נָסַג
to retreat
Definition
The Hebrew verb נָסַג (nâçag) fundamentally means to retreat, withdraw, or move backward. It often describes a physical or metaphorical turning away from a position, commitment, or boundary. In a legal and ethical context, it refers to the wrongful removal of a neighbor's landmark or boundary stone, as condemned in Deuteronomy 19:14 and Proverbs 22:28. In a more abstract sense, it describes the turning away from truth and justice, as seen in Isaiah 59:13-14 where people 'revolt' and 'turn back' from following God.
Biblical Usage
נָסַג is used nine times in the Old Testament, primarily in wisdom and prophetic literature. Its usage falls into two main categories: the concrete act of moving a property boundary (Deuteronomy 19:14, Proverbs 22:28, 23:10) and the metaphorical act of turning away from righteousness or retreating from a position (Isaiah 59:13-14, Hosea 5:10, Micah 2:6). The word appears in legal instruction (Deuteronomy), wisdom sayings (Proverbs), and prophetic indictments (Isaiah, Hosea, Micah).
Etymology
נָסַג is a primitive root. Its core meaning relates to moving backward or withdrawing. Cognates in other Semitic languages support the sense of retreating or recoiling. The development of its meaning from a physical retreat to a metaphorical turning away from justice is evident within the biblical text itself.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it connects social ethics with spiritual fidelity. The act of moving a boundary stone (Deuteronomy 19:14) was not merely a property crime but a violation of God's allotted inheritance and a form of social oppression, often linked to greed. Metaphorically, it describes the fundamental human sin of 'turning back' from God's truth and justice (Isaiah 59:13-14). Understanding נָסַג enriches reading by showing how physical actions against a neighbor are inseparable from one's spiritual orientation toward God's order.
In ancient Israelite society, boundary stones were sacred markers of a family's God-given inheritance within the promised land. To move them was not a minor trespass but a severe attack on the social and economic stability God intended, effectively stealing a family's future. This act was considered a grievous sin because it undermined the foundational distribution of land established by Yahweh.
סוּר (sûr, H5493) — a more general term for turning aside or departing, not necessarily implying a backward motion. שׁוּב (shûb, H7725) — to turn back, return, or repent; can have a positive connotation of repentance, whereas נָסַג is almost always negative. עָזַב (‘âzab, H5800) — to forsake or abandon; focuses on leaving something behind, while נָסַג focuses on the motion of retreating from it.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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