Nepheg

A biblical personal name borne by more than one man in Old Testament genealogies, including one of David’s sons.

At a Glance

A proper name in Scripture, not a theological concept.

Key Points

Description

Nepheg is a proper name in the Old Testament rather than a doctrinal term. The name is used for more than one individual in Scripture, including a son of David named in the Jerusalem genealogies. Because the Bible gives only brief genealogical notice, no major theological meaning should be attached to the name itself. Its value is historical and literary: it marks real persons within Israel’s covenant history and, in the Davidic context, within the royal household.

Biblical Context

The name appears in Old Testament family lists and royal genealogies. One Nepheg is identified among David’s sons born in Jerusalem, showing that the name belongs to the historical record rather than to theological vocabulary.

Historical Context

Old Testament genealogies preserve names that help trace family lines, tribal connections, and royal succession. Nepheg is one of those brief but historically meaningful names.

Jewish and Ancient Context

In ancient Israel, genealogies served legal, tribal, covenantal, and historical purposes. A name like Nepheg would be remembered chiefly as part of that lineage record rather than for any independent symbolic meaning.

Primary Key Texts

Secondary Key Texts

Original Language Note

A Hebrew personal name transliterated into English as Nepheg; the meaning is not stated with confidence in the biblical text itself.

Theological Significance

Limited. Nepheg is important as a named person in Scripture, but the name itself does not communicate a distinct doctrine.

Philosophical Explanation

This is a referential proper noun: its significance comes from who the person is in the biblical record, not from a conceptual definition.

Interpretive Cautions

Do not build doctrine from the name itself. Keep the entry in the category of biblical persons or genealogical names, and avoid over-reading symbolic meaning into a brief listing.

Major Views

There is no major interpretive debate about the name itself; the main issue is classification as a proper name rather than a theological term.

Doctrinal Boundaries

The entry should not be used to support doctrinal claims beyond the ordinary reliability of Scripture’s historical and genealogical records.

Practical Significance

Nepheg reminds readers that even brief and easily overlooked names are part of Scripture’s historical witness. In the Davidic setting, it also reflects the importance of family and succession in Israel’s story.

Related Entries

See Also

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