Hebrew word · H5230

נָכַל

vaiyitnakelu

to plot

To be crafty, to act with cunning or deceit, to scheme. Only a few occurrences: in the reflexive form (Hithpael) here and in Psalm 105:25 ('to deal craftily with his servants').

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

What it means

1) to be deceitful, be crafty, be knavish

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to be knavish

1a2) deceiver (participle)

1b) (Piel) to beguile

1c) (Hithpael) to act craftily, act knavishly, deal knavishly

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 Genesis 37:18

Range of meaning

To be crafty, to act with cunning or deceit, to scheme. Only a few occurrences: in the reflexive form (Hithpael) here and in Psalm 105:25 ('to deal craftily with his servants'). Elsewhere: Malachi 1:14 ('cursed is the cheat', nokhel), and the related noun nekel, 'wiles, tricks', in Numbers 25:18 (Midian's tricks against Israel).

Against the English

BSB and NIV 'plotted', KJV/WEB/ESV 'conspired', YLT 'conspire'. These all get the planning right. They lose some of the shading of deceit and trickery the Hebrew carries. 'Conspire' does capture the group action that the reflexive form suggests.

Used elsewhere in the period

Psalm 105:25 retells the Egypt story using the same reflexive form: God 'turned their [the Egyptians'] hearts … to deal craftily with his servants'. That links the brothers' treatment of Joseph to Egypt's later treatment of Israel. The Septuagint (the ancient Greek translation) renders this verse with eponēreuonto, 'they acted wickedly / devised evil', which brings out malice more than cunning.

From the study of Malachi 1:14

Range of meaning

The root n-k-l means to act craftily, to scheme, or to trick someone by cunning. It is rare in the Hebrew Bible. Joseph's brothers 'conspired' against him (Genesis 37:18). Midian 'beguiled' Israel at Peor (Numbers 25:18). God turned Egypt's heart 'to deal craftily' with his servants (Psalm 105:25).

Against the English

'Deceiver' (KJV, BSB, WEB) is accurate. 'Cheat' (several modern versions) catches the commercial feel better: someone who knowingly hands over less than he owes.

Used elsewhere in the period

Every other use of the root describes deliberate plotting against someone. Later Hebrew uses nekhel for fraud or trickery.

Where it appears

Genesis · 1

  1. Genesis 37:18 וַיִּֽתְנַכְּל֥וּ and they dealt deceptively with

    Now Joseph’s brothers saw him in the distance, and before he arrived, they plotted to kill him.

    Here: A rare verb of cunning, deceitful scheming. The reflexive verb form suggests they worked it out among themselves, and with 'him' as object it means they schemed against him. It anticipates the deceptions that follow: the pit, the sale, the bloodied robe shown to Jacob.

Numbers · 1

  1. Numbers 25:18 נִכְּל֥וּ they have dealt deceptively

    For they assailed you deceitfully when they seduced you in the matter of Peor and their sister Cozbi, the daughter of the Midianite leader, the woman who was killed on the day the plague came because of Peor.”

Psalms · 1

  1. Psalm 105:25 לְ֝הִתְנַכֵּ֗ל to deal deceptively

    whose hearts He turned to hate His people, to conspire against His servants.

Malachi · 1

  1. Malachi 1:14 נוֹכֵ֗ל [one who] deals deceptively

    “But cursed is the deceiver who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but sacrifices a defective animal to the Lord. For I am a great King,” says the LORD of Hosts, “and My name is to be feared among the nations.

    Here: An active form meaning 'the one who schemes' or 'the one who cheats.' The word is rare. It points to a calculated trick, not an honest mistake.

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