Bible Lexicons

נָצַח not used in Kal, prop. i.q. Syr. ܢܨܰܚ to shine, to be bright (kindred root נָצַץ); metaph. to be famous, also to conquer; ܢܰܨܘܽܚܳܐ a sonorous (pr. clear) voice. Eth. ነጽሐ፡ to be pure, chaste; ንጺሕ፡ pure, chaste; Arabic نصح to be sincere, faithful.

Piel נִצֵּחַ (prop. to be eminent, conspicuous)

(1) to be over, to superintend, as the service of the temple, workmen; followed by עַל and לְ 1 Chronicles 23:4; Ezra 3:8, Ezra 3:9. Part. מְנַצֵּחַ prefect, overseer, 2 Chronicles 2:1, 17 2 Chronicles 2:17, 34:13.

(2) specially, to lead in music. 1 Chronicles 15:21, “and Mattathiah … played on harps in the octave (i.e. a low tone, the bass, nel basso), לְנַצֵּחַ, so as to lead the song;” i.e. to direct, regulate the singing (Opp. are verse 19 1 Chronicles 15:19לְהַשְׁמִיעַ Luth. helle zu fingen, and verse 20 1 Chronicles 15:20, עַל־ְעַלָמּוֹת “with the virgin voice,” nel soprano). Hence לַמְנַצֵּחַ which occurs in the titles of 53 Psalms, and in Habakkuk 3:19. Many, following Kimchi, Rashi, Aben Ezra, render this, to the precentor, i.e. this song is to be sung or played under his direction; and this is also the sense of the Targum לְשַׁבָּחָה ad canendum. This opinion is preferable to others which have been advanced. It is sometimes put absolutely, only with the addition of the name of the author of the Psalm, as לַמְנַצֵּחַ לְדָוִד Psa 11:1-7 13 14 -1821 ; 31 36 40 41 42 44 47 49 51 52 -6466 ; 68 70 85 109 139 140 : sometimes the name of an instrument is added (בִּנְגִינוֹת Psa 4:1-8 54 55 67 76 : עַל הַגִּתִּית 81 84 : עַל שׁוֹשַׁנַּים Psa 45:1-17 69 80 : עַל נְחִילוֹת Psa 5:1-12: עַל מַחֲלַת Psa 53:1-6); or the beginning of a song, to the tune of which, the Psalm is to be sung (see Psa 22:1-31 -5659 ; 75 ); or else a word denoting a higher or lower key, עַל עֲלָמוֹת Psa 46:1-11: עַל הַשְּׁמִינִית Psa 12:1-8. (Twice there follows עַל יְדוּתוּן Psalms 62:1, 77:1 once לִידוּתוּן 39:1, where it is, “to the chief musician of the Jeduthunites,” unless יְדוּתוּן in this phrase is also to be taken as a musical instrument, or tune.) It is not to be overlooked that this description is almost entirely wanting to the Psalms composed in a later age after the destruction of the temple, and worship. [It would be difficult to mark more than a very few Psalms which belong to such a period.] The opinion is wholly to be rejected, of those who would take מְנַצֵּחַ not as the part. but as the infinitive in the Syriac form (compare Chald. Daniel 5:12); this is prevented by the article included in the form לַמְנַצֵּחַ (for לְהַמְּנַצֵּחַ)

Niphal, to be perfect, complete. [“to be perpetual.”] Jerem. 8:5, מְשֻׁבָה נִצַּחַת “complete [perpetual] backsliding;” see נֵצַח No. 5.

II. נָצַח an unused root, Arab نصح and نضخ to scatter, to sprinkle. Eth. ነዝሐ፡ id. Whence נֵצַח No. II.

וּֽמְנַצְּחִים֙ וּמְנַצְּחִ֣ים ומנצחים לְנַצֵּ֑חַ לְנַצֵּ֖חַ לְנַצֵּ֙חַ֙ לְנַצֵּ֛חַ לְנַצֵּֽחַ׃ לַ֝מְנַצֵּ֗חַ לַ֭מְנַצֵּחַ לַמְנַצֵּ֖חַ לַמְנַצֵּ֗חַ לַמְנַצֵּ֣חַ לַמְנַצֵּ֤חַ ׀ לַמְנַצֵּ֥ח לַמְנַצֵּ֥חַ לַמְנַצֵּ֬חַ לַמְנַצֵּ֬חַ ׀ למנצח לנצח לנצח׃ מְנַצְּחִ֖ים מנצחים lam·naṣ·ṣê·aḥ lam·naṣ·ṣêḥ lamnaṣṣêaḥ lamnaṣṣêḥ lamnatzTzeach lamnatzTzech lə·naṣ·ṣê·aḥ lənaṣṣêaḥ lenatzTzeach mə·naṣ·ṣə·ḥîm mənaṣṣəḥîm menatztzeChim ū·mə·naṣ·ṣə·ḥîm ūmənaṣṣəḥîm umenatztzeChim