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יָשַׁע

𐤉𐤔𐤏

yâshaʻ

H3467 verb

SILEX Entry

Root ישע to be open, to be free, to be safe

Definition

To deliver, save, or bring to safety; to grant relief from distress, danger, or oppression. The term encompasses both physical deliverance (from enemies, peril, or trouble) and figurative salvation (relief from broader harm, sometimes extending to communal or national preservation). In some forms, it also can mean to give victory or to help.

Semantic Range

to deliver from danger, to save from harm or oppression, to rescue, to grant relief, to bring to safety, to help, to give victory, to preserve, to bring communal or national salvation

Root / Etymology

Root is י-ש-ע (y-sh-ʻ), meaning 'to be spacious, to be open, to be free.' While the root conveys the notion of being in a position of freedom or openness, the verb יָשַׁע in most uses specifically denotes the outcome of being freed or delivered, that is, rescued from constraint, distress, or threat. The causative hiphil form (הוֹשִׁיעַ, hôshîaʻ) is frequent and typically means 'to save, to deliver.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, יָשַׁע is a central verb for acts of rescue, frequently used in military, legal, and existential contexts. In earliest texts (e.g., Judges, Samuel), it describes deliverance from physical enemies or threats, often with the agent being an Israelite judge, leader, or deity. In passages from the monarchy and later prophetic periods, it acquires a theological dimension, highlighting YHWH as the ultimate source of deliverance, especially in prophetic literature and psalms. In exilic and post-exilic usage, the term is increasingly applied to national or communal restoration and security. The term is distinct from related roots such as פָּלַט (palat, 'to escape') and נָצַל (natzal, 'to snatch away, rescue'), with יָשַׁע emphasizing the completion of deliverance, often through decisive intervention. Standard English translations often use 'save' or 'deliver,' but these can obscure the broader semantic range, which can include protection, granting victory, and providing help in distress. English 'salvation' is historically later and often narrows the meaning to theological contexts; in the Hebrew Bible, the term is more concretely connected to real-life rescue and community survival.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; properly, to be open, wide or free, i.e. (by implication) to be safe; causatively, to free or succor; [idiom] at all, avenging, defend, deliver(-er), help, preserve, rescue, be safe, bring (having) salvation, save(-iour), get victory.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

ישע (y-š-ʿ) — openness, freedom, safety

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1954 הוֹשֵׁעַ in Deliverance
H1955 הוֹשַׁעְיָה Yahweh has saved
H3091 יְהוֹשׁוּעַ in YHWH-saves
H3442 יֵשׁוּעַ to Yeshua
H3443 יֵשׁוּעַ and Yeshua

Word Forms

84 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H3467-22 מוֹשִׁ֖יעַ moshia HVhrmsa savior the delivering-one 17
H3467-13 לְ/הוֹשִׁ֥יעַ lehoshia HR/Vhc to save to bring to safety 13
H3467-09 הוֹשִׁיעֵ֖/נִי hoshieni HVhv2ms/Sp1cs save me deliver me 12
H3467-46 וַ/יּ֨וֹשַׁע vayosha HC/Vhw3ms and saved and he brought to safety 11
H3467-07 הוֹשִׁ֥יעָה hoshiah HVhp3fs save she delivered 11
H3467-78 יוֹשִֽׁיעַ yoshia HVhi3ms save he will bring to safety 8
H3467-38 תוֹשִׁ֧יעַ toshia HVhi2ms do you save you will deliver 6
H3467-32 אוֹשִׁ֖יעַ oshia HVhi1cs I will save I will deliver 5
H3467-52 וְ/הוֹשַׁ֨עְתִּי֙ vehoshaeti HC/Vhp1cs and-I-will-save and I delivered 5
H3467-10 הוֹשִׁיעֵ֥/נוּ hoshienu HVhv2ms/Sp1cp save us Deliver us 4

Occurrences in Scripture

206 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H3467-47 Exodus 2:17 וַ/יּ֣וֹשִׁעָ֔/ן vayoshian HC/Vhw3ms/Sp3fp and helped them and he delivered them
H3467-46 Exodus 14:30 וַ/יּ֨וֹשַׁע vayosha HC/Vhw3ms and saved and he brought to safety
H3467-65 Numbers 10:9 וְ/נוֹשַׁעְתֶּ֖ם venoshaetem HC/VNq2mp and you will be saved and you will be delivered
H3467-13 Deuteronomy 20:4 לְ/הוֹשִׁ֥יעַ lehoshia HR/Vhc to save to bring to safety
H3467-22 Deuteronomy 22:27 מוֹשִׁ֖יעַ moshia HVhrmsa to save the delivering-one
H3467-22 Deuteronomy 28:29 מוֹשִֽׁיעַ moshia HVhrmsa savior the delivering-one
H3467-22 Deuteronomy 28:31 מוֹשִֽׁיעַ moshia HVhrmsa savior the delivering-one
H3467-30 Deuteronomy 33:29 נוֹשַׁ֣ע nosha HVNp3ms saved he was delivered
H3467-57 Joshua 10:6 וְ/הוֹשִׁ֤יעָ/ה vehoshiah HC/Vhv2ms/Sh and save and deliver!
H3467-40 Joshua 22:22 תּוֹשִׁיעֵ֖/נוּ toshienu HVhj2ms/Sp1cp save-us may you deliver us to safety
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