### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **nâsheh**, represented by `{{H5384}}`, is a highly specific term for that which is **rheumatic or crippled**. Its definition, "which shrank," is derived from the sense of failure. It appears 2 times across 1 unique verses, tied exclusively to the account of Jacob wrestling with a divine being.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The sole use of `{{H5384}}` is found in the narrative explaining a dietary custom of the Israelites. After Jacob wrestled with a man, his thigh was touched, causing a permanent injury. The verse states that the children of Israel do not eat "the sinew which **shrank**" because this divine being "touched the hollow of Jacob's thigh in the sinew that **shrank**" [[Genesis 32:32]]. This word directly describes the physical after-effect of Jacob's supernatural encounter.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words provide context for this unique event:
* `{{H1517}}` **gîyd** (sinew): This word identifies the specific body part that was affected. It is used in direct connection with `{{H5384}}` to specify the "sinew which shrank" [[Genesis 32:32]]. Elsewhere, it refers to anatomical tendons or sinews that provide structure [[Job 10:11]].
* `{{H5060}}` **nâgaʻ** (to touch): This is the action that caused the sinew to shrink. The verse states that the being **touched** the hollow of Jacob's thigh [[Genesis 32:32]]. This word can denote a simple touch, but also a powerful strike or a divine contact with lasting effects ([[Isaiah 53:4]], [[Jeremiah 1:9]]).
* `{{H5383}}` **nâshâh** (to lend or borrow on security or interest): This is the primitive root from which `{{H5384}}` is derived, linking the concept of shrinking to a sense of failure, much like a debt. This word is used in contexts of being a creditor or lending on usury ([[Exodus 22:25]], [[Nehemiah 5:7]]).
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H5384}}` is tied entirely to its singular context:
* **A Physical Memorial:** The "shrank" sinew serves as a permanent physical mark on Jacob, a reminder of his struggle and subsequent blessing. The resulting limp was an enduring sign of his encounter.
* **The Power of a Divine Touch:** The event demonstrates that contact with the divine can have profound and lasting physical consequences. The touch was not merely a tap, but a transformative strike that left a part of Jacob crippled or failed [[Genesis 32:32]].
* **Basis for a National Custom:** A personal, physical injury to the patriarch Jacob becomes the explicit reason for a national dietary custom for "the children of Israel," linking a historical event to ongoing communal practice [[Genesis 32:32]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H5384}}` is a rare and precise word that captures the physical result of Jacob's wrestling match. It is not just a medical term for an injury but a theological one, describing a physical state that serves as a permanent memorial of a divine encounter. Its meaning is inseparable from this one pivotal event in the history of Israel, which marked both its patriarch and its national customs forever.
TRV