The Hebrew nakah is a common verb meaning to strike, smite, beat, or kill. It appears about 500 times in the Old Testament and covers a wide range of physical blows — from a light tap to a lethal strike. The Hiphil stem (causative) dominates, meaning "to cause to be struck." It is used of both human and divine action.
Nakah is a theologically charged verb in Scripture. God strikes down Egypt's firstborn (Exodus 12:29), smites Israel's enemies, and disciplines His own people in covenant faithfulness. The prophetic suffering-servant passage uses this root: "He was stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted" (Isaiah 53:4). This points directly to Christ's atonement — the righteous one struck for the unrighteous. The verb thus bridges divine judgment and substitutionary grace.