נָסַס
𐤍𐤎𐤎
nâçaç
H5263 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To be sickly, to waste away, to become faint or enfeebled. The verb conveys the idea of physical decline, diminishing strength, or being overcome by weakness, particularly in the context of illness or exhaustion.
Semantic Range
to become sickly, to waste away, to lose strength, to become faint, to diminish, to be enfeebled
Root / Etymology
Root/Nascent: נסס. This verb is likely derived from a root signifying motion or reduction, perhaps linked conceptually to dwindling or abating. However, the precise origin of the root and its relationship to broader Semitic roots is unclear, and thus its etymology is uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The verb נָסַס (nasas) appears rarely in the Hebrew Bible, with its usage restricted to poetic or metaphorical contexts. It conveys not only physical illness but can also describe the fading or waning of strength, such as that experienced during prolonged hardship or intense distress. In the ancient Israelite context, sickness and weakness were often interpreted as signs of vulnerability or divine judgment. Neighbouring roots and terms, such as חָלָה (chalah, to be sick) or דָּוֶה (daweh, to be weak), similarly denote illness or frailty, but נָסַס emphasizes the process of dwindling or gradual collapse. English translations sometimes obscure the processive sense of the verb, instead rendering it as a simple or static state. Later biblical Hebrew and post-biblical usage prefers other roots for illness or weakness, and נָסַס is essentially absent from Second Temple or later literature.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to wane, i.e. be sick; faint.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
נסס (n-s-s) — to grow weak, to diminish, to wane
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3071 | יְהֹוָה נִסִּי | my banner |
| H5251 | נֵס | the raised standard |
| H5264 | נָסַס | those displaying themselves conspicuously |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5263-01 |
נֹסֵֽס | noses | HVqrmsa |
away | the one growing weak | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5263-01 |
Isaiah 10:18 | נֹסֵֽס | noses | HVqrmsa |
away | the one growing weak |