive passages, emphasizing the vividness of the biblical narrative. For example, in Job 41:20, the description of Leviathan includes the imagery of smoke pouring from its nostrils, illustrating its formidable nature: "Smoke billows from his nostrils as from a boiling pot over burning reeds." This usage underscores the power and majesty attributed to God's creation.

מִ֭נְּחִירָיו מנחיריו min·nə·ḥî·rāw Minnechirav minnəḥîrāwInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts