נָחַשׁ nâchash — properly, to hiss, i.e. whisper a (magic) spell
Translated in the KJV as × certainly, divine, enchanter, × enchantment, learn by experience, × indeed, diligently observe.
a primitive root; properly, to hiss, i.e. whisper a (magic) spell; generally, to prognosticate.
nâchash in each stem
Pi'el
Imperfect (yiqtol) 4Perfect (qatal) 2Infinitive absolute 2Participle (active) 1Wayyiqtol 1Sequential perfect (weqatal) 1
And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the Lord hath blessed me for thy sake.
Is not this it in which my lord drinketh, and whereby indeed he divineth? ye have done evil in so doing.
And Joseph said unto them, What deed is this that ye have done? wot ye not that such a man as I can certainly divine?
What the stems mean
A Hebrew verb is its root letters set into a pattern. The pattern — the binyan — is the grammar's way of saying three things at once: whether the action is simple, intensive or causative, and whether its subject is active, passive or reflexive. That is why one Hebrew word can need six English ones. All seven binyanim, explained ›