נָשָׁה
to lend or (by reciprocity) borrow on security or interest
Definition
The Hebrew verb נָשָׁה (nâshâh) primarily means 'to lend' or 'to give a loan,' but its meaning is shaped by the context of the transaction. In its most common usage, it refers to lending money or goods to a fellow Israelite, often with the expectation of repayment (Deuteronomy 24:10-11). However, the word also encompasses the reciprocal action of borrowing, as seen in the borrower's perspective (2 Kings 4:1). Crucially, the term is intrinsically linked to the concept of debt and security, frequently involving collateral or the charging of interest, which was strictly regulated under Mosaic Law (Exodus 22:25).
Biblical Usage
נָשָׁה is used exclusively in legal and narrative contexts concerning financial debt within the covenant community. It appears in the legal codes of Exodus and Deuteronomy, which govern lending practices between Israelites, forbidding interest and oppressive treatment of the poor (Exodus 22:25, Deuteronomy 15:2). The narrative books use it to describe real-life debt situations, such as the widow's sons being taken as debt-slaves (2 Kings 4:1) and Nehemiah's confrontation with Jewish nobles who were exacting usury from their brothers (Nehemiah 5:7, 10-11). The usage consistently highlights the social and ethical dimensions of economic relationships.
Etymology
נָשָׁה is a primitive root. It is closely related to נָשָׁא (nâshâ', H5378), meaning 'to lend' or 'to be a creditor,' and may be identical in origin to נָשָׁה (nâshâh, H5382), meaning 'to forget.' Some scholars suggest a conceptual link where lending involves a temporary 'forgetting' or releasing of one's property. The core idea revolves around the transfer of resources with an obligation for return.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it grounds economic justice in Israel's covenant identity. Lending was not a purely commercial act but a test of communal faithfulness and compassion, especially toward the poor. The laws surrounding נָשָׁה (forbidding interest, requiring periodic debt cancellation in the Sabbath Year) reflect Yahweh's character as a liberator and the Israelites' call to mirror His justice (Deuteronomy 15:1-2). Understanding this term enriches reading by revealing how financial dealings were a direct measure of obedience and love for one's neighbor, integral to the social fabric of God's people.
In ancient Israelite culture, lending was primarily a form of social welfare, not an investment for profit. Loans were typically extended to the poor or those in crisis (e.g., a failed harvest). Charging interest from a fellow Israelite was explicitly forbidden as exploitative (Exodus 22:25). Collateral could be taken but with strict humanitarian limits—a creditor could not enter a borrower's home to seize a pledge and had to return a necessary garment by nightfall (Deuteronomy 24:10-13). This contrasts sharply with modern, impersonal banking systems and highlights the deeply relational and ethically bound nature of economic life under the covenant.
נָשָׁא (nâshâ', H5378) — A nearly identical verb also meaning 'to lend' or 'to be a creditor,' often used in parallel. לָוָה (lâvâh, H3867) — Means 'to join' or 'to borrow'; focuses more on the act of borrowing or attaching oneself to a lender. עָשַׁק (ʿâshaq, H6231) — Means 'to oppress' or 'defraud'; a stronger term for unjust financial exploitation, which usury (neshek) under נָשָׁה could become.
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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