Lexical Summary necek: Drink offering, libation Original Word: נֶסֶךְ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance cover, drink offering, molten image Or necek {nay'-sek}; from nacak; a libation; also a cast idol -- cover, drink offering, molten image. see HEBREW nacak Brown-Driver-Briggs נֶ֫סֶךְ noun masculine drink-offering; — absolute ׳נ Genesis 35:14 6t.; נֵ֫סֶךְ Exodus 29:40; Exodus 30:9; Ezekiel 45:17; נָ֑סֶךְ Numbers 4:7; Joel 1:13; construct נֶסֶךְ Numbers 28:7; suffix נִסְכִּי Isaiah 48:5, etc.; plural נְסָכִים Jeremiah 7:18 9t.; suffix נְסָכֶיהָ Numbers 29:31, נִסְכֵּיכֶם Numbers 29:39, etc.; — 1 drink-offering, with עַל (on Jacob's מַצֵּבָה at Bethel) Genesis 35:14 (E); elsewhere in worship of ׳י only P and related documents; once of vessels of holy table קְשׂוֺת הַנָּ֑סֶךְ Numbers 4:7; elsewhere in classifications Leviticus 23:37; Numbers 29:39, usually offered with the עלה Exodus 29:40; Leviticus 23:13; Leviticus 23:18; Numbers 15:5; Numbers 15:7; Numbers 15:10; Numbers 15:24; Numbers 28:7; Numbers 28:14; Numbers 28:31; Numbers 29:18; Numbers 28:21; Numbers 28:24; Numbers 28:27; Numbers 28:30; Numbers 28:33; Numbers 28:37, especially עוֺלַת הַתָּמִיד Numbers 28:9,10,15,24; Numbers 29:6,11,16,19,22,25,28,31,34,38; מִנְחַת הַבֹּקֶר Exodus 29:41; Numbers 28:8; but sometimes also with (שׁלמים) זבח Numbers 6:15,17; Numbers 15:15,10; usually + מִנְחָה; elsewhere only 1 Chronicles 29:21; 2Chronicles 29:35; Ezekiel 45:17; מִנְחָה ׳וָנ Joel 1:9,13; Joel 2:14. Offered to other gods 2 Kings 16:13,15; Isaiah 57:6; Jeremiah 7:18; Jeremiah 19:13; Jeremiah 32:29; Jeremiah 44:17,18,19 (twice in verse); Jeremiah 44:25; Ezekiel 20:28; Psalm 16:4. 2 molten images, Isaiah 41:29; Isaiah 48:5; Jeremiah 10:14; Jeremiah 51:17. — Combinations are: ׳נָסַךְ נ, ׳הִסִּיךְ נ (see verb); ׳שָׁפַךְ נ Isaiah 57:6. Topical Lexicon Essence of the Drink Offering (נֶסֶךְ) נֶסֶךְ designates the liquid, normally wine, that was poured out at the altar to accompany prescribed sacrifices. Unlike the blood of an animal, it was never consumed by worshipers or priests; it was wholly yielded to God, symbolizing complete consecration and joyful communion. In every context the action is directed God-ward—either as true devotion or as an idolatrous counterfeit. Liturgical Role in the Mosaic Covenant From Sinai onward, נֶסֶךְ accompanies the burnt offering (Leviticus 23:13), the daily tamid (Numbers 28:7–8), Sabbath and festival sacrifices (Numbers 28–29), and vows of freewill offerings (Numbers 15:5, 7, 10). The quantity varies with the value of the animal, emphasizing graded responsibility: “Then the drink offering shall be a fourth of a hin of wine for the lamb. You shall pour it out as a drink offering to the LORD in the Holy Place” (Numbers 28:7). Association with Wine and Agricultural Gratitude Because the libation consisted of wine, it linked the altar directly with the vineyard harvest, turning agricultural bounty into praise. Joel calls for renewed worship after locust devastation: “The wine has been withheld from My house” (Joel 1:9), showing that when the נֶסֶךְ ceased, national blessing had ebbed. Conversely, restored libations in Joel 2:14 herald mercy and plenty. Nesek within the Annual Festivals • Passover week (Numbers 28:16–24) The repeated libations integrate each feast into the rhythm of daily surrender, reminding Israel that every season of redemption, rest, and rejoicing is grounded in a life poured out to God. Idolatrous Counterfeits and Prophetic Reproof The prophets expose נֶסֶךְ given to false gods: Such passages