Word Study for H5398 (נָשַׁף)

nâshaph /naw-shaf'/ Ask about this word

Roota primitive root

Meaningto breeze, i.e. blow up fresh (as the wind)

KJV usageblow.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of nâshaph — 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 nâshaph, represented by H5398, is a primitive root that means to breeze, i.e. blow up fresh (as the wind); blow. This specific term is used infrequently, appearing only 2 times in 2 unique verses of the Bible, yet its context reveals a powerful and decisive action.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical appearances, H5398 describes a potent act of God with immediate and dramatic consequences. In the song of Moses, God's power over the Red Sea is described: "Thou didst blow with thy wind, the sea covered them: they sank as lead in the mighty waters" Exodus 15:10. The action is one of divine judgment and power over nature. Similarly, in Isaiah, the word is used to illustrate the frailty of proud and ungodly powers: "he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble" Isaiah 40:24. In both cases, the act of blowing signifies an effortless, overwhelming display of divine authority.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the cause and effect of the action described by H5398:

H7307 rûwach (wind; by resemblance breath... spirit): This is the instrument of God's action in Exodus. The blow is carried by His wind, showing direct control over the elements Exodus 15:10.
H3001 yâbêsh (to dry up (as water) or wither (as herbage)): This is the direct result of God's blow in Isaiah's prophecy. The people who are not properly rooted will wither when He blows on them Isaiah 40:24.
H6749 tsâlal (to tumble down, i.e. settle by awaving motion; sink): This word describes the fate of the Egyptians after God blew with His wind; they sank immediately in the sea Exodus 15:10.
H3680 kâçâh (to cover): This action follows God's blow in Exodus, as the sea is made to cover the enemy forces Exodus 15:10.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H5398 is centered on the absolute power and sovereignty of God.

Divine Judgment: In both of its uses, the word is part of an act of judgment. It is used to describe the destruction of the Egyptian army Exodus 15:10 and the removal of fleeting, godless rulers who are not properly planted or rooted Isaiah 40:24.
Sovereignty Over Creation: The term demonstrates God's complete command over the natural world. A single blow from Him can part or cover the sea, displaying His authority over forces like wind and water.
The Power of God's Breath: The imagery of God simply blowing to achieve a mighty result underscores His immense power in contrast to human frailty. What requires a great army or effort from man, God accomplishes with a breath.

Summary

In summary, while H5398 is a rare term, its meaning is significant. It is not a gentle breeze but a potent, divine blow that executes judgment and demonstrates God's effortless control over both nature and the nations. It serves as a powerful illustration of the biblical theme that God's breath can bring about both deliverance for His people and the swift downfall of His enemies.

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 2 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

נָשַׁפְתָּ
נָשַׁף

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 2 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Exodus and Isaiah (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

Exodus

Isaiah

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, by grammatical form, 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.