Word Study for H5403 (נְשַׁר)

nᵉshar /nesh-ar'/ Ask about this word

Root(Aramaic) corresponding to נֶשֶׁר

Meaningan eagle

KJV usageeagle.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of nᵉshar — 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 Aramaic word nᵉshar, represented by H5403, is the term for an eagle. It appears 2 times across 2 unique verses in the Bible. This word is used to describe features of both visionary beasts and a man brought into a state of wildness, corresponding to the Hebrew word for eagle.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

Both occurrences of H5403 are found in the book of Daniel. In a prophetic vision, the first beast is depicted as being like a lion but possessing eagle's wings, which are then plucked off Daniel 7:4. The word is also used to describe the state of King Nebuchadnezzar during his period of madness, where his hair grew to be like eagles' feathers Daniel 4:33.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help contextualize the imagery associated with H5403:

H1611 gaph (a wing): This word is used for the "eagle's wings" on the lion-like beast in Daniel's vision, symbolizing its initial power before being plucked Daniel 7:4.
H6853 tsᵉphar (a bird): This term is used in parallel with H5403 to describe Nebuchadnezzar's transformation, noting his nails grew "like birds' claws" Daniel 4:33.

Theological Significance

The use of H5403 in Daniel carries significant symbolic weight.

Symbol of Power: In Daniel's vision, the eagle's wings attached to a lion create an image of a powerful and swift kingdom. The subsequent plucking of these wings signifies a loss of that power and status Daniel 7:4.
Marker of Judgment: For Nebuchadnezzar, his hair growing like eagles' feathers is part of his divine judgment, reducing him from a proud king to a wild creature and illustrating a profound humbling Daniel 4:33.

Summary

In summary, H5403 provides a potent symbol within the book of Daniel. While its literal meaning is eagle, its two appearances use this imagery to convey contrasting concepts: the formidable power of a kingdom in a prophetic vision, and the abject, animal-like state of a humbled king. It demonstrates how a natural image can be employed to represent both supreme authority and its complete loss.

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 noun 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.

נִשְׁרִין
נְשַׁר

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

2 verses, all in Daniel — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

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.