🔼The name Nacon: Summary
- Meaning
- Smitten, Stricken
- It's Been Determined
- Etymology
- From the verb נכה (naka), to smite or strike.
- From the verb כון (kun), to be firm or fixed.
🔼The name Nacon in the Bible
The name Nacon occurs only once in the Bible. It's the name of the threshing floor (or of the man who owned it) where Uzzah touched the ark in an attempt to prevent it from falling (2 Samuel 6:6). Uzzah's touching the ark ignited the anger of YHWH, who killed Uzzah. This in turn upset David, whose idea it had been the transport the ark amidst elaborate celebrations and fanfare. He renames the place Perez-uzzah.
In the parallel text of 1 Chronicles 13:9, Uzzah (עזה) is called Uzza (עזא), which is rather similar, and Nacon (נכון) is called Chidon (כידן), which is really something entirely different. The discrepancies between Chronicles and the rest of the historical books have been explained in all sorts of ways. Here at Abarim Publications we reject the idea that these differences are accidental, and assume instead that they store meaning and intentional commentary.
🔼Etymology of the name Nacon
It's not clear where the name Nacon comes from but there are two main candidates. The most obvious possible origin of our name is in the verb נכה (naka), to smite or strike:
נכה
The verb נכה (naka) means to smite or strike, or more precise: to immobilize someone (or something) and dissipate whatever had given them the power to move about freely.
Adjectives נכה (nakeh) and נכה (nekeh) mean stricken or smitten (often "stricken of feet" or "lame"). The noun מכה (makka), means a striking or a smiting: a beating, a scourging, a wound, a slaughter, a plague.
On rare occasions these words are spelled to emulate a foreign spelling, as נכא (naka'). A noun נכאת (neko't) describes a kind of spice or gum.
Another possibility is that out name comes from a Niphal (passive) form of the verb כון (kun), to be firm or fixed. This very common word נכון (nakon), meaning to have been brought about, settled or made to be such occurs all over the Bible (Genesis 41:32, Exodus 8:26, Deuteronomy 13:14, and so on):
כון
Root כנן (kanan) and hence verb כון (kun) mean to set, establish, fix, and so on. Nouns כן (ken), מכונה (mekona) and מכנה (mekona) denote a base or pedestal, noun מכון (makon) describes some fixed or established place, and noun תכונה (tekuna) means place or arrangement. Noun כון (kawwan) expresses a sort of ritualistic or sacrificial setup.
Adjective כן (ken) means right, true or honest, and adverb כן (ken) expresses confirmation: "thus" or "so". Verb כנה (kana) means to give a title or epithet or cognomen. Slightly unexpected, the noun כן (ken) denotes a gnat; the sort of proverbially plaguy insect that appears in huge swarms.
🔼Nacon meaning
For a meaning of the name Nacon, Jones' Dictionary of Old Testament Proper Names goes with נכה (naka) and reads Smitten. BDB Theological Dictionary does not translate this name but does list it under the verb כון (kun). Likewise NOBSE Study Bible Name List translates this name with Prepared.