נָשִׂיא
𐤍𐤔𐤉𐤀
nâsîyʼ
H5387 noun
SILEX Entry
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 WordRoot 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 |