◄ 5263. nasas ►
Lexical Summary
nasas: To be lifted up, to be exalted, to be displayed

Original Word: נָסַס
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: nacac
Pronunciation: naw-sas'
Phonetic Spelling: (naw-sas')
KJV: faint
NASB: sick man
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to wane, i.e. be sick

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
faint

A primitive root; to wane, i.e. Be sick -- faint.

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to be sick
NASB Translation
sick man (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
I. [נָסַס] verb be sick (?; compare Syriac id., and especially debilis, infirmus, aegrotans, etc., PS2387; ᵑ7 נְסַס be sad; Assyrian nasâsu, wail, lament DlHWB 472; Arabic is go at a Gentle pace); — only

Qal Participle active (si vera lectio) כִּמְסֹס נֹסֵס Isaiah 10:18 like the wasting away of a sick man (so Thes Ew De Che Di Du).

Topical Lexicon
Strong’s Hebrew 5263 נָסַס

Root Meaning and Semantic Field

While the verbal form itself is not attested in the Old Testament, its sense—“to lift up so as to shimmer or gleam” and thus “to raise a beacon or banner”—is preserved in several closely related nouns. These derivatives convey the idea of something elevated and conspicuous, functioning as a rallying point, warning signal, or proclamation of victory.

Derivative Forms and Their Occurrences

• נֵס (nes) – “banner, signal pole, standard” (for example, Psalm 60:4; Isaiah 11:10).
• נִסִּי (nissi) – “my banner,” famously occurring in the divine title “Yahweh Nissi” (Exodus 17:15).
• נֵסֶס/נִסָּה – rarer, poetic forms that carry the same imagery of something lifted up.

Historical Background: Military and Civic Usage

In the ancient Near East banners were usually long poles topped with shining metal or colored cloth. Positioned on hilltops or borne by standard-bearers, they helped troops orient themselves during battle, marked camps, and signaled strategy changes. Outside warfare they announced royal decrees or festive processions. Because the object was held high, sunlight glinting off metal or fabric made it visible from great distances, reinforcing the root idea of “glistening elevation.”

Theology of the Banner in Scripture

1. Divine Deliverance
• Psalm 60:4: “You have raised a banner for those who fear You, that it may be displayed in honor of the truth. Selah”. The banner here testifies that victory and refuge come from God alone.
2. Covenant Identity
• Exodus 17:15: After Amalek’s defeat, Moses “built an altar and named it The LORD Is My Banner.” The memorial affirms that Israel’s national identity is inseparable from the Lord’s saving power.
3. Prophetic Invitation
• Isaiah 62:10 calls God’s people to “raise a banner for the nations,” an evangelistic summons that anticipates global inclusion in the covenant promises.

Messianic and Eschatological Foreshadowing

Isaiah 11:10 looks beyond David’s line to a universal King: “On that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will seek Him, and His resting place will be glorious”. The imagery blends royal authority with magnetic attraction: the Messiah Himself becomes the standard to which all nations rally. Jesus applies the same motif to His crucifixion: “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up” (John 3:14). The pole (nes) of Numbers 21:8 prefigures the cross; whoever looks in faith is healed from the deadly “bite” of sin.

Practical Ministry Implications

• Gospel Proclamation: Churches serve as contemporary “standard-bearers,” displaying Christ crucified and risen so the lost can orient themselves to truth.
• Spiritual Warfare: Believers fight from a position of victory under the Lord’s banner, confident that “The battle belongs to the LORD” (1 Samuel 17:47).
• Corporate Worship: Public gathering around Word and Table rehearses the ancient act of rallying to the standard, reinforcing unity and purpose.

Application for Modern Believers

1. Confidence—God’s raised banner guarantees that His purposes will stand despite cultural turbulence.
2. Witness—Every Christian community is called to lift Christ high through holy living and clear testimony.
3. Hope—The coming kingdom is already signaled; the “banner” of the resurrected Christ assures final triumph and beckons us to persevering faith.

Summary

Although the verb נָסַס itself is absent from the biblical text, its legacy saturates Scripture through the vivid image of the banner. From Israel’s early battles to the prophetic vision of a world gathering to Messiah, the concept encapsulates divine revelation, salvation, and mission. The church today lives under that same lifted standard—Christ exalted—summoning all peoples to find refuge, identity, and eternal life in Him.

Links
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