Lexical Definition

‎נַעַר‎ naʻar (nah'-ar) newborn ^H:N-M
from ‎נָעַר‎ in its derivative sense of tossing about

young one.

• a wanderer

1) a shaking, scattering

Brown-Driver-Briggs

II. ‎נַ֫עַר‎₂₃₉ noun masculine

1. boy, lad, youth.

2. retainer (not in P) (Late Hebrew as Biblical Hebrew; Phoenician ‎נער‎ Lzb³²⁴); — ‎׳‎‎נ‎ absolute Gen 37:2 +; construct 1Sam 2:13 +; suffix ‎נַעֲרוֺ‎ Judg 19:3 +, ‎נַעֲרָהּ‎ 2Kgs 4:24 plural ‎נְעָרִים‎ 1Sam 25:5 +, construct ‎נַעֲרֵי‎ Exod 24:5 +; suffix ‎נְעָרַי‎ Neh 4:10*; Neh 5:10, etc.; —

1. boy, lad, youth (c. 133 t.)
a. of infant Exod 2:6 (E; 3 months old), to be born Judg 13:5; Judg 13:7; Judg 13:8; Judg 13:12, just born 1Sam 4:21, not weaned 1Sam 1:22 also Isa 8:4, compare Isa 7:16 +.
b. of lad just weaned 1Sam 1:24 (strike out 2nd ‎נער‎, compare further Dr Bu HPS), v1Sam 1:25 v1Sam 1:27, etc.
c. = youth: of young Ishmael Gen 21:12f. (E), Isaac Gen 22:5; Gen 22:12 (E), Joseph Gen 37:2 (E; 17 years old), Benjamin Gen 43:8; Gen 44:22 f. (J), sons of Samuel 1Sam 2:17, of Jesse 1Sam 16:11 ‎קָטֹן‎ ‎׳‎‎נ‎ little lad 1Sam 20:35; 1Kgs 3:7; 2Kgs 5:14; Isa 11:6, ‎קָטָן‎ ‎׳‎‎נ‎ 1Kgs 11:17, plural 2Kgs 2:23.
d. ‎׳‎‎נ‎ with special stress on youthfulness Judg 8:20; 1Sam 17:33; 1Sam 17:42; Hos 11:1; Isa 3:4 compare Eccl 10:16; Isa 3:5; Isa 10:19; Jer 1:6; Jer 1:7; 1Chr 22:5; 1Chr 29:1; 2Chr 13:7; 2Chr 34:3 so in phrase ‎וְעַד זָקֵן‎ ‎׳‎‎מִנּ‎ Gen 19:4 (J), Josh 6:21 (J), Esth 3:13 compare Exod 10:9 (E), Deut 28:50; Isa 20:4; Isa 65:20; Jer 51:22; Lam 2:21; Ps 37:25; Ps 148:12; Prov 22:6.
e. of marriageable age Gen 34:19 (J), warrior Absalom 2Sam 18:5; 2Sam 18:12 +, Zadok 1Chr 12:28*, etc.

2. servant, retainer (c. 105 t):
a. = personal attendant, household servant, Num 22:22 (J), Judg 7:10; Judg 7:11; Judg 19:3; 1Sam 9:3f.; 2Kgs 4:12; 2Kgs 4:25 + often
b. = retainer, follower Gen 14:24; 1Sam 25:5f.; 2Sam 2:14f.; 1Kgs 20:14f.; 2Kgs 19:6 = Isa 37:6; Job 1:15; Job 1:16; Job 1:17; Neh 4:10*; Neh 4:17* + often — Zech 11:16 is corrupt, compare We Now. —

Note. ‎נער‎ occurs in Pentateuch as Kt with Qr perpet. ‎נַעֲרָה‎ q. v.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References