נְשָׂא
Definition
The Aramaic word נְשָׂא (nᵉsâʼ) primarily means 'to lift up, carry, or take away.' In Ezra 4:19, it describes the act of 'carrying away' or seizing a city, referring to a king's military conquest. In Ezra 5:15, it is used for the physical 'carrying' of temple vessels from Jerusalem to Babylon. In Daniel 2:35, the meaning shifts to 'being carried away' by the wind, depicting the complete removal of chaff or debris, symbolizing divine judgment on kingdoms. Thus, the word encompasses both literal transportation and metaphorical removal.
Biblical Usage
This word appears only in Aramaic portions of the Old Testament, specifically in Ezra and Daniel, reflecting its use in imperial or prophetic contexts. In Ezra, it is used in official correspondence about historical events (Ezra 4:19, 5:15). In Daniel, it appears in a visionary context describing God's sovereign action (Daniel 2:35). All three occurrences involve actions initiated by authority figures—kings or God—emphasizing power and control over objects or territories.
Etymology
נְשָׂא is the Aramaic cognate of the Hebrew verb נָשָׂא (nāśāʼ, H5375), meaning 'to lift, carry, bear.' Both share a common Semitic root (N-Ś-ʼ) conveying the idea of elevation or removal. In Aramaic, it retained core meanings of physical carrying but also developed nuances in imperial and judicial language, as seen in the Persian-era texts of Ezra.
Semantic Range
This word highlights God's sovereignty in history, as seen in Daniel 2:35, where kingdoms are 'carried away' by God's wind, illustrating His control over human empires. In Ezra, it underscores themes of exile and restoration, showing how God uses foreign powers to accomplish His purposes. Understanding this Aramaic term enriches reading by connecting divine action across languages in Scripture, emphasizing that God's authority transcends cultural and linguistic boundaries.
In its Aramaic context, נְשָׂא was used in official documents and visions during the Babylonian and Persian periods, reflecting administrative and prophetic language. The act of 'carrying away' often referred to deportation or plunder, common practices in ancient warfare, which would have been familiar to original audiences. This differs from modern casual usage, as it carried weighty implications of displacement or judgment under imperial authority.
נָשָׂא (nāśāʼ, H5375) — The Hebrew equivalent, with broader usage including 'to bear' guilt or 'to forgive.'; סְלַק (sᵉlaq, H5559) — Aramaic for 'to go up' or 'ascend,' focusing on upward motion rather than carrying.; אֲזַל (ʾăzal, H1981) — Aramaic for 'to go' or 'depart,' emphasizing movement without the lifting aspect.
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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