נָשָׁה
to forget; figuratively, to neglect; causatively, to remit, remove
Definition
The Hebrew verb נָשָׁה (nâshâh) primarily means 'to forget' or 'to neglect,' describing a failure to remember or pay attention. In a causative sense (Hiphil stem), it can mean 'to cause to forget' or 'to deprive,' as when God makes Joseph forget his hardship (Genesis 41:51). It also carries the nuance of 'to exact' or 'to demand payment,' seen in Job 11:6 where it refers to God demanding less of Job's iniquity than deserved, implying a removal or remission of guilt.
Biblical Usage
נָשָׁה appears only six times in the Old Testament, primarily in poetic and prophetic books. Its usage spans literal forgetting (Isaiah 44:21, 'do not forget me'), causative forgetting (Genesis 41:51), and the specialized sense of 'exacting' or 'removing' a debt or guilt (Job 11:6; Lamentations 3:17). In Jeremiah 23:39, it is used in a threat of God 'forgetting' His people in judgment, showing a figurative, relational neglect.
Etymology
נָשָׁה is a primitive root. It is distinct from the more common verb for 'to forget,' שָׁכַח (shâkach, H7911), though their meanings overlap. Cognates in other Semitic languages suggest an original sense related to 'being lax' or 'negligent,' which developed into the meanings of forgetting and remitting.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it touches on divine memory and human responsibility. God's act of causing Joseph to forget (Genesis 41:51) reflects His gracious intervention in human suffering. Conversely, the warning that God will 'forget' His people (Jeremiah 23:39) speaks to the serious consequences of covenant betrayal. In Job 11:6, the concept of God 'exacting' less than deserved points toward divine mercy and the remission of sin, enriching our understanding of God's character in judgment and grace.
In ancient Israelite culture, 'forgetting' was not merely a mental lapse but often a moral failure, especially in covenant contexts. To forget God (Isaiah 44:21) was to neglect relational loyalty and obedience. The financial/legal sense of 'exacting' (Job 11:6) reflects a societal understanding of debt and guilt that could be metaphorically applied to sin.
שָׁכַח (shâkach, H7911) — the more common general term for 'to forget,' often used for literal memory lapse or covenant neglect. נָשָׁה can carry stronger nuances of neglect, deprivation, or remission.
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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