Lexical Summary
naaph: To commit adultery
Original Word:נָאַף
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:na'aph
Pronunciation:nah-af'
Phonetic Spelling:(naw-af')
KJV: adulterer(-ess), commit(-ing) adultery, woman that breaketh wedlock
NASB:commit adultery, adulterers, committed adultery, adulterer, adulteress, commits adultery, adulteresses
Word Origin:[a primitive root]
1. to commit adultery
2. (figuratively) to apostatize
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
adultereress, committing adultery, woman that breaks wedlock
A primitive root; to commit adultery; figuratively, to apostatize -- adulterer(-ess), commit(-ing) adultery, woman that breaketh wedlock.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origina prim. root
Definitionto commit adultery
NASB Translationadulterer (3), adulterers (5), adulteress (3), adulteresses (2), adulteries (1), adulterous (1), adultery (1), commit adultery (6), commits adultery (3), committed adultery (5), committing of adultery (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
[] (Late Hebrew
id.; Aramaic (rare)): —
Imperfect3masculine singularLeviticus 20:10 (twice in verse); 3masculine pluralJeremiah 5:7 3t.Imperfect; Infinitive absoluteJeremiah 23:14;Hosea 4:2;Jeremiah 7:9;ParticipleProverbs 6:32;Job 24:15; feminine singularLeviticus 20:10; feminine pluralEzekiel 16:38 2t.; —
literallycommit adultery:
usually ofman, always with wife of another; with accusative woman,Leviticus 20:10 (twice in verse) (H),Proverbs 6:32; elsewhere absoluteExodus 20:14 =Deuteronomy 5:17 (Ten Words),Jeremiah 5:7;Jeremiah 7:9;Jeremiah 23:14;Hosea 4:2; participle masculineLeviticus 20:10 (H),Job 24:15.
women, only participleLeviticus 20:10 (H),Ezekiel 16:38;Ezekiel 23:45 (twice in verse).
idolatrous worship,Jeremiah 3:9.
Perfect3feminine singularJeremiah 3:8; 3masculine pluralEzekiel 23:37 (twice in verse);Imperfect3masculine pluralJeremiah 29:23; 3feminine pluralHosea 4:13,14;ParticipleIsaiah 57:3; pluralJeremiah 9:1 4t.; feminineProverbs 30:20 2t.; —
literallycommit adultery:
man, with accusative woman,Jeremiah 29:23; absoluteEzekiel 23:37; pt pluralJeremiah 9:2;Jeremiah 23:10;Hosea 7:4;Malachi 3:5;Psalm 50:18.
woman, absoluteHosea 4:13,14; participleHosea 3:1;Proverbs 30:20; pluralEzekiel 16:32.
idolatrous worship,Ezekiel 23:37; absoluteJeremiah 3:8,Isaiah 57:3.
Topical Lexicon
Definition and ScopeThe verb נָאַף (naʾaph) denotes the act of breaking the marriage covenant through sexual infidelity and, by extension, any breach of covenant faithfulness to the LORD. Its usage moves from literal marital unfaithfulness to the prophetic image of Israel’s spiritual treachery. Every occurrence presents adultery as a willful violation of a sacred bond that God Himself has established and guarded.
Canonical Distribution
Approximately thirty-one appearances span the Torah, Wisdom Literature, Prophets, and Writings. The verb anchors the seventh commandment (Exodus 20:14;Deuteronomy 5:18) and reappears in Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, and Malachi. Its frequency in the prophets underlines Israel’s persistent covenant infidelity.
Moral and Covenant Context
The Decalogue’s prohibition positions adultery alongside murder and theft, identifying it as a foundational social and theological evil. By protecting the marriage covenant, the command protects the covenant community itself, for marriage images God’s committed relationship to His people. The LORD therefore treats adultery as treason against His created order.
Legal and Judicial Dimensions
While נָאַף itself does not describe punishment, the surrounding statutes reveal the gravity of the offense.Leviticus 20:10 mandates death for both participants, underscoring that betrayal of marital vows is rebellion against divine holiness. Such legal severity reflects God’s jealousy for purity and for safeguarding lineage, inheritance, and community stability.
Prophetic Condemnation and Spiritual Application
Jeremiah repeatedly employs נָאַף to indict Judah’s idolatry. “After she had seen all this, I gave faithless Israel her certificate of divorce and sent her away because of all her adulteries” (Jeremiah 3:8). Here adultery becomes a metaphor for idolatry, with pagan worship pictured as illicit liaisons.Ezekiel 16 and 23 develop the metaphor in graphic detail, portraying Jerusalem and Samaria as wives who “committed adultery” (Ezekiel 23:37) with foreign gods and alliances. Hosea intensifies the image by marrying an adulterous wife, dramatizing Israel’s unfaithfulness (Hosea 4:13-14).
Wisdom Literature and Personal Ethics
Proverbs repeatedly warns of the personal ruin awaiting the adulterer. “He who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself” (Proverbs 6:32). Adultery is portrayed not only as a social sin but as self-harm that incinerates reputation, finances, and life itself. The clandestine nature of the act—“The eye of the adulterer watches for twilight” (Job 24:15)—demonstrates its innate shame and the conscience’s testimony against it.
