### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Aramaic word **nᵉçak**, represented by `{{H5261}}`, is the term for a **drink offering** or **libation**. It appears only **1 time** in **1 unique verse** in the entire Bible. As the Aramaic equivalent of the Hebrew נֶסֶךְ, its single appearance marks a specific instruction related to sacrificial rites for the temple.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The sole use of `{{H5261}}` is found in the decree of King Artaxerxes to Ezra. The king commands Ezra to use the provided money to purchase animals for sacrifice, explicitly including "their meat offerings and their **drink offerings**" [[Ezra 7:17]]. This instruction was for the purpose of presenting complete and proper sacrifices "upon the altar of the house of your God which is in Jerusalem," highlighting the restoration of formal temple worship.
### Related Words & Concepts
One key related word appears in the same context, illustrating the nature of the sacrifices:
* `{{H4504}}` **minchâh** (a sacrificial offering; oblation, meat offering): This Aramaic term is used directly alongside `{{H5261}}` in [[Ezra 7:17]]. Their pairing as "meat offerings and their drink offerings" demonstrates that the libation was a required component of a larger sacrificial act. The word is also used when Nebuchadnezzar commands an "oblation" be offered to Daniel [[Daniel 2:46]].
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of `{{H5261}}`, despite its rarity, is tied to its specific context.
* **Restoration of Proper Worship:** Its inclusion in the king's decree emphasizes the importance of restoring not just the physical temple but the full and correct system of sacrifices as prescribed, including the libation.
* **Completeness of Sacrifice:** The mention of a **drink offering** alongside a meat offering shows that specific, detailed elements were necessary for an acceptable sacrifice upon God's altar.
* **Sovereign Provision:** The command to purchase items for a **drink offering** comes from a gentile king, demonstrating God's sovereignty in providing for and ensuring the continuation of His worship, even through foreign rulers.
### Summary
In summary, while `{{H5261}}` is one of the rarest words in the biblical text, its single mention is highly specific and significant. It functions as a precise technical term for a **drink offering**, and its appearance in Ezra's time underscores a key moment in Israel's history: the careful and complete restoration of the sacrificial system at the heart of their covenant relationship with God.
TRV