נְפוּשְׁסִים
𐤍𐤐𐤅𐤔𐤎𐤉𐤌
Nefushesim
H5300 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper name designating a family or group of Temple-servants (Nethinim) listed among the returnees from the Babylonian exile. Refers specifically to descendants or members of a group called the Nephushesim, whose precise ethnolinguistic origins are not specified in the text. The term functions as an ethnicon or family name within the context of Temple officials or servants.
Semantic Range
proper name of a Temple-servant family; designation of a Nethinim clan; familial or group ethnicon
Root / Etymology
The word appears to be derived from the root נָפַשׁ (n-p-sh), often meaning 'to breathe, to respire,' but this connection is uncertain and not reflected in the actual meaning of the proper name. The formation with the -im masculine plural ending suggests a collective or family group. Etymology uncertain; possibly related to a non-Hebrew personal or ethnic name.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the context of Ezra 2:50 and Nehemiah 7:52, נְפוּשְׁסִים (Nephushesim) appears in lists of Nethinim, Temple-servant families who returned to Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile. The exact function and origin of the Nethinim remain debated, but they are commonly understood as a hereditary social/service class assigned to duties related to the Temple (distinct from Levitical priesthood), possibly including descendants of foreign servitors integrated into Israelite community life. The form נְפִיסִים (Nephisim) given in certain textual traditions suggests a variant or alternate family name, but the majority text favors נְפוּשְׁסִים. English translations often transpose the name directly, but the nuance of a Temple-servant family can be lost, as the term refers not to a personal name but to a group designation. There is no evidence the term refers to ethnic Judeans or Israelites per se; their status is primarily institutional/occupational. In post-exilic and Second Temple contexts, these groups played a distinct role alongside priests, Levites, and lay Israelite returnees.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
for נְפִיסִים; Nephushesim, a Temple-servant; Nephisesim (from the margin).
Bantu Hebrew
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נפשׁ (n-p-sh) — to breathe, to respire, to revive
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5300-01 |
נפושסים | nfvshsym | HNgmpa |
Nephusim | Nephushesim | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5300-01 |
Nehemiah 7:52 | נפושסים | nfvshsym | HNgmpa |
Nephusim | Nephushesim |