Theological Significance
Adultery violates three intertwined relationships: the union of husband and wife, the fabric of the covenant community, and fellowship with God. Because marriage mirrors God’s covenant love, the adulterer dishonors God’s character. Consequently, prophets link rampant adultery with drought, oppression, and exile (Jeremiah 23:10;Ezekiel 33:26), showing that private immorality produces corporate judgment.
Continuity into the New Covenant
Although נָאַף is Hebrew, its ethical weight carries into Greek terminology (μοιχεύω) and New Testament teaching. Jesus deepens the command: “Everyone who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). The apostle James likewise calls friendship with the world “adultery” (James 4:4), echoing the prophetic tradition.
Ministry Implications
1. Marriage Counseling and Teaching: Upholding fidelity is a gospel issue, reflecting Christ’s faithfulness to the Church (Ephesians 5:25-32).
2. Church Discipline: Persistent immoral behavior demands loving confrontation to maintain the purity of Christ’s body (1 Corinthians 5:11).
3. Evangelism: The imagery of spiritual adultery clarifies humanity’s need for reconciliation with a covenant-keeping God through the redeeming work of Jesus Christ.
Related Concepts
• מְנָאֵף (menāʾēph, “adulterer”) – the noun derived from 5003.
• זָנָה (zanah, “to commit fornication, play the harlot”) – broader sexual and idolatrous infidelity.
• Greek μοιχεία (moicheia) – adultery in Septuagint and New Testament usage.
Selected References
Exodus 20:14;Deuteronomy 5:18;Job 24:15;Psalm 50:18;Proverbs 6:32;Proverbs 30:20;Isaiah 57:3;Jeremiah 3:8-9;Jeremiah 5:7;Jeremiah 7:9;Jeremiah 23:10, 23:14;Jeremiah 29:23;Ezekiel 16:32;Ezekiel 23:37, 23:44;Hosea 4:2, 4:13-14;Malachi 3:5.
Forms and Transliterations
הַמְּנָאָ֑פֶת הַנֹּאֵ֖ף המנאפת הנאף וְֽנָאֹ֔ף וְהַנֹּאָֽפֶת׃ וְנָאֹ֑ף וַיְנַֽאֲפוּ֙ וַיִּנְאָ֔פוּ וַתִּנְאַ֥ף וּבַמְנָ֣אֲפִ֔ים וּמְנָאָ֑פֶת ובמנאפים והנאפת׃ וינאפו ומנאפת ונאף ותנאף יִנְאַ֖ף יִנְאַף֙ ינאף מְנָ֣אֲפִ֔ים מְנָ֫אָ֥פֶת מְנָֽאֲפִים֙ מְנָאֲפִ֣ים מְנָאֵ֖ף מנאף מנאפים מנאפת נִֽאֲפָה֙ נִאֵ֑פוּ נִאֵ֗פוּ נָא֞וֹף נֹֽאֲפ֔וֹת נֹֽאֲפֹת֙ נֹאֲפ֔וֹת נֹאֵ֣ף נֹאֵ֨ף ׀ נאוף נאף נאפה נאפו נאפות נאפת תְּנָאַֽפְנָה׃ תְנָאַ֔פְנָה תִּֿנְאָֽ֑ף׃ תנאף׃ תנאפנה תנאפנה׃ ham·mə·nā·’ā·p̄eṯ hammənā’āp̄eṯ hammenaAfet han·nō·’êp̄ hannō’êp̄ hannoEf mə·nā·’ā·p̄eṯ mə·nā·’ă·p̄îm mə·nā·’êp̄ mənā’āp̄eṯ mənā’ăp̄îm mənā’êp̄ meNaAfet menaaFim menaEf nā’ōwp̄ nā·’ō·wp̄ naof ni’ăp̄āh ni’êp̄ū ni·’ă·p̄āh ni·’ê·p̄ū niaFah niEfu nō’ăp̄ōṯ nō’ăp̄ōwṯ nō’êp̄ nō·’ă·p̄ō·wṯ nō·’ă·p̄ōṯ nō·’êp̄ noaFot noEf tə·nā·’ap̄·nāh ṯə·nā·’ap̄·nāh tənā’ap̄nāh ṯənā’ap̄nāh tenaAfnah tnə’āp̄ tnə·’āp̄ tneAf ū·ḇam·nā·’ă·p̄îm ū·mə·nā·’ā·p̄eṯ ūḇamnā’ăp̄îm ūmənā’āp̄eṯ umenaAfet uvamNaaFim vaiyinAfu vattinAf vaynaaFu vehannoAfet venaOf wat·tin·’ap̄ wattin’ap̄ way·na·’ă·p̄ū way·yin·’ā·p̄ū wayna’ăp̄ū wayyin’āp̄ū wə·han·nō·’ā·p̄eṯ wə·nā·’ōp̄ wəhannō’āp̄eṯ wənā’ōp̄ yin’ap̄ yin·’ap̄ yinAf
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