### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **nêzeq**, represented by `{{H5143}}`, refers to **loss** or **damage**. It is derived from an unused root meaning to injure. This term is exceptionally rare, appearing only **1 time** in **1 unique verse**, highlighting a very specific application of the concept of loss within the biblical text.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The sole appearance of `{{H5143}}` is in [[Esther 7:4]], during Esther's plea to the king `{{H4428}}`. She reveals the plot to have her people `{{H5971}}` destroyed `{{H8045}}`, slain `{{H2026}}`, and to perish `{{H6}}`. She argues that had they only been sold `{{H4376}}` as bondmen `{{H5650}}` and bondwomen `{{H8198}}`, she would have remained silent `{{H2790}}`. This is because, in that scenario, the enemy's `{{H6862}}` actions would not be enough to countervail `{{H7737}}` the king's **damage** `{{H5143}}`. The term is used here to describe a significant financial or material loss to the king's realm.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help frame the context of financial or material loss:
* `{{H8045}}` **shâmad** (to desolate; destory(-uction)): This term describes the ultimate catastrophe that Esther presents—the complete destruction of her people, a loss far greater than mere servitude [[Esther 7:4]].
* `{{H6862}}` **tsar** (an opponent; adversary, enemy): This word identifies the source of the threat, the enemy whose actions are weighed against the king's potential **damage** [[Esther 7:4]]. It is also used figuratively for trouble or distress [[Psalms 18:6]].
* `{{H7737}}` **shâvâh** (to level, i.e. equalize; countervail): This verb is used directly with **nêzeq** to create a comparison. Esther argues that the gain from enslavement could not **countervail**, or compensate for, the king's ultimate **damage** from their annihilation [[Esther 7:4]].
### Theological Significance
While `{{H5143}}` is not a primary theological term, its singular context in Esther highlights several principles:
* **Stewardship and Loss:** Esther's argument to the king `{{H4428}}` frames the issue in terms of manageable versus unacceptable loss. The potential **damage** `{{H5143}}` from the destruction of an entire people `{{H5971}}` is presented as an irreplaceable loss to the kingdom, a stark contrast to the lesser loss of being sold `{{H4376}}` into servitude [[Esther 7:4]].
* **The Cost of Enmity:** The term is directly linked to the actions of an enemy `{{H6862}}`. The narrative demonstrates that enmity against God's people results in a quantifiable **damage** that affects even secular rulers and kingdoms. The plot to destroy `{{H8045}}` them is revealed as a net loss for the king himself [[Esther 7:4]].
* **Averting Catastrophe:** The concept of **damage** serves as the critical turning point in the narrative. By articulating the loss in terms the king could understand, Esther's plea becomes the mechanism through which a catastrophic plan to slay `{{H2026}}` and destroy `{{H8045}}` God's people is averted [[Esther 7:4]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H5143}}` **nêzeq** is a highly specific term for **damage** or **loss**. Its single appearance in the Bible, within Esther's strategic plea to the king [[Esther 7:4]], gives it a unique role. It is not a broad theological concept but a practical term used to weigh the consequences of evil and contrast a recoverable financial loss with the irreplaceable catastrophe of genocide. The word **nêzeq** is pivotal in the narrative, functioning as the key that turns a secular king's self-interest into the instrument of salvation for God's people.
TRV