Lexical Summary
nephets: Fragment, shattering, breaking
Original Word:נֶפֶץ
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:nephets
Pronunciation:NEH-fets
Phonetic Spelling:(neh'-fets)
KJV: scattering
NASB:cloudburst
Word Origin:[fromH5310 (נָפַץ - To shatter)]
1. a storm (as dispersing)
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
scattering
Fromnaphats; a storm (as dispersing) -- scattering.
see HEBREWnaphats
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
naphatsDefinitiona driving storm
NASB Translationcloudburst (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
(literally
bursting of clouds, Che
Comm.),
Isaiah 3:30 (theoph.).
Topical Lexicon
Biblical ContextThe single appearance of נֶפֶץ occurs inIsaiah 30:30, where the prophet announces that “the LORD will cause His majestic voice to be heard and show the descent of His arm, in raging anger and consuming fire, in cloudburst, downpour, and hailstones” (Berean Standard Bible). Here the word describes the overwhelming deluge that accompanies the public display of God’s wrath against the nations and against Judah’s misplaced trust in Egypt (Isaiah 30:1-5). The term stands among a cluster of images—thunder, earthquake, fire, hail—that together portray an irresistible divine intervention.
Historical Background
Isaiah prophesies during the Assyrian crisis of the late eighth century B.C. Judah’s leaders sought security through a political alliance with Egypt, dismissing prophetic warnings and refusing God’s covenantal call to repentance. The promised “cloudburst” signals that human schemes will be swept away when the LORD rises to defend His glory and His remnant. The imagery recalls previous episodes in Israel’s history—such as the plague of hail on Egypt (Exodus 9:22-26) and the storm that routed the Canaanite armies under Deborah (Judges 5:20-21)—reinforcing that the God who once judged Egypt can just as surely judge those who trust in Egypt.
Literary Imagery
Storm language in Scripture often conveys both judgment and salvation. For the unrepentant it is destructive; for the faithful it testifies to God’s sovereignty and covenant faithfulness. Isaiah threads this dual motif throughout chapters 28–35, alternating between oracles of woe and songs of deliverance. The “cloudburst” is therefore not random weather but a theophany—an audible and visible manifestation of the LORD’s royal power. The violent flood contrasts sharply with the “quiet resting places” promised to those who “wait for the LORD” (Isaiah 30:15).
Theological Themes
1. Divine Sovereignty: God commands the forces of nature; creation itself becomes His instrument.
2. Judgment and Mercy: The deluge crushes rebellion yet paves the way for a redeemed Zion (Isaiah 30:18-26).
3. Futurity: The language anticipates the eschatological Day of the LORD, echoing later storm-judgment scenes (Ezekiel 38:22;Revelation 16:21).
4. Covenant Faithfulness: By recalling earlier redemptive acts, Isaiah reassures the faithful remnant that God remains consistent with His covenant promises.
Intertextual Echoes
•Psalm 18:12-14—“Hailstones and coals of fire” accompany David’s deliverance.
•Nahum 1:3-8—“The LORD… will make an end of His adversaries… the clouds are the dust of His feet.”
•Matthew 7:27—The “rain fell, the torrents raged, and the winds blew” against the house built on sand, underscoring the folly of insecure foundations much like Judah’s alliance with Egypt.
Applications for Worship and Ministry
• Call to Repentance: The image of a divine cloudburst warns against self-reliance and political saviors.
• Assurance of Protection: Just as the same storm that judges the wicked vindicates the righteous, believers can trust God’s power to shield them amid cultural turbulence.
• Preaching Christ: The Gospel fulfills Isaiah’s vision; at Calvary divine wrath was poured out on Christ, and at His return He will again “descend” in glory (2 Thessalonians 1:7-10).
• Worship Language: Hymns and prayers may incorporate storm metaphors to celebrate God’s majesty, as in “How Great Thou Art” orPsalm 29-inspired liturgies.
Pastoral Reflection
Isaiah’s solitary use of נֶפֶץ distills a larger biblical principle: God’s interventions are decisive, timely, and morally charged. When communities today face political upheaval or are tempted to trust in human alliances, the prophet’s storm-image summons them back to covenant fidelity, humble dependence, and hopeful expectation of the ultimate Day when “every eye will see Him” (Revelation 1:7).
Forms and Transliterations
נֶ֥פֶץ נפץ ne·p̄eṣ Nefetz nep̄eṣ
Links
Interlinear Greek •
Interlinear Hebrew •
Strong's Numbers •
Englishman's Greek Concordance •
Englishman's Hebrew Concordance •
Parallel Texts
