H5172. nachash
II. [נָחַשׁ verb only
Pi`el practise divination, divine, observe signs (denominative from נָהָשׁ according to NöZeitschr. f. Völkerpsychol. i (1860), 413 BauSemitic Rel. i. 287 LagBN 188 GerberVerb. Denom. 29; otherwise WeSkizzen iii. 147 MeiChrest. Targ. 8. see BaES 48 (against him see StaThLz April 28, 1894, 235); chief difficulty is that Aramaic, which has נַחֵשׁ, has no נָחָשׁ compare RSJPh.xiv. 115; — Late Hebrew Qal Participle נוֺחֵשׁ, and Pi`el; Aramaic Pa`el נַחֵשׁ, , all = divine, learn by omens; perhaps compare also Arabic be unlucky Lane2775 compare Mei1.c); — Perfect3masculine singular וְנִחֵשׁ [2Kin 21:6]; [2Chr 33:6]; [1] singular נִחַ֫שְׁתִּי [Gen 30:27]; Imperfect יְגַחֵשׁ [44:5], [15]; [3]masculine plural יְנַחֲשׁוּ [1Kin 20:33], וַיְנַחָ֑שׁוּ [2Kin 17:17]; [2]masculine plural תְּנַחֲשׁוּ [Lev 19:26]; Infinitive absolute נַחֵשׁ[1Kin 20:33]; Participle מְנַחֵשׁ [Deut 18:10] (compare especially RSJPhoenician xiv. .113 ff.); —
1 practise divination [Gen 44:5] (J; by means of cup, i.e. by hydromancy), with implied power to learn secret things [44:15]; condemned by prophetic writer [2Kin 21:6] [2Chr 33:6] (+ וְיִדְּעֹנִים אוֺב וְעָשָׂח עוֺנֵן), [2Kin 17:17] (|| קְסָמִים וַיִּקְסְמוּ); forbidden in D and H: [Deut 18:10] ( + וּמְכַשֵּׁף מְעוֺנֵן קְסָמִים קֹסֵם), [Lev 19:26] (H; || תְּעוֺנֵנ֑וּ).
2 observe the signs or omens [Gen 30:27] (j); so probably יְנַחֲשׁוּ [1Kin 20:33] now the men were observing the signs.