נָשָׁא (na.sah)
na.sah
to exact
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb nasa’ in this specific context refers to the act of lending money with interest or acting as a creditor. While often translated simply as "to exact," it describes the financial relationship where one party holds power over another through debt. It appears in only three verses, primarily within historical narratives in 1 Samuel and 1 Kings, highlighting its use in legal or social disputes rather than poetic metaphor.
Lexical sources distinguish between the Qal stem, which identifies a person as a "creditor," and the Hiphil stem, which describes the active role of demanding repayment. This distinction is crucial for understanding texts where leaders are accused of exploiting the poor by charging excessive interest. The word carries a weight of economic pressure, marking the moment when a loan becomes a tool of oppression rather than assistance.
Its limited occurrence underscores how specific this legal terminology was in ancient Israelite society. When used, it points to concrete transactions and the ethical boundaries surrounding them. Translators must carefully choose words that convey not just the exchange of money, but the authority inherent in holding someone’s debt, ensuring the reader grasps the social tension embedded in these brief references.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
This word describes the heavy burden of debt and the power held by a creditor. In ancient Israel, lending money was a way to help neighbors in need, but it could also become a tool for oppression when interest was charged unfairly. The text warns against turning assistance into exploitation, reminding us that financial relationships should reflect justice and mercy rather than control.
When we face economic pressure or feel trapped by obligations, this passage invites us to look at how we treat others. It challenges leaders and lenders to ensure their actions do not crush those who are already struggling. Instead of using debt as leverage, the call is toward fairness and compassion in all dealings.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- a creditor2×
- and/ he will impose1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- נֹשֶׁא֙1×
- נֹשֶׁ֥א1×
- וְ/נָֽשָׁא\־1×
Key Verses
-
I Samuel 22:2
Everyone who was in distress, everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was discontented gathered themselves to him; and he became captain over them. There were with him about four hundred men.
This verse shows how accumulated debts created a community of outcasts who found refuge with David, highlighting the social disruption caused by financial oppression.
-
Isaiah 24:2
It will be as with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the creditor, so with the debtor; as with the taker of interest, so with the giver of interest.
Here the creditor is placed on equal footing with the debtor in a time of judgment, demonstrating that economic power offers no protection from divine reckoning.