5254. nasah

Lexical Summary

nasah: To test, to try, to prove, to tempt

Original Word: נָסָה
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: nacah
Pronunciation: naw-saw'
Phonetic Spelling: (naw-saw')
KJV: adventure, assay, prove, tempt, try
NASB: test, tested, tempted, testing, put to the test, make a test, proved
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to test
2. (by implication) to attempt

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

adventure, assay, prove, tempt, try

A primitive root; to test; by implication, to attempt -- adventure, assay, prove, tempt, try.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to test, try
NASB Translation
make a test (1), proved (1), put (1), put to the test (2), tempted (3), test (13), tested (9), testing (3), tried (1), try (1), venture (1), ventures (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

[נָסָה] verb Pi`el test, try (Late Hebrew id., Pi`el; ᵑ7 Pa`el נַסִּי; Syriac Pa`el ; compare Ethiopic temptation); —

Pi`el Perfect3masculine singular נִסָּה Deuteronomy 4:34 3t.; suffix נִסָּהוּ Exodus 15:25; 3feminine singular נִסְּתָה Deuteronomy 28:56; 1singular נִסִּיתִי Ecclesiastes 7:23, + 4 t. Perfect; Imperfect3masculine singular suffix יְנַסֵּם Daniel 1:14; 1singular אֲנַסֶּה Judges 6:39; suffix אֲנַסְּכָה Ecclesiastes 2:2; 3masculine plural יְנַסּוּ Numbers 14:22; 2masculine plural תְּנַסּ֑וּן Exodus 17:2, + 7 t. Imperfect; Imperative נַס Daniel 1:12; suffix נַסֵּנִי Psalm 26:2; Infinitive construct נַסּוֺת Exodus 20:20, + 8 t. Infinitive; Participle מְנַסֶּה Deuteronomy 13:4; —

1 test, try (synonym בחן), absolute 1 Samuel 17:39 (a sword); with בְּ Judges 7:39; Ecclesiastes 2:1; with accusative Daniel 1:12,14; accusative + בְּ 1 Kings 10:1 2Chronicles 9:1; Ecclesiastes 7:23.

2 attempt, assay, try to do a thing, with Infinitive Deuteronomy 4:34; Deuteronomy 28:56; with accusative Job 4:2 (venture a word).

3 test, try, prove, tempt [but not in modern sense of the word: see Dr^{Deuteronomy 6:16}; Psalms 453, 483]

a. God tests or proves Abraham Genesis 22:1 (E), Israel Exodus 15:25; Exodus 20:20 (E), Exodus 16:4 (J), Deuteronomy 8:2,16; Deuteronomy 13:4; with בְּ Judges 2:22; Judges 3:1,4; tribe of Levi Deuteronomy 33:8 (poem); Hezekiah 2 Chronicles 32:31; psalmist Psalm 26:2.

b. Israel tests, or tries God: Exodus 17:2,7; Numbers 14:22 (J), Deuteronomy 6:16; Psalm 78:18; Psalm 78:41; Psalm 78:56; Psalm 95:9; Psalm 106:14; so Ahaz, Isaiah 7:12.

Topical Lexicon

Nature and Scope of נָסָה

The verb paints the picture of putting something or someone to the proof in order to reveal what is really there. Roughly thirty-six appearances span the Pentateuch, Historical Books, Psalms and Chronicles, always revolving around one of three ideas: (1) God testing people, (2) people testing God, or (3) someone testing a thing or circumstance to discover its suitability.

God Tests His People

• Genesis 22:1 sets the tone for every later occurrence: “God tested Abraham”. The command to offer Isaac exposed the contents of the patriarch’s heart and anticipated the ultimate provision of a substitute.
• In the wilderness God “tested” Israel again and again—Marah (Exodus 15:25), manna (Exodus 16:4), Massah (Exodus 17:2), Sinai (Exodus 20:20). Each episode clarifies that divine testing is designed “so that the fear of Him may be before you, to keep you from sinning” (Exodus 20:20).
• Deuteronomy distills the theology of testing. The forty-year trek “humbled you and tested you to know what was in your heart” (Deuteronomy 8:2); the same word reappears in 8:16 and 13:3. Testing is never aimless; it refines faith and loyalty.
• Later narratives preserve the pattern. God left Hezekiah “to test him and to know all that was in his heart” (2 Chronicles 32:31). David invites the process, “Test me, O LORD, and try me; examine my heart and mind” (Psalm 26:2).

