5007. n'atsah

Lexical Summary

n'atsah: To despise, to spurn, to reject, to treat with contempt

Original Word: נְאָצָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: n'atsah
Pronunciation: naw-ats-aw'
Phonetic Spelling: (neh-aw-tsaw')
KJV: blasphemy
Word Origin: [from H5006 (נָאַץ - spurned)]

1. scorn

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

blasphemy

Or nematsah {neh-aw-tsaw'}; from na'ats; scorn -- blasphemy.

see HEBREW na'ats

Brown-Driver-Briggs

נְאָצָה noun feminine contempt, contumely; — יוֺם ׳צָרָה וְתוֺכֵחָה וּנ 2 Kings 19:3 = Isaiah 37:3.

[נֶאָצָה noun feminine contempt (toward ׳י), blasphemy; — plural נֶאָצוֺת Nehemiah 9:18,26 with עָשָׂה of Israel; נָאָצוֺתֶיךָ Ezekiel 35:12 of Mt. Seir, spoken against הרי ישׂראל.

Topical Lexicon

Definition and Semantic Range

נְאָצָה describes active contempt, scorn, or blasphemy, especially as directed toward the LORD or His covenant people. Each occurrence presents the word in settings where God’s honor is assailed either verbally or by rebellious actions.

Occurrences and Contexts

1. 2 Kings 19:3 and Isaiah 37:3 – In the face of Assyrian invasion, Hezekiah calls the moment “a day of distress, rebuke, and disgrace”. The term captures the vile taunts of Sennacherib’s envoys who belittled the living God (2 Kings 18:28-35).
2. Nehemiah 9:18 – During corporate confession, Israel recalls how the golden-calf episode constituted “terrible blasphemies,” an open insult against God’s redemptive work.
3. Nehemiah 9:26 – The prayer rehearses later generations who “committed terrible blasphemies” by rejecting the prophets and casting God’s law behind their backs.
4. Ezekiel 35:12 – Edom (Seir) is condemned: “I, the LORD, have heard all the contemptuous words you spoke against the mountains of Israel.” Their derision becomes the basis for judgment.

Historical Background

• The Assyrian crisis (circa 701 BC) showcases political propaganda turned spiritual assault; conquering powers routinely mocked national deities to demoralize defenders. Judah’s appeal to Isaiah frames such mockery as נְאָצָה—an affront requiring divine vindication.
• Post-exilic Judah, reflecting on earlier apostasies (Nehemiah 9), recognizes that blasphemous contempt underlay both the wilderness rebellion and the monarchic collapse. The word gathers up centuries of covenant breach into a single accusation.
• Ezekiel’s oracle against Edom (mid-exile) reveals that contempt for God’s people equals contempt for God Himself. International scorn is therefore treated as personal blasphemy against the LORD.

Theological Significance

1. Holiness of God – נְאָצָה exposes the shocking audacity of creatures who malign their Creator. Scripture treats such contempt not as mere insult but as high treason.
2. Covenant Accountability – Whether Israelite (Nehemiah) or foreign (Edom), agents of נְאָצָה come under the same divine scrutiny. The covenant community learns that privilege does not lessen culpability.
3. Divine Vindication – In every passage the LORD responds: Assyria is routed (2 Kings 19:35-37), mercy is extended after confession (Nehemiah 9:31), and Edom’s land becomes desolate (Ezekiel 35:14-15). God’s honor is never left unanswered.

Practical and Ministry Implications

• Preaching and Teaching – These texts invite sober reflection on careless speech, idolatry, and cultural disdain for God. They also offer assurance that God defends His name and His people.
• Corporate Liturgy – Nehemiah 9 models how congregational confession may name contemptuous sins specifically, tracing consequences while magnifying steadfast mercy.
• Pastoral Care – Believers under ridicule can anchor hope in God’s pattern of hearing and acting (Ezekiel 35:12-13; Isaiah 37:6-7). The word encourages patient trust rather than retaliatory contempt.

Connections to Christ and the New Testament

The Greek counterpart βλασφημία appears when Jesus is reviled (Mark 15:29-32) and when early believers are slandered (1 Peter 4:4). The cross demonstrates God’s ultimate answer to human contempt: He bears it, overcomes it, and will judge it (Revelation 13:6; 16:9). Thus נְאָצָה foreshadows both the suffering Messiah and His vindication.

Related Themes and Cross-References

• Divine jealousy: Exodus 20:5; Ezekiel 36:5-6
• Reverent speech: Psalm 15:1-3; James 3:9-12
• Mockery overturned: Psalm 2:1-6; Acts 4:25-30

Through five terse occurrences, נְאָצָה paints a coherent biblical portrait of blasphemous contempt, its historical manifestations, and God’s unwavering commitment to uphold His glory and rescue those who honor His name.

Forms and Transliterations

וּנְאָצָ֖ה ונאצה נֶאָצ֖וֹת נָאָֽצוֹתֶ֗יךָ נאצות נאצותיך nā’āṣōwṯeḵā nā·’ā·ṣō·w·ṯe·ḵā naatzoTeicha ne’āṣōwṯ ne·’ā·ṣō·wṯ neaTzot ū·nə·’ā·ṣāh ūnə’āṣāh uneaTzah

Englishman's Concordance

2 Kings 19:3
HEB: צָרָ֧ה וְתוֹכֵחָ֛ה וּנְאָצָ֖ה הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה
NAS: rebuke, and rejection; for children
KJV: and of rebuke, and blasphemy: for the children
INT: of distress rebuke and rejection day This

Nehemiah 9:18
HEB: מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם וַֽיַּעֲשׂ֔וּ נֶאָצ֖וֹת גְּדֹלֽוֹת׃
NAS: And committed great blasphemies,
KJV: and had wrought great provocations;
INT: of Egypt made blasphemies great

Nehemiah 9:26
HEB: אֵלֶ֑יךָ וַֽיַּעֲשׂ֔וּ נֶאָצ֖וֹת גְּדוֹלֹֽת׃
NAS: great blasphemies.
KJV: great provocations.
INT: to you committed blasphemies great

Isaiah 37:3
HEB: צָרָ֧ה וְתוֹכֵחָ֛ה וּנְאָצָ֖ה הַיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֑ה
NAS: rebuke and rejection; for children
KJV: and of rebuke, and of blasphemy: for the children
INT: of distress rebuke and rejection day This

Ezekiel 35:12
HEB: אֶת־ כָּל־ נָאָֽצוֹתֶ֗יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר אָמַ֛רְתָּ
NAS: all your revilings which
KJV: [and that] I have heard all thy blasphemies which thou hast spoken
INT: have heard all your revilings which have spoken

5 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 5007
5 Occurrences

nā·’ā·ṣō·w·ṯe·ḵā — 1 Occ.
ne·’ā·ṣō·wṯ — 2 Occ.
ū·nə·’ā·ṣāh — 2 Occ.