נְשׂוּאָה (ne.su.ah)
ne.su.ah
burden
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun nesu’ah refers to a burden or load that is carried. It comes from the root nasar, which means to lift up or bear. In Scripture, this word describes something heavy that must be supported, whether it is a physical weight or a metaphorical responsibility.
This term appears only once in the Bible, in Isaiah 46:1. There, it describes the idols of Babylon being carried away on beasts of burden. The image highlights the irony that these gods, which people claim to carry, are themselves unable to bear their own weight and must be transported by others.
Translators typically render nesu’ah as "burden" or "load." The word emphasizes the act of carrying rather than the nature of the object. It reminds readers that true strength lies in being able to bear one’s own load, while false gods require others to carry them.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word nesu'ah describes a load so heavy it requires beasts of burden to transport it. In Isaiah 46:1, this term highlights the absurdity of idolatry. People create gods that cannot even carry themselves, let alone their followers. These idols become dead weight, dragging down those who trust in them.
When you feel weighed down by anxiety or responsibility, remember that true strength does not come from carrying heavy, lifeless objects. God invites you to rest in His care rather than bearing the impossible load of self-sufficiency. He is able to lift what you cannot carry alone.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- burdens/ your1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- נְשֻׂאֹתֵי/כֶ֣ם1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 46:1
Bel bows down. Nebo stoops. Their idols are carried by animals, and on the livestock. The things that you carried around are heavy loads, a burden for the weary.
This verse uses nesu'ah to describe idols that are too heavy for their worshippers to carry, exposing the futility of trusting in created things rather than the Creator.