BIBLE HEBREW WORD STUDY
נָשָׂא (nasa) — Meaning & Usage in the Bible
נָשָׂא (nasa) is one of the most common Hebrew verbs, meaning 'to lift, carry, or take,' in both literal and figurative senses throughout the Old Testament.
Meaning of the word
נָשָׂא (nasa) is a fundamental Hebrew verb whose core idea is 'to lift up' or 'to take up.' From this physical root move a physical root extends to many contexts, including carrying a load, lifting the eyes, taking or bearing a name, and bearing sin or grief. The lexicon entry describes it as used 'in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative,' indicating that nearly any act of lifting, taking, or bearing can fall under this single word.
The verb functions in three main senses. First, it is a physical action: lifting the eyes (Exodus 14:10), taking up wings (Psalms 139:9), or carrying a burden. Second, it is a verbal or covenantal action: 'taking' the name of the Lord in vain (Exodus 20:7; Psalms 139:20), which means treating the name lightly or falsely. Third, it is a substitutionary or atoning action: 'bearing' sin, griefs, or sorrows on behalf of others, as in Isaiah 53:4 and Isaiah 53:12.
The richness of נָשָׂא explains why English translations render the same Hebrew word so differently — 'lift,' 'take,' 'bear,' 'carry.' The reader should watch the context to determine whether the verb points to a bodily action, a speech-act, or a sacrificial bearing of wrongdoing.
Usage in Scripture
In narrative contexts, נָשָׂא marks visible physical movement. At the Red Sea, Israel 'lifted up their eyes' and saw the Egyptians approaching (Exodus 14:10), a moment of fear that becomes a turning point in the Exodus narrative. In poetic contexts, the verb carries imagery of speed and distance: 'If I take the wings of the morning' (Psalms 139:9) uses the verb to picture flying to the farthest sea.
The most theologically loaded use of נָשָׂא is the Servant of the Lord in Isaiah 53, where the verb describes substitutionary bearing: 'he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows' (Isaiah 53:4) and 'he bare the sin of many' (Isaiah 53:12). This same verb also appears in the negative command against taking God's name 'in vain' (Exodus 20:7; Psalms 139:20), showing that the word covers both the weight of sin removed by the Servant and the weight of the divine name honored by the people.
The word in detail
- H5375 Strong's H5375 — נָשָׂא (nasa): a common Hebrew verb meaning 'to lift, carry, take, or bear,' covering both literal physical actions (lifting eyes, carrying loads) and figurative actions (bearing sin, taking a name). The same verb underlies the Servant Songs of Isaiah 53, where the Servant 'bears' the griefs and sins of many, and the Third Commandment, which forbids 'taking' the name of the Lord in vain.
Example verses
- Exodus 14:10 Israel 'lifts up' their eyes in fear as the Egyptians approach. Here נָשָׂא is a simple bodily action that frames the entire crisis at the Red Sea.
- Exodus 20:7 The Third Commandment forbids 'taking' the name of the Lord in vain. נָשָׂא here treats the divine name as something lifted up or borne — to misuse it is to treat it as weightless.
- Isaiah 53:4 The Servant 'bears' our griefs and 'carries' our sorrows. נָשָׂא is the key verb of substitutionary suffering in the Servant Song.
- Isaiah 53:12 The Servant 'bore the sin of many.' This single use of נָשָׂא makes him the one who takes the weight of human wrongdoing upon himself.
Common questions
Why is one Hebrew word translated as both 'lift,' 'take,' and 'bear' in English Bibles?
Because נָשָׂא covers a wide semantic field. All three English senses share the idea of taking something up and bearing its weight, whether literally (lifting eyes), verbally (taking a name), or substitutionarily (bearing sin). The context determines which English word best fits.
What is the most theologically important use of נָשָׂא in the Old Testament?
Isaiah 53 is widely regarded as the most theologically loaded context, where נָשָׂא describes the Servant 'bearing' the griefs, sorrows, and sins of many. This use shapes later Jewish and Christian readings of substitutionary atonement.
Does נָשָׂא always imply suffering or weight?
No. The verb is neutral and can describe any lifting or taking. In Exodus 14:10 it simply describes lifting the eyes in fear, and in Psalms 139:9 it imagines taking the wings of the morning. The weight and suffering associations come only from specific contexts, especially Isaiah 53.