Human Presumption: Testing God

The mirror image of נָסָה appears when people put God on trial:
• At Rephidim the people asked, “Is the LORD among us or not?” and the place was named Massah “because they tested the LORD” (Exodus 17:7).
• “You shall not test the LORD your God as you did at Massah” (Deuteronomy 6:16). This prohibition stands behind Jesus’ rebuke to the tempter (Matthew 4:7), demonstrating Scripture’s internal harmony.
• Psalm 95:8-9 warns later generations: “Do not harden your hearts… when your fathers tested and tried Me, though they had seen My work.”

Testing God is always condemned, for it springs from unbelief and demands proof from the One who has already proven Himself.

Everyday Usage: Proving What Is Fit

נָסָה also operates in ordinary life. David declined Saul’s armor because he had “not tested them” (1 Samuel 17:39). The word stresses careful evaluation before commitment.

Theological Threads

1. Divine testing never seeks to induce sin; it seeks to display and strengthen faith.
2. God reserves the right to examine hearts; humans never have the right to demand that God prove Himself.
3. The pattern culminates at the cross, where the obedient Son endures the ultimate test (Hebrews 5:8 picks up the same concept in Greek) and thereby proves the Father’s faithfulness for all who follow Him.

Pastoral and Ministry Implications

• Trials are purposeful. Leaders should teach congregations to expect them and to view them as instruments of sanctification rather than signs of divine displeasure.
• Corporate worship must remember Massah. Grumbling and unbelief “test” God and invite discipline.
• Personal prayer may rightly echo David: “Test me,” inviting God’s searching gaze that leads to growth (Psalm 139:23 employs a synonym but the same idea).
• Discernment requires testing doctrines and practices (1 Thessalonians 5:21), an application of the same spiritual principle.

Summary

נָסָה weaves through Scripture as a consistent testimony to a holy God who proves His people, a warning against presumption that would put Him on trial, and an encouragement that every trial, rightly received, leads to deeper trust and obedience.

Forms and Transliterations

אֲנַסְּכָ֛ה אֲנַסֶּ֖ה אֲנַסֶּ֛נּוּ אֲנַסֶּ֤ה אנסה אנסכה אנסנו הֲנִסָּ֣ה הֲנִסָּ֬ה הנסה וְנַסֵּ֑נִי וַיְנַסֵּ֖ם וַיְנַסּ֣וּ וַיְנַסּוּ־ וינסו וינסו־ וינסם ונסני לְנַ֨סּוֹת֔וֹ לְנַסֹּֽתְךָ֗ לְנַסֹּת֖וֹ לְנַסּ֥וֹת לְנַסּוֹת֩ לנסות לנסותו לנסתו לנסתך מְנַסֶּ֞ה מנסה נִ֭סּוּנִי נִסְּתָ֤ה נִסִּ֑יתִי נִסִּ֣יתִי נִסִּיתֶ֖ם נִסִּיתוֹ֙ נִסָּ֖ה נִסָּֽהוּ׃ נִסָּה֒ נַסֹּתֶ֔ךָ נַסֹּתָ֤ם נַסּ֣וֹת נַסּ֥וֹת נַס־ נס־ נסה נסהו׃ נסוני נסות נסיתו נסיתי נסיתם נסתה נסתך נסתם תְּנַסּ֖וּן תְנַסּ֔וּ תנסו תנסון ’ă·nas·sə·ḵāh ’ă·nas·seh ’ă·nas·sen·nū ’ănasseh ’ănassəḵāh ’ănassennū anasseChah anasSeh anasSennu hă·nis·sāh hanisSah hănissāh lə·nas·sō·ṯə·ḵā lə·nas·sō·ṯōw lə·nas·sō·w·ṯōw lə·nas·sō·wṯ lenasSot lenassoteCha lənassōṯəḵā lenassoTo lənassōṯōw lənassōwṯ lənassōwṯōw mə·nas·seh menasSeh mənasseh nas nas- nas·sō·ṯām nas·sō·ṯe·ḵā nas·sō·wṯ nasSot nassoTam nassōṯām nassoTecha nassōṯeḵā nassōwṯ nis·sā·hū nis·sāh nis·sə·ṯāh nis·sî·ṯem nis·sî·ṯî nis·sî·ṯōw nis·sū·nî nisSah nissāh nisSahu nissāhū nisseTah nissəṯāh nissiTem nissîṯem nisSiti nissîṯî nissiTo nissîṯōw Nissuni nissūnî ṯə·nas·sū tə·nas·sūn tenasSu ṯənassū tenasSun tənassūn vaynasSem vaynasSu venasSeni way·nas·sêm way·nas·sū way·nas·sū- waynassêm waynassū waynassū- wə·nas·sê·nî wənassênî

