נָשִׂיא

𐤍𐤔𐤉𐤀

nâsîyʼ

H5387 noun

SILEX Entry

Root נשא to lift, to bear, to carry, to exalt

Definition

A person of elevated status or leadership within an Israelite, Judahite, or later Judean community; most often referring to a tribal leader, chieftain, or head of a clan, but in some contexts used for prominent officials or rulers within both Israelite and non-Israelite societies. The term applies to individuals recognized as social, political, or military authorities, ranging from tribal patriarchs to leaders appointed over districts or the entire people. Rarely, the word is used in poetic texts for a rising cloud or vapor.

Semantic Range

chieftain, tribal leader, head of a clan, prominent official, ruler, prince (non-royal), governor, important person; rare: cloud, vapor

Root / Etymology

From the root נָשָׂא ( נשא ), meaning 'to lift, bear up, carry, exalt.' The noun נָשִׂיא derives from the participial or adjectival form, indicating 'one who is lifted up/exalted,' hence one who is placed in a position of elevated status or leadership. The very rare sense 'cloud' or 'vapor' comes from the imagery of something that rises or is lifted up.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the early strata of the Hebrew Bible (e.g., Torah, early monarchy), נָשִׂיא most often refers to a tribal leader or chieftain, typically the head of one of the Israelite tribes (e.g., Numbers 1–7), but also used of Edomite, Midianite, or other non-Israelite leaders. During the monarchic period, the term is sometimes used for high-ranking officials, governors, or descendants of the royal family, and in Ezekiel (esp. chs. 40–48) it refers to a future leader distinct from a king. In post-exilic texts, particularly in Ezra-Nehemiah, נָשִׂיא has administrative meaning: governing official or leader among the returnees, but not a monarch. When translated as 'prince' or 'governor,' standard English renderings can be misleading, as the word does not always denote royal lineage or theocratic authority. Occasionally in poetic or metaphorical texts (e.g., Job 36:29; Jeremiah 10:13), the word refers to a 'cloud' or 'vapor'—that which is lifted up in the sky, likely a secondary meaning by analogy to something prominent or elevated.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or נָשִׂא; from נָשָׂא; properly, an exalted one, i.e. a king or sheik; also a rising mist; captain, chief, cloud, governor, prince, ruler, vapour.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

נשא (n-ś-ʾ) — to lift, to bear, to carry, to exalt

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4853 מַשָּׂא in the burden
H4854 מַשָּׂא burden of
H4856 מַשֹּׂא and lifting-up-of
H4858 מַשָּׂאָה rising mass
H4859 מַשָּׁאָה loans

Word Forms

18 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H5387-05 נָשִׂ֖יא nasi HNcmsa leader exalted leader 30
H5387-09 נְשִׂיאֵ֣י nesiey HNcmpc princes exalted leaders of 21
H5387-18 וְ/נָשִׂ֥יא venasi HC/Ncmsa and the leader and exalted leader 16
H5387-02 הַ/נְּשִׂאִ֖ים hanesiim HTd/Ncmpa the leaders the exalted leaders 13
H5387-01 הַ/נָּשִׂ֞יא hanasi HTd/Ncmsa the prince the exalted leader 11
H5387-06 נְשִׂ֨יא nesi HNcmsc prince exalted leader of 10
H5387-12 נְשִׂיאִם֙ nesiim HNcmpa princes exalted leaders 8
H5387-03 לַ/נָּשִׂ֖יא lanasi HRd/Ncmsa for the prince to the exalted one 6
H5387-13 וּ/נְשִׂ֥יא unesi HC/Ncmsc and the chief and lifted-up leader of 4
H5387-14 וּ/נְשִׂיאֵ֣י unesiey HC/Ncmpc and the leaders of and exalted leaders of 4

Occurrences in Scripture

134 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H5387-12 Genesis 17:20 נְשִׂיאִם֙ nesiim HNcmpa princes exalted leaders
H5387-06 Genesis 23:6 נְשִׂ֨יא nesi HNcmsc a mighty prince exalted leader of
H5387-12 Genesis 25:16 נְשִׂיאִ֖ם nesiim HNcmpa princes exalted leaders
H5387-06 Genesis 34:2 נְשִׂ֣יא nesi HNcmsc prince exalted leader of
H5387-09 Exodus 16:22 נְשִׂיאֵ֣י nesiey HNcmpc rulers of exalted leaders of
H5387-18 Exodus 22:27 וְ/נָשִׂ֥יא venasi HC/Ncmsa or ruler and exalted leader
H5387-02 Exodus 34:31 הַ/נְּשִׂאִ֖ים hanesiim HTd/Ncmpa the rulers the exalted leaders
H5387-16 Exodus 35:27 וְ/הַ/נְּשִׂאִ֣ם vehanesiim HC/Td/Ncmpa And the leaders the lifted-up leaders
H5387-05 Leviticus 4:22 נָשִׂ֖יא nasi HNcmsa a leader exalted leader
H5387-09 Numbers 1:16 נְשִׂיאֵ֖י nesiey HNcmpc princes exalted leaders of