נָשַׁל
𐤍𐤔𐤋
nâshal
H5394 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To remove, strip away, or cause to fall off; to shed or divest. The verb נָשַׁל denotes the action of forcefully detaching or causing something (such as foliage, footwear, property, or people) to come loose, drop off, or be removed. It can refer to the natural shedding of leaves, as well as the forcible removal of objects or persons from places or possessions. The word carries a sense of loss, separation, or displacement, whether by natural process or deliberate action.
Semantic Range
to remove or strip off (clothing, sandals, bark); to shed (leaves, bark); to cast out or eject (from property or land); to drop off; to be divested or dispossessed; to be separated or loosened
Root / Etymology
From the root נ-ש-ל (נָשַׁל), which conveys the idea of removal or stripping. The verb is in the Qal stem and carries the sense of being separated or made to fall off. Although some Semitic cognates offer similar nuance (cf. Aramaic), the Hebrew term is most frequently used in tangible or metaphorical contexts of being divested or displaced.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In Biblical Hebrew, נָשַׁל most often describes the act of stripping away or shedding, and appears in contexts such as Moses removing his sandals before divine presence (Exod 3:5, Josh 5:15), the shedding of leaves (Isa 33:9), or dispossession from land (Deut 19:5). The connotation can be both literal (such as the physical removal of objects) and figurative, especially the sense of losing possession or being driven out. Its usage is more limited in the post-exilic biblical corpus, with related verbs (e.g., גרשׁ, גלה) sometimes taking over nuances related to exile or removal. English translations often render the term simply as 'put off' or 'cast out,' but the sense of forced or natural detachment is central. The word is distinct from other roots such as גרשׁ (to expel/drive out) and חלץ (to draw off/strip), focusing more on the idea of something coming loose or being stripped away inherently or by action.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to pluck off, i.e. divest, eject or drop; cast (out), drive, loose, put off (out), slip.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
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נשל (n-š-l) — remove, strip away, cause to fall off, detach
Word Forms
4 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5394-03 |
וְ/נָשַׁ֣ל | venashal | HC/Vqq3ms |
and clears away | and he stripped off | 3 |
H5394-01 |
שַׁל | shal | HVqv2ms |
loose | Strip off | 2 |
H5394-04 |
יִשַּׁ֖ל | yishal | HVqi3ms |
will drop off | he will strip off | 1 |
H5394-02 |
וַ/יְנַשֵּׁ֥ל | vayenashel | HC/Vpw3ms |
and drove out | and he stripped away | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
7 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5394-01 |
Exodus 3:5 | שַׁל | shal | HVqv2ms |
Take off | Strip off |
H5394-03 |
Deuteronomy 7:1 | וְ/נָשַׁ֣ל | venashal | HC/Vqq3ms |
and clears away | and he stripped off |
H5394-03 |
Deuteronomy 7:22 | וְ/נָשַׁל֩ | venashal | HC/Vqq3ms |
and-will-cast-out | and he stripped off |
H5394-03 |
Deuteronomy 19:5 | וְ/נָשַׁ֤ל | venashal | HC/Vqq3ms |
and flies off | and he stripped off |
H5394-04 |
Deuteronomy 28:40 | יִשַּׁ֖ל | yishal | HVqi3ms |
will drop off | he will strip off |
H5394-01 |
Joshua 5:15 | שַׁל | shal | HVqv2ms |
loose | Strip off |
H5394-02 |
2 Kings 16:6 | וַ/יְנַשֵּׁ֥ל | vayenashel | HC/Vpw3ms |
and drove out | and he stripped away |