Englishman's Concordance

Genesis 22:1
HEB: הָאֵ֔לֶּה וְהָ֣אֱלֹהִ֔ים נִסָּ֖ה אֶת־ אַבְרָהָ֑ם
NAS: that God tested Abraham,
KJV: that God did tempt Abraham,
INT: these God tested Abraham and said

Exodus 15:25
HEB: וּמִשְׁפָּ֖ט וְשָׁ֥ם נִסָּֽהוּ׃
NAS: and there He tested them.
KJV: and an ordinance, and there he proved them,
INT: and regulation and there tested

Exodus 16:4
HEB: בְּיוֹמ֔וֹ לְמַ֧עַן אֲנַסֶּ֛נּוּ הֲיֵלֵ֥ךְ בְּתוֹרָתִ֖י
NAS: every day, that I may test them, whether or
KJV: every day, that I may prove them, whether they will walk
INT: day because of may test will walk my instruction

Exodus 17:2
HEB: עִמָּדִ֔י מַה־ תְּנַסּ֖וּן אֶת־ יְהוָֽה׃
NAS: with me? Why do you test the LORD?
KJV: unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the LORD?
INT: me Why test Jehovah

Exodus 17:7
HEB: יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל וְעַ֨ל נַסֹּתָ֤ם אֶת־ יְהוָה֙
NAS: and because they tested the LORD,
KJV: of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD,
INT: of Israel and because tested the LORD saying

Exodus 20:20
HEB: כִּ֗י לְבַֽעֲבוּר֙ נַסּ֣וֹת אֶתְכֶ֔ם בָּ֖א
NAS: in order to test you, and in order
KJV: to prove you, and that his fear
INT: in order to test has come God

Numbers 14:22
HEB: בְמִצְרַ֖יִם וּבַמִּדְבָּ֑ר וַיְנַסּ֣וּ אֹתִ֗י זֶ֚ה
NAS: and in the wilderness, yet have put Me to the test these
KJV: and in the wilderness, and have tempted me now these ten
INT: Egypt the wilderness have put these ten

Deuteronomy 4:34
HEB: א֣וֹ ׀ הֲנִסָּ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֗ים לָ֠בוֹא
NAS: Or has a god tried to go to take
KJV: Or hath God assayed to go [and] take
INT: Or tried god to go

Deuteronomy 6:16
HEB: לֹ֣א תְנַסּ֔וּ אֶת־ יְהוָ֖ה
NAS: You shall not put the LORD your God
KJV: Ye shall not tempt the LORD your God,
INT: shall not put the LORD your God

Deuteronomy 6:16
HEB: אֱלֹהֵיכֶ֑ם כַּאֲשֶׁ֥ר נִסִּיתֶ֖ם בַּמַּסָּֽה׃
NAS: your God to the test, as you tested [Him] at Massah.
KJV: your God, as ye tempted [him] in Massah.
INT: your God after test Massah

Deuteronomy 8:2
HEB: לְמַ֨עַן עַנֹּֽתְךָ֜ לְנַסֹּֽתְךָ֗ לָדַ֜עַת אֶת־
NAS: that He might humble you, testing you, to know
KJV: to humble thee, [and] to prove thee, to know
INT: might humble testing to know what

Deuteronomy 8:16
HEB: עַנֹּֽתְךָ֗ וּלְמַ֙עַן֙ נַסֹּתֶ֔ךָ לְהֵיטִֽבְךָ֖ בְּאַחֲרִיתֶֽךָ׃
NAS: that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do good
KJV: not, that he might humble thee, and that he might prove thee, to do thee good
INT: humble might test to do the end

Deuteronomy 13:3
HEB: הַה֑וּא כִּ֣י מְנַסֶּ֞ה יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹֽהֵיכֶם֙
NAS: your God is testing you to find
KJV: your God proveth you, to know
INT: he for is testing the LORD your God

