נְשִׁיָּה
𐤍𐤔𐤉𐤄
nᵉshîyâh
H5388 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A state or condition of being forgotten, the act or experience of forgetfulness, or the result of oblivion. In some passages, it conveys an abstract sense of something lost to memory or consciousness, often contrasted with active remembrance. The word can refer to both the psychological process of forgetting and the social or existential state of being forgotten.
Semantic Range
forgetfulness, state of being forgotten, oblivion, erasure from conscious memory, removal from remembrance
Root / Etymology
נְשִׁיָּה derives from the root נָשָׁה (n-sh-h), which carries the core meaning 'to forget' or 'cause to forget'. Though abstract in form, the word is a feminine noun formation indicating the state or result of the verbal action expressed by the root. Thus, נְשִׁיָּה signifies the condition or effect of forgetting, i.e., 'forgetfulness' or the state of being forgotten.
Historical & Contextual Notes
נְשִׁיָּה appears rarely in the Hebrew Bible. Most notably, in Genesis 41:51, it is used in the naming of Manasseh (M'nasheh), where Joseph commemorates God causing him to 'forget' (nashani) his hardship. The term here signifies a deep removal from memory, an existential oblivion, rather than a trivial lapse in recall. In Deuteronomy 21:17, the related root forms part of legal language regarding inheritance, with implications of 'making to forget' or 'removing recognition'. In later Hebrew literature, the noun continues to bear the sense of 'oblivion' or 'erasure from memory'. English versions rendering as 'oblivion' or 'forgetfulness' generally capture the sense, but may obscure the depth of existential loss implied in some contexts. The term is conceptually and lexically distinct from זִכָּרוֹן (zikaron, 'remembrance'), representing the opposite pole in the experience of memory and identity in the Hebrew worldview. Unlike ordinary forgetfulness, נְשִׁיָּה can imply a more profound, even irreversible, state of being consigned to oblivion.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from נָשָׁה; oblivion; forgetfulness.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
נשה (n-sh-h) — to forget, cause to forget
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3449 | יִשִּׁיָּה | And Yahweh-will-lend |
| H4519 | מְנַשֶּׁה | in Forget-causer |
| H4520 | מְנַשִּׁי | the Manassite |
| H4855 | מַשָּׁא | the loan |
| H4860 | מַשָּׁאוֹן | in treachery |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5388-01 |
נְשִׁיָּֽה | neshiyah | HNcfsa |
of oblivion | forgetfulness | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5388-01 |
Psalms 88:13 | נְשִׁיָּֽה | neshiyah | HNcfsa |
of oblivion | forgetfulness |