a primitive root; to tear away; destroy, pluck, root.
Transliteration:nâçach
Pronunciation:naw-sakh'
Detailed Word Study
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### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew root H5255 (נָסַח, *nâçach*) is a primitive verb carrying the core meaning of forceful removal or eradication. Its semantic range extends beyond simple detachment to imply violent or decisive action. The primary facets of its meaning include:
* **To tear away:** Suggests a violent separation, a forceful pulling apart.
* **To destroy:** Implies complete ruin, annihilation, or bringing to an end, often applied to cities, nations, or people.
* **To pluck/root (up/out):** This imagery is particularly strong, evoking the action of pulling a plant out of the ground by its roots, signifying total and irreversible removal, including the foundation or source.
The word consistently denotes an active, often destructive, and irreversible action, typically carrying negative connotations of judgment or devastation.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The root H5255 appears in the Hebrew Bible predominantly in contexts of divine judgment and the consequences of covenant disobedience. Its occurrences reveal a consistent theme of God's sovereign power to remove, destroy, or exile.
* In [[Deuteronomy 28:63]], the word is used in the context of covenant curses: "Just as the LORD rejoiced over you to make you prosper and increase in number, so he will rejoice to **ruin** and **destroy** you." Here, nâçach is paired with `{{H7843}}` (šāmad, "to utterly destroy"), emphasizing the completeness of the divine judgment that overturns prosperity into devastation.
* The prophetic warnings to Israel and Judah frequently employ this term to describe their impending exile. [[1 Kings 14:15]] declares, "For the LORD will strike Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water. He will **uproot** Israel from this good land that he gave to their fathers and scatter them beyond the River..." This vividly portrays the nation's removal from their promised land, akin to a plant being forcibly pulled from its soil.
* This theme continues in the historical books, describing the actualization of these warnings. [[2 Kings 17:23]] states, "until the LORD **removed** Israel out of his sight, as he had said through all his servants the prophets. So Israel was exiled from their own land to Assyria until this day." Similarly, [[2 Kings 23:27]] prophesies Judah's fate: "And the LORD said, 'I will **remove** Judah also from my sight, as I have removed Israel, and I will cast off this city that I have chosen, Jerusalem, and the house of which I said, My name shall be there.'"
* Significantly, [[2 Kings 21:8]] presents a conditional promise *not* to use nâçach: "And I will not again **remove** the foot of Israel from the land that I gave to their fathers, if only they will be careful to do all that I have commanded them, and all the law that my servant Moses commanded them." This highlights that the "uprooting" is a consequence of disobedience, not an arbitrary act.
* In [[Jeremiah 12:14]], the word is applied to both Israel's "evil neighbors" and "the house of Judah," indicating a universal principle of divine judgment: "Behold, I will **pluck** them **up** from their land, and I will pluck up the house of Judah from among them."
* Finally, [[Psalm 52:5]] uses nâçach in a powerful declaration of judgment against the wicked: "But God will **break** you **down** forever; he will **snatch** you **away** and **tear** you **from** your tent; he will **uproot** you from the land of the living. Selah." The parallelism reinforces the comprehensive nature of the destruction and removal.
Across these contexts, H5255 consistently describes a complete, often violent, and divinely orchestrated removal or destruction, typically as a consequence of sin and covenant infidelity.
### Related Words & Concepts
Understanding H5255 is enhanced by examining words with similar or contrasting meanings:
* **Synonyms/Near Synonyms:**
* `{{H7843}}` (šāmad): "to destroy, exterminate." Often appears in parallel or conjunction with H5255, emphasizing total annihilation.
* `{{H6789}}` (ṣāmaṭ): "to cut off, destroy."
* `{{H2040}}` (hāras): "to tear down, break down, destroy."
* `{{H1826}}` (dāḥāh): "to thrust down, overthrow."
* **Antonyms/Opposite Concepts:**
* `{{H1129}}` (bānāh): "to build, establish."
* `{{H5193}}` (nāṭaʿ): "to plant."
* `{{H3427}}` (yāšab): "to dwell, inhabit, settle."
* `{{H6965}}` (qûm): "to arise, establish, confirm."
* **Thematic Connections:** The use of H5255 is intrinsically linked to several significant biblical themes:
* **Exile and Scattering:** The primary consequence of divine judgment, leading to removal from the land.
* **Divine Wrath and Judgment:** nâçach is a strong expression of God's active punishment for sin.
* **Covenant Curses:** Particularly prominent in the Deuteronomic framework, where blessings are contingent on obedience and curses on disobedience.
* **Sovereignty of God:** God's ultimate authority over nations and individuals, His power to establish and to dismantle.
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of H5255 is profound, underscoring several key aspects of God's character and His relationship with humanity:
* **God's Sovereignty and Justice:** The word highlights God's absolute power to both establish and dismantle. He is not merely a passive observer but an active agent in history, executing justice against sin and rebellion. The "uprooting" is a testament to His righteous indignation and His commitment to upholding His covenant.
* **Consequences of Disobedience:** nâçach serves as a stark reminder of the severe and often irreversible consequences of breaking covenant with God. The promise of land, security, and prosperity for Israel was conditional, and the use of this word signifies the ultimate forfeiture of those blessings due to persistent unfaithfulness.
* **The Fragility of Human Security:** The imagery of being "uprooted" vividly conveys the precariousness of human existence and national stability apart from God's favor. What God establishes, He can also tear down, demonstrating that true security lies only in obedience and faithfulness to Him.
* **Divine Purpose in Judgment:** While nâçach signifies destruction, it is not arbitrary. It is a purposeful act within God's larger redemptive plan, aiming to purify, to teach, or to make way for new beginnings (though often through painful means). It underscores God's holiness, which cannot tolerate unrepentant sin.
* **A Warning and a Call to Repentance:** The repeated use of nâçach in prophetic warnings served as a powerful call to repentance, urging the people to turn from their wicked ways before the ultimate judgment of "uprooting" came upon them.
### Summary
The Hebrew root H5255 (נָסַח, *nâçach*) fundamentally signifies a forceful act of tearing away, destroying, or uprooting. In the biblical narrative, it is predominantly employed to describe God's decisive judgment, where He actively "removes" or "uproots" nations and individuals, particularly Israel and Judah, from their land and security due to their disobedience and covenant violations. This powerful word underscores God's absolute sovereignty and justice, illustrating the severe and often irreversible consequences of sin. It serves as a solemn reminder of the conditional nature of divine blessings and the ultimate authority of God to both establish and dismantle, thereby calling humanity to reverence and obedience.
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