נָגַן nagan
Hebrew word for “to play” · Strong’s H5059 · used 15 times in 12 verses
Meaning
1) to play or strike strings, play a stringed instrument;
How it is translated
Glosses given for nagan in context, with how often each is used:
- play 5
- will play 2
- playing an instrument 2
- musician 2
- playing 1
- played 1
- when played 1
- musicians 1
Where it is used
Chapters where it is used most
1 Samuel 16 (4), 1 Samuel 18 (1), 1 Samuel 19 (1), 2 Kings 3 (1), Psalms 33 (1), Psalms 68 (1), Isaiah 23 (1), Isaiah 38 (1), Ezekiel 33 (1)
Forms
- מנגן 4
- נגן 4
- ונגן 2
- לנגן 1
- כנגן 1
- המנגן 1
- נגנים 1
- ננגן 1
Words used with it
Words that share verses with nagan more often than their overall frequency would suggest:
- יָטַב yatav “be good” 4
- כִּנּוֹר kinnor “lyre” 3
- שָׁאוּל shaul “Saul” 4
- רוּחַ ruach “spirit” 4
- שִׁיר shir “song” 3
- רַע ra “bad” 4
- חֲנִית chanit “spear” 2
- שִׁיר shir “to sing” 2
- לָקַח laqach “to take” 3
- דָּוִד david “David” 3
- נָא na “please” 2
- תָּוֶךְ tavekh “midst” 2
Key verses
The verses using nagan that are most connected by cross-references (King James Version):
- 1 Samuel 16:16 — Let our lord now command thy servants, which are before thee, to seek out a man, who is a cunning player on an harp: and it shall come to pass, when the evil…
- 1 Samuel 16:17 — And Saul said unto his servants, Provide me now a man that can play well, and bring him to me.
- 1 Samuel 16:18 — Then answered one of the servants, and said, Behold, I have seen a son of Jesse the Beth-lehemite, that is cunning in playing, and a mighty valiant man, and a…
- 1 Samuel 16:23 — And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and…
- 1 Samuel 18:10 — And it came to pass on the morrow, that the evil spirit from God came upon Saul, and he prophesied in the midst of the house: and David played with his hand,…
- 1 Samuel 19:9 — And the evil spirit from the LORD was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand: and David played with his hand.
- 2 Kings 3:15 — But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him.
- Psalms 33:3 — Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.
- Psalms 68:25 — The singers went before, the players on instruments followed after; among them were the damsels playing with timbrels.
- Isaiah 23:16 — Take an harp, go about the city, thou harlot that hast been forgotten; make sweet melody, sing many songs, that thou mayest be remembered.
- Isaiah 38:20 — The LORD was ready to save me: therefore we will sing my songs to the stringed instruments all the days of our life in the house of the LORD.
- Ezekiel 33:32 — And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do…
See all 12 verses in the Word Atlas
Hebrew and Greek text, tagging, glosses and lexicon definitions: STEPBible.org, Tyndale House Cambridge (TAHOT, TAGNT, TBESH, TBESG; CC BY 4.0), adapted. Counts follow King James verse numbering; a word counts each time it is written.