assume familiarity with the lawful libation and use its misuse to indict covenant treachery. The same act—poured wine—becomes either worship or abomination depending on the object of devotion. Wisdom Literature and the Fragility of Earthly Joy Ecclesiastes alludes to libations when urging the righteous to “Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart” (Ecclesiastes 9:7), an echo of Deuteronomy’s festival joy. The implication is that when one’s life is rightly ordered before God, even ordinary meals become sanctified offerings. Typological and Christological Reflections Paul appropriates the imagery: “Even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad” (Philippians 2:17; cf. 2 Timothy 4:6). The apostle’s self-giving mirrors the altar libation, elevating נֶסֶךְ from ritual act to personal ministry pattern. Ultimately, the Lord Jesus embodies the libation in His Passion: “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you” (Luke 22:20). As the wine was emptied beside the slain animal, so Christ’s blood completes and surpasses all earlier sacrifices. Practical Ministry Applications 1. Wholehearted Worship: The total loss of the liquid challenges believers to withhold nothing from God. Representative References Exodus 29:40; Leviticus 23:18, 37; Numbers 15:5–10; Numbers 28:7–15, 24, 31; Numbers 29:6, 11, 16, 19, 22, 25, 28, 31, 34, 37; Deuteronomy 32:38; 1 Samuel 1:24; 2 Kings 16:13, 15; 1 Chronicles 29:21; Ezra 7:17; Nehemiah 10:37, 39; Psalms 16:4; Isaiah 57:6; Jeremiah 7:18; Jeremiah 44:17, 19; Joel 1:9, 13; Joel 2:14; Hosea 9:4; Amos 5:11; Zephaniah 1:13. Forms and Transliterations הַנָּ֑סֶךְ הנסך וְהַנֵּסֶךְ֒ וְנִסְכִּ֖י וְנִסְכֵּהֶ֡ם וְנִסְכֵּיהֶ֑ם וְנִסְכֵּיהֶ֔ם וְנִסְכֵּיהֶ֖ם וְנִסְכֵּיהֶ֗ם וְנִסְכֵּיהֶ֡ם וְנִסְכֵּיהֶֽם׃ וְנִסְכָּֽהּ׃ וְנִסְכֹּ֥ה וְנִסְכּ֖וֹ וְנִסְכּֽוֹ׃ וְנִסְכּוֹ֙ וְנֵ֕סֶךְ וָנֶ֔סֶךְ וָנֶ֖סֶךְ וָנָֽסֶךְ׃ וּבַנְּסָכִ֖ים וּכְנִסְכָּהּ֙ וּכְנִסְכּוֹ֙ וּלְנִסְכֵּיכֶ֖ם וּנְסָכִ֖ים וּנְסָכֶֽיהָ׃ ובנסכים והנסך וכנסכה וכנסכו ולנסכיכם ונסך ונסך׃ ונסכה ונסכה׃ ונסכהם ונסכו ונסכו׃ ונסכי ונסכיה׃ ונסכיהם ונסכיהם׃ ונסכים לַנֶּ֖סֶךְ לַנֶּ֙סֶךְ֙ לנסך נְסָכִ֑ים נְסָכִ֖ים נְסָכִֽים׃ נְסָכִים֒ נְסָכִים֙ נִסְכֵּיהֶ֣ם נִסְכֵּיהֶֽם׃ נִסְכּ֑וֹ נִסְכּ֖וֹ נִסְכּֽוֹ׃ נֶ֔סֶךְ נֶ֙סֶךְ֙ נֶ֥סֶךְ נסך נסכו נסכו׃ נסכיהם נסכיהם׃ נסכים נסכים׃ han·nā·seḵ hanNasech hannāseḵ lan·ne·seḵ lanNesech lanneseḵ nə·sā·ḵîm ne·seḵ nesaChim nəsāḵîm Nesech neseḵ nis·kê·hem nis·kōw niskêhem niskeiHem nisKo niskōw ū·ḇan·nə·sā·ḵîm ū·ḵə·nis·kāh ū·ḵə·nis·kōw ū·lə·nis·kê·ḵem ū·nə·sā·ḵe·hā ū·nə·sā·ḵîm ūḇannəsāḵîm uchenisKah uchenisKo ūḵəniskāh ūḵəniskōw uleniskeiChem ūləniskêḵem unesaCheiha unesaChim ūnəsāḵehā ūnəsāḵîm uvannesaChim vaNasech vaNesech vehanneseCh veNesech venisKah veniskeHem veniskeiHem venisKi venisKo venisKoh wā·nā·seḵ wā·ne·seḵ wānāseḵ wāneseḵ wə·han·nê·seḵ wə·nê·seḵ wə·nis·kāh wə·nis·kê·hem wə·nis·kî wə·nis·kōh wə·nis·kōw wəhannêseḵ wənêseḵ wəniskāh wəniskêhem wəniskî wəniskōh wəniskōwLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 35:14 HEB: וַיַּסֵּ֤ךְ עָלֶ֙יהָ֙ נֶ֔סֶךְ וַיִּצֹ֥ק עָלֶ֖יהָ NAS: and he poured out a drink offering on it; he also poured KJV: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured INT: poured out A drink poured and Exodus 29:40 Exodus 29:41 Exodus 30:9 Leviticus 23:13 Leviticus 23:18 Leviticus 23:37 Numbers 4:7 Numbers 6:15 Numbers 6:17 Numbers 15:5 Numbers 15:7 Numbers 15:10 Numbers 15:24 Numbers 28:7 Numbers 28:7 Numbers 28:8 Numbers 28:9 Numbers 28:10 Numbers 28:14 Numbers 28:15 Numbers 28:24 Numbers 28:31 Numbers 29:6 Numbers 29:11 64 Occurrences |
    |