נָשָׁה (na.shah)
na.shah
to forget
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 6 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb nāšâ means to forget, but it carries a weight that goes beyond simple memory loss. In the Old Testament, it often describes a deliberate turning away or a failure to remember what is significant. With only six occurrences, this word appears in moments of deep emotional distress, particularly in Job, Lamentations, and Jeremiah, where characters feel abandoned or overwhelmed by suffering.
A striking example occurs in Lamentations 5:20, where the people ask if God has forgotten them entirely. The use here suggests a rupture in relationship rather than a cognitive lapse. Similarly, in Job 11:16, the speaker hopes that trouble will be forgotten, using the word to describe a desire for relief from pain. The verb can also appear in the Hiphil stem, as in Job 39:13, where God asks if He has given the ostrich wisdom or caused it to forget understanding, highlighting how this concept applies even to animal behavior.
Translators typically render nāšâ as "forget," but the context often implies a voluntary or relational aspect. It is not merely about losing information; it is about failing to hold something in mind when one ought to. This distinction helps readers see that biblical forgetfulness can be an act of neglect or a response to trauma, rather than just a mental slip.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
Forgetting in Scripture is rarely just a mental slip. It often signals a rupture in relationship or a heavy burden that weighs down the heart. When Lamentations speaks of forgetting prosperity, it describes a soul so overwhelmed by grief that peace feels impossible to hold onto. This word reminds us that our struggles with memory or hope are seen and understood by God.
Yet this verb also carries a promise of relief. Joseph named his son Manasseh because God had helped him forget his toil and pain. Here, forgetting is not negligence but a gift of grace, allowing the heart to rest after long suffering. It shows that God can bring peace even when circumstances remain difficult.
We do not need to force ourselves to remember every hurt or failure. Trusting in God’s care allows us to lay down what we cannot carry alone. His faithfulness remains steady, offering a space where healing and new beginnings can take root.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 6 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- you will be forgotten by/ me1×
- he will cause to forget1×
- he has made forget/ me1×
- he has made forget/ it1×
- and/ I will surely <forget>1×
- I have forgotten1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- תִנָּשֵֽׁ/נִי\׃1×
- נָשִׁ֥יתִי1×
- נַשַּׁ֤/נִי1×
- יַשֶּׁ֥ה1×
- וְ/נָשִׁ֥יתִי1×
- הִשָּׁ֣/הּ1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 41:51
Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh, “For”, he said, “God has made me forget all my toil, and all my father’s house.”
Joseph uses this word to describe how God provided emotional relief from past suffering, framing forgetting as a gift of grace rather than mere memory loss.
-
Lamentations 3:17
You have removed my soul far away from peace. I forgot prosperity.
The psalmist links forgetting prosperity directly to the loss of peace, showing how deep distress can make joy feel entirely out of reach.
-
Isaiah 44:21
Remember these things, Jacob and Israel, for you are my servant. I have formed you. You are my servant. Israel, you will not be forgotten by me.
God contrasts human forgetfulness with His own faithful remembrance, assuring Israel that He will never abandon those He has formed.