Hebrew word · H5229

נְכֹחָה

nekhochah

upright

What is straight in front of you, plain, straightforward; hence uprightness, honesty, right things. It comes from a root meaning 'in front of, opposite'. The idea is something lying straight ahead with nothing hidden or bent.

Appears 4 times in 4 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

1) straight in front, be in front of, straight, right, straightness

1a) true things (of prophecy)

1b) rectitude (subst)

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Isaiah 26:10

Range of meaning

What is straight in front of you, plain, straightforward; hence uprightness, honesty, right things. It comes from a root meaning 'in front of, opposite'. The idea is something lying straight ahead with nothing hidden or bent.

Against the English

'Uprightness' (KJV, WEB, ESV, NIV) is fine. BSB's 'land of righteousness' blurs the distinction from ṣedeq earlier in the verse. YLT's 'straightforwardness' keeps the picture.

Used elsewhere in the period

Isaiah 30:10 has the people tell the prophets 'do not prophesy to us what is right (nəkōḥôt)'. Isaiah 59:14 says 'uprightness (nəkōḥâ) cannot enter' the city square. Amos 3:10: 'they do not know how to do right (nəkōḥâ)'. Proverbs 8:9: wisdom's words are 'all straight (nəkōḥîm) to the one who understands'.

From the study of Isaiah 30:10

Range of meaning

It comes from nōkaḥ, “in front of, straight ahead.” As a noun or adjective it means what is straight, direct, right or honest. It appears in Isa 26:10 (“in a land of uprightness he acts wrongly”), Isa 57:2 (“those who walk in their uprightness”), Isa 59:14 (“uprightness cannot enter”), Prov 8:9 (“all of them are straight to one who understands”) and Amos 3:10 (“they do not know how to do what is right”).

Against the English

KJV/WEB have “right things,” BSB has “the truth,” and YLT has “straightforward things.” YLT keeps the picture of something straight ahead best. “The truth” is close but loses that picture.

Used elsewhere in the period

In Second Isaiah, God speaks mêšārîm, “level, straight things” (Isa 45:19). That is the same picture of straight speech.

From the study of Isaiah 59:14

Range of meaning

Related to nōkaḥ, 'in front of, straight ahead'. It means what is straight and plain: uprightness, honesty, straightforwardness, and 'right things' in speech.

Against the English

KJV says 'equity', following the Latin aequitas. Others say 'uprightness' (WEB), 'honesty' (BSB) or 'straightforwardness' (YLT). 'Equity' now suggests fairness in sharing out or finance. The Hebrew picture is of something straight and plainly in front of you.

Used elsewhere in the period

Isa 26:10: even in 'a land of nekhoḥot' the wicked act wrongly. Isa 30:10: 'do not prophesy to us nekhoḥot (right/straight things), speak to us smooth things'. Amos 3:10: 'they do not know how to do nekhoḥah'. 2 Sam 15:3: Absalom tells litigants 'your claims are good and nekhoḥim (right)'. Prov 8:9.

Similar words

Where it appears

Isaiah · 3

  1. Isaiah 26:10 נְכֹח֖וֹת straightforwardness<es>

    Though grace is shown to the wicked man, he does not learn righteousness. In the land of righteousness he acts unjustly and fails to see the majesty of the LORD.

    Here: Literally 'straight things': what is plain, straightforward and honest. Even where straightness surrounds him, the wicked man bends things.

  2. Isaiah 30:10 נְכֹח֑וֹת straightforwardness<es>

    They say to the seers, “Stop seeing visions!” and to the prophets, “Do not prophesy to us the truth! Speak to us pleasant words; prophesy illusions.

    Here: “Straight-ahead things.” Things that are right, honest and direct, that face you head-on. It is what they do not want to see.

  3. Isaiah 59:14 וּנְכֹחָ֖ה and honesty

    So justice is turned away, and righteousness stands at a distance. For truth has stumbled in the public square, and honesty cannot enter.

    Here: From a root meaning 'straight in front'. It is straightforward, plain dealing that does not twist things (compare Isa 30:10, where people tell prophets not to speak 'right things' to them). This fourth figure cannot get in at all.

Amos · 1

  1. Amos 3:10 נְכֹחָ֖ה straightforwardness

    “For they know not how to do right,” declares the LORD. “They store up violence and destruction in their citadels.”

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.