Word Study for H5255 (נָסַח) | Strong's Concordance

nâçach /naw-sakh'/ Ask about this word

Roota primitive root

Meaningto tear away

KJV usagedestroy, pluck, root.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of nâçach — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word nâçach, represented by H5255, is a primitive root that means to tear away; destroy, pluck, root. It appears 4 times across 4 unique verses in the Bible. This term consistently conveys a sense of forceful and complete removal, often as a direct result of divine judgment.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, H5255 describes the severe consequences of sin and covenant-breaking. In Deuteronomy, the Israelites are warned that if they turn away from the LORD, they will be plucked from the land they are about to possess, reversing God's blessing Deuteronomy 28:63. The book of Proverbs uses the word to highlight the fate of the wicked; the LORD will destroy the house of the proud Proverbs 15:25, and transgressors will be rooted out of the earth Proverbs 2:22. Similarly, in the Psalms, it is used in a declaration of judgment where God promises to pluck the wicked from their dwelling place Psalms 52:5.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words are used alongside H5255 to underscore the theme of destruction and removal:

H5422 nâthats (to tear down): This word appears with H5255 in Psalms 52:5, emphasizing a complete dismantling. It is also used for actions like throwing down altars Exodus 34:13 and breaking down the walls of Jerusalem Jeremiah 39:8.
H8327 shârash (to root): Used in close parallel with H5255, this word intensifies the imagery of being uprooted. It appears in Psalms 52:5 to describe being rooted out of the land of the living, contrasting with its positive use for Israel taking root and flourishing Isaiah 27:6.
H3772 kârath (to cut (off, down or asunder)): This term is paired with H5255 to describe how the wicked will be cut off from the earth Proverbs 2:22. While often used for judgment, it is also the primary verb for making a covenant, adding weight to its meaning when used for severance.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H5255 is centered on the finality of divine judgment.

Covenantal Consequence: The word's use in Deuteronomy 28:63 establishes it as a specific, severe penalty for unfaithfulness. Being "plucked" from the land is the ultimate reversal of the promised blessing of inheritance and security.
Judgment on Pride: The term is explicitly linked to God's active opposition to the arrogant. The LORD himself will destroy the house of the proud, demonstrating that this uprooting is a direct divine response to human pride Proverbs 15:25.
Total Removal: The imagery of being plucked or rooted out signifies a complete and permanent separation. It is not merely a punishment but a final removal from one's dwelling, land, and security, as seen in Psalms 52:5 and Proverbs 2:22.

Summary

In summary, H5255 is a powerful and specific term for destruction that emphasizes a complete, forceful, and permanent removal. Though used sparingly, its context is consistently one of divine judgment against pride, transgression, and covenant-breaking. The word serves as a stark reminder of the biblical principle that opposition to God leads to being torn away from the sources of life and blessing.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 4 occurrences, inflected in 4 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Niphal Consecutive Perfect 2nd Plural Masculine 1×
Qal Conjunction+Imperfect 3rd Singular Masculine 1×
Qal Imperfect 3rd Plural Masculine 1×
Qal Imperfect 3rd Singular Masculine 1×

Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
2nd: Second person — the one addressed ("you").
3rd: Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Imperfect: Ongoing or repeated action in the past — "was doing".
Qal: The simple, basic stem — plain action in the active voice.
Niphal: Simple passive or reflexive of the Qal.
Consecutive Perfect: Perfect with vav — continues a sequence into the future.
Conjunction+Imperfect: Imperfect joined by a simple "and".

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 4 verses across 3 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Proverbs (2 verses); never once in the other 36.

Deuteronomy

Psalms

Proverbs

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.