Lexical Summary neqarah: a hole, crevice Original Word: נְקָרָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance cleft, clift From naqar, a fissure -- cleft, clift. see HEBREW naqar NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom naqar Definition a hole, crevice NASB Translation caverns (1), cleft (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [נְקָרָה] noun feminine hole, crevice; — construct נִקְרַת הַצּוּר Exodus 33:22; plural construct נִקְרוֺת הַצֻּדִים Isaiah 2:21 ("" סְעִפֵי הַסְּלָעִים). Topical Lexicon Physical Setting and Imagery נְקָרָה evokes the picture of a natural fissure, a hollowed recess cut by weathering into the face of rock. In the arid terrain of Sinai and the hill country of Judah, such cavities offered shelter from scorching sun, sudden rain, or hostile eyes. The word therefore carries connotations of both protection and concealment, bridging geography and theology. Scriptural Occurrences 1. Exodus 33:22: “Then I will put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by”. Though the noun appears only twice, each context lies at a critical theological juncture: revelation at Sinai and judgment at the Day of the LORD. Historical and Cultural Background Travelers, shepherds, and fugitives routinely sought refuge in rock crevices. Moses, familiar with Midian’s crags, would have known such hiding places intimately. Isaiah, prophesying to Jerusalem’s elite, drew on the same imagery to warn that no human stronghold could withstand divine visitation. Archaeological surveys confirm that Judean wilderness caves were later used by rebels (e.g., Bar Kokhba), underscoring the enduring association of clefts with flight and security. Theological Themes Refuge in God’s Presence: In Exodus, the cleft is chosen by God Himself as the locus where His glory may pass without consuming Moses. Human frailty is acknowledged, yet God provides a space of grace. Terror in God’s Judgment: In Isaiah, the identical geographical feature becomes a place of dread. Humanity scrambles for concealment, not communion, when confronted with the same majesty spurned in life. Thus נְקָרָה forms a literary inclusio—shelter can be salvation or mere postponement, determined by relationship with the Revealer. Christological Foreshadowing Paul declares, “that Rock was Christ” (1 Corinthians 10:4). Moses hidden in the rock prefigures the believer’s life “hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3). At Calvary the pierced side of the true Rock opened an eternal cleft where sinners may be covered. Conversely, Revelation 6:15–16 echoes Isaiah: the unrepentant beg mountains and rocks to fall on them. The motif therefore points both to the atonement and to the final reckoning. Intertextual Echoes Judges 6:2; 1 Samuel 13:6; Song of Solomon 2:14; Psalm 91:1–2—while employing other Hebrew terms, all reinforce the pattern of hiding in rocky recesses. Together they amplify נְקָרָה’s message: security is found not in geology but in Yahweh. Practical Ministry Implications Teaching: A study of נְקָרָה lends vivid imagery when explaining divine holiness and grace. Children grasp the picture of a cave; adults wrestle with the paradox of nearness and dread. Counseling: The word encourages believers seeking refuge amid trials. Direct them to meditate on Exodus 33:22, praying, “Hide me in Your cleft, cover me with Your hand.” Evangelism: Isaiah 2:21 warns that the same shelter becomes futile without repentance. Present both grace and judgment, urging hearers to enter the cleft now rather than later flee to it in vain. Summary נְקָרָה threads through Scripture as a crevice where humanity meets God—either shielded by His hand or shattered by His appearing. Its twin occurrences summon the reader to choose: embrace the Rock of Ages for refuge, or one day seek recesses of stone that cannot save. Forms and Transliterations בְּנִקְר֣וֹת בְּנִקְרַ֣ת בנקרות בנקרת bə·niq·raṯ bə·niq·rō·wṯ benikRat benikRot bəniqraṯ bəniqrōwṯLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Exodus 33:22 HEB: כְּבֹדִ֔י וְשַׂמְתִּ֖יךָ בְּנִקְרַ֣ת הַצּ֑וּר וְשַׂכֹּתִ֥י NAS: by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock KJV: that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, INT: my glory will put the cleft of the rock and will cover Isaiah 2:21 2 Occurrences |
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