Deuteronomy 28:56
HEB: אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹא־ נִסְּתָ֤ה כַף־ רַגְלָהּ֙
NAS: among you, who would not venture to set
KJV: and delicate woman among you, which would not adventure to set
INT: who not venture the sole of her foot

Deuteronomy 33:8
HEB: חֲסִידֶ֑ךָ אֲשֶׁ֤ר נִסִּיתוֹ֙ בְּמַסָּ֔ה תְּרִיבֵ֖הוּ
NAS: Whom You proved at Massah,
KJV: one, whom thou didst prove at Massah,
INT: your godly Whom proved Massah contended

Judges 2:22
HEB: לְמַ֛עַן נַסּ֥וֹת בָּ֖ם אֶת־
NAS: in order to test Israel
KJV: That through them I may prove Israel,
INT: order to test Israel will keep

Judges 3:1
HEB: הִנִּ֣יחַ יְהוָ֔ה לְנַסּ֥וֹת בָּ֖ם אֶת־
NAS: left, to test Israel
KJV: left, to prove Israel
INT: left the LORD to test Israel all

Judges 3:4
HEB: וַֽיִּהְי֕וּ לְנַסּ֥וֹת בָּ֖ם אֶת־
NAS: They were for testing Israel, to find
KJV: And they were to prove Israel
INT: were for testing Israel to find

Judges 6:39
HEB: אַ֣ךְ הַפָּ֑עַם אֲנַסֶּ֤ה נָּא־ רַק־
NAS: please let me make a test once more
KJV: but this once: let me prove, I pray thee, but this once
INT: also once make please but

1 Samuel 17:39
HEB: כִּ֣י לֹֽא־ נִסָּה֒ וַיֹּ֨אמֶר דָּוִ֜ד
NAS: to walk, for he had not tested [them]. So David
KJV: to go; for he had not proved [it]. And David
INT: for had not tested said David

1 Samuel 17:39
HEB: כִּ֣י לֹ֣א נִסִּ֑יתִי וַיְסִרֵ֥ם דָּוִ֖ד
NAS: with these, for I have not tested [them]. And David
KJV: go with these; for I have not proved [them]. And David
INT: for have not tested took and David

1 Kings 10:1
HEB: יְהוָ֑ה וַתָּבֹ֥א לְנַסֹּת֖וֹ בְּחִידֽוֹת׃
NAS: she came to test him with difficult questions.
KJV: she came to prove him with hard questions.
INT: of the LORD came to test difficult

2 Chronicles 9:1
HEB: שְׁלֹמֹה֒ וַתָּב֣וֹא לְנַסּוֹת֩ אֶת־ שְׁלֹמֹ֨ה
NAS: to Jerusalem to test Solomon
KJV: she came to prove Solomon
INT: of Solomon came to test Solomon difficult

2 Chronicles 32:31
HEB: עֲזָב֖וֹ הָֽאֱלֹהִ֑ים לְנַ֨סּוֹת֔וֹ לָדַ֖עַת כָּל־
NAS: left him [alone only] to test him, that He might know
KJV: left him, to try him, that he might know
INT: left God test know all

Job 4:2
HEB: הֲנִסָּ֬ה דָבָ֣ר אֵלֶ֣יךָ
NAS: If one ventures a word
KJV: [If] we assay to commune
INT: ventures A word you

36 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 5254
36 Occurrences

’ă·nas·sə·ḵāh — 1 Occ.
’ă·nas·seh — 2 Occ.
’ă·nas·sen·nū — 1 Occ.
hă·nis·sāh — 2 Occ.
lə·nas·sō·wṯ — 3 Occ.
lə·nas·sō·ṯə·ḵā — 1 Occ.
lə·nas·sō·ṯōw — 2 Occ.
mə·nas·seh — 1 Occ.
nas- — 1 Occ.
nas·sō·wṯ — 2 Occ.
nas·sō·ṯām — 1 Occ.
nas·sō·ṯe·ḵā — 1 Occ.
nis·sāh — 2 Occ.
nis·sā·hū — 1 Occ.
nis·sə·ṯāh — 1 Occ.
nis·sî·ṯem — 1 Occ.
nis·sî·ṯî — 2 Occ.
nis·sî·ṯōw — 1 Occ.
nis·sū·nî — 1 Occ.
ṯə·nas·sū — 1 Occ.
tə·nas·sūn — 1 Occ.
way·nas·sêm — 1 Occ.
way·nas·sū — 5 Occ.
wə·nas·sê·nî — 1 Occ.