נָשַׁל (na.shal)
na.shal
to slip
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 7 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb nāshal describes the action of slipping off or sliding away. It is most frequently found in Deuteronomy and Joshua, where it often carries a negative connotation of falling away from loyalty or failing to hold fast to a commitment. The image is physical—a foot losing its grip on a slope—but it serves as a metaphor for spiritual instability or the gradual erosion of faithfulness.
While the basic meaning involves slipping off, the sources indicate a nuance of clearing out or drawing off when used in certain forms. This suggests a complete removal rather than just a momentary slip. In its most common usage, however, it captures the sense of something slipping away from one’s grasp, whether that is a blessing, a promise, or a steadfast heart.
This word appears in contexts where stability is expected but threatened. For instance, in Deuteronomy 28:30, it describes the loss of property or home, illustrating how quickly security can slip away if conditions are not met. The term reminds readers that faithfulness requires active holding on; without it, even solid ground can become slippery.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word na-shal paints a vivid picture of footing giving way on a steep slope. It describes the sudden loss of grip, whether physical or spiritual. In the Old Testament, this image often warns against drifting from God’s commands. It reminds us that faithfulness is not passive; it requires active engagement and steady attention to where we stand.
Consider Deuteronomy 28:40. The people would plant olive trees, yet the fruit would slip away before they could harvest it. This illustrates how quickly security can vanish if we lose our hold on covenant loyalty. It is a sobering reminder that blessings are not automatic but depend on our steadfastness.
Yet this warning is also an invitation to anchor ourselves in God’s presence. When we feel our grip slipping, we are called to look upward rather than down at the ground beneath us. Stability comes not from our own strength alone, but from the holy ground where God invites us to stand firm.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 7 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- take off2×
- and/ he will clear away2×
- it will drop off1×
- and/ it will slip off1×
- and/ he cleared out1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- שַׁל\־2×
- יִשַּׁ֖ל1×
- וַ/יְנַשֵּׁ֥ל1×
- וְ/נָשַׁל֩1×
- וְ/נָשַׁ֤ל1×
- וְ/נָשַׁ֣ל1×
Key Verses
-
Deuteronomy 28:40
You will have olive trees throughout all your borders, but you won’t anoint yourself with the oil, for your olives will drop off.
This verse uses the word to describe olives dropping off trees, illustrating how blessings can slip away when covenant loyalty is lost.
-
Exodus 3:5
He said, “Don’t come close. Take off your sandals, for the place you are standing on is holy ground.”
Here the command to remove sandals implies standing on holy ground where one must not slip or treat the place casually.
-
Joshua 5:15
The prince of Yahweh’s army said to Joshua, “Take off your sandals, for the place on which you stand is holy.” Joshua did so.
The repetition of the sandal command reinforces the need for reverence and steady footing in God's presence.