a primitive root (perhaps identical with נָשָׁא, through the idea of imposition); to lend on interest; by implication, to dun fordebt; [idiom] debt, exact, giver of usury.
### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **nâshâʼ**, represented by `{{H5378}}`, is a primitive root primarily associated with lending on interest and the exaction of debt. It appears **4 times** in **4 unique verses** in the Bible. Its core meaning involves concepts such as being in **debt**, to **exact** payment, or to be a **giver of usury**.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In scripture, `{{H5378}}` is used to describe financial obligation and pressure. It is found in the context of societal distress, where men who were in **debt** gathered to David for refuge [[1 Samuel 22:2]]. Nehemiah uses the term to rebuke rulers who **exact** usury from their own brethren, highlighting a violation of community principles [[Nehemiah 5:7]]. In a prophetic context, it is used to illustrate a coming judgment where the social standing of a **giver of usury** offers no advantage [[Isaiah 24:2]]. It also appears in a promise of divine protection, where an enemy will not be able to **exact** upon the protected one [[Psalms 89:22]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help clarify the concept of debt and lending:
* `{{H5383}}` **nâshâh** (creditor, exact, extortioner, lend, usurer): A closely related root, often used in parallel with `{{H5378}}`. It frequently denotes the **creditor** or **taker on usury** [[Isaiah 24:2]], while `{{H5378}}` can refer to the **giver of usury**. It is used to describe the creditor who comes to take a widow's sons [[2 Kings 4:1]].
* `{{H4855}}` **mashshâʼ** (exaction, usury): This noun refers to the loan or interest itself. It is the **usury** that Nehemiah commanded the nobles to stop exacting from their brothers [[Nehemiah 5:7]].
* `{{H3867}}` **lâvâh** (borrow, cleave, join, lend): This word covers the general act of lending or borrowing. It is used for lending to the poor [[Proverbs 19:17]] and for Israel's promised state of lending to many nations but borrowing from none [[Deuteronomy 28:12]].
* `{{H4689}}` **mâtsôwq** (anguish, distress, straitness): This term describes the state of confinement and hardship associated with debt. It is used to describe the men in **distress** who, along with those in debt, joined David [[1 Samuel 22:2]].
### Theological Significance
The theological and thematic weight of `{{H5378}}` centers on justice, community ethics, and divine action.
* **Covenant Responsibility:** The word is used to condemn the practice of exacting usury from a fellow Israelite, which Nehemiah identifies as a serious offense against a "brother" [[Nehemiah 5:7]]. This highlights a theme of ethical responsibility within the covenant community.
* **Debt and Social Destabilization:** The association of being in **debt** `{{H5378}}` with being in **distress** `{{H4689}}` and discontented shows the socially disruptive power of financial hardship [[1 Samuel 22:2]].
* **Divine Protection from Oppression:** In [[Psalms 89:22]], the promise that an enemy will not **exact** upon God's chosen one frames salvation in terms of deliverance from predatory financial demands, portraying God as a protector against unjust claims.
* **Universal Accountability:** The prophecy in [[Isaiah 24:2]] lists the **giver of usury** alongside others in society, from priests to servants, to show that no social or financial position is exempt from divine judgment.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H5378}}` **nâshâʼ** extends beyond a simple financial transaction. It encapsulates the pressures of debt, the moral implications of usury, and the social consequences of financial exploitation. From its literal use to describe men in **debt** [[1 Samuel 22:2]] to its use in Nehemiah's rebuke of unjust lending practices [[Nehemiah 5:7]], the word carries significant ethical weight. Furthermore, its appearance in prophetic and poetic contexts illustrates how the worldly burden of debt can serve as a powerful metaphor for enemy oppression and the scope of divine judgment.
TRV