### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **nᵉʼâtsâh**, represented by `{{H5007}}`, is a term for **scorn** or **blasphemy**. It appears **5 times** across **5 unique verses** in the Bible. The word consistently denotes grave provocations and blasphemous acts or speech directed against God, often in the context of rebellion and disobedience.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, `{{H5007}}` is used to describe moments of profound crisis and spiritual failure. In the historical reflections of Nehemiah, the term "great **provocations**" is used to characterize Israel's disobedience in the wilderness, specifically their creation of the molten calf [[Nehemiah 9:18]] and their broader rebellion against God's law and prophets [[Nehemiah 9:26]]. In a state of national emergency, King Hezekiah identifies the day as one of "trouble, and of rebuke, and of **blasphemy**" ([[2 Kings 19:3]], [[Isaiah 37:3]]). The term is also used by God to condemn the verbal attacks made against His people and land, as when He states He has heard the "**blasphemies**" spoken against the mountains of Israel [[Ezekiel 35:12]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help clarify the defiant nature of `{{H5007}}`:
* `{{H4775}}` **mârad** (to rebel; rebel(-lious)): This word for rebellion is used in direct conjunction with `{{H5007}}`, where Israel's acts of "great **provocations**" were preceded by their decision to **rebel** against God [[Nehemiah 9:26]].
* `{{H4784}}` **mârâh** (to rebel... provoke): Signifying disobedience, this term appears alongside `{{H4775}}` to describe the attitude that led to the "great **provocations**" committed by the Israelites [[Nehemiah 9:26]].
* `{{H6869}}` **tsârâh** (trouble... adversity, anguish, distress): This word is paired with `{{H5007}}` by King Hezekiah, who describes his desperate situation as a day of **trouble** and blasphemy ([[Isaiah 37:3]], [[2 Kings 19:3]]).
* `{{H8433}}` **tôwkêchâh** (chastisement... rebuke, reproof): This term for rebuke or correction is also used alongside `{{H5007}}` and `{{H6869}}` to frame a day of crisis and divine judgment ([[Isaiah 37:3]], [[2 Kings 19:3]]).
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H5007}}` is significant, highlighting the severity of defiance against God.
* **A Consequence of Rebellion:** The term is not used lightly, but to describe the peak of rebellious behavior. The "great **provocations**" are cited as the outcome of when Israel was "disobedient" and "rebelled" against God's commands [[Nehemiah 9:26]].
* **Idolatry as Blasphemy:** Making the molten calf and declaring it a god is explicitly labeled as committing "great **provocations**" [[Nehemiah 9:18]], directly linking idolatry with this form of blasphemy.
* **An Invitation to Judgment:** The presence of `{{H5007}}` signals a dire situation requiring divine intervention. Hezekiah's declaration of a day of "rebuke, and of **blasphemy**" is a cry for deliverance from an overwhelming enemy [[2 Kings 19:3]].
* **Verbal and Active Scorn:** The word encompasses both actions and words. God acknowledges the spoken "**blasphemies**" against His land, demonstrating that contemptuous speech is as significant an offense as a rebellious act [[Ezekiel 35:12]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H5007}}` is a potent term that defines a critical level of offense against God. While used sparingly, it powerfully communicates acts and attitudes of **scorn** and **blasphemy**. It marks a line of defiance—whether through idolatry, disobedience, or contemptuous speech—that brings about times of trouble and rebuke, underscoring the gravity with which scripture views the act of provoking God.
TRV