Lexical Summary nashab: To blow, to breathe Original Word: נָשַׁב Strong's Exhaustive Concordance cause to blow, drive away A primitive root; to blow; by implication, to disperse -- (cause to) blow, drive away. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to blow NASB Translation blow (1), blows (1), drove away (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [נָשַׁב] verb blow (Late Hebrew = Biblical Hebrew; ᵑ7 נְשַׁב (but also נְחַב), Syriac  , all blow; "" form of נָשַׁף); — Qal Perfect3feminine singular נָָֽשְׁבָה בּוֺ ׳רוּחַ י Isaiah 40:7 the breath of ׳י has blown upon it. Hiph`il Imperfect3masculine singular יַשֵּׁב רוּחַ Psalm 147:18 he causes his wind to blow; וַיַּשֵּׁב אֹתָם Genesis 15:11 and he drove them away (perhaps originally blow away, drive away by blowing, or by a sound like blowing). Topical Lexicon Root Imagery of Wind and Breath The verb evokes the movement of air that scatters, dispels, or sets in motion. In Scripture this physical action becomes a vivid metaphor for the unseen power of God—both protective and destructive, comforting and humbling. Though the occurrences are few, they span the Pentateuch, Psalms, and Prophets, showing how the same divine breath that sustains life also exposes human frailty. Occurrences in Scripture • Genesis 15:11 Genesis 15:11—Protecting the Covenant “And the birds of prey descended on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away.” (Genesis 15:11) Here the verb pictures Abram actively keeping scavengers from the covenant sacrifice. God had just promised descendants as numerous as the stars; Abram’s vigilant “driving away” dramatizes faith’s role in guarding divine promises against corrupting influences. The scene offers a template for believers to contend for what God has pledged, trusting that He supplies the means to disperse threats to covenant fidelity. Psalm 147:18—The Restorative Breath of God “He sends forth His word and melts them; He causes His wind to blow, and the waters flow.” (Psalm 147:18) After describing ice that locks creation in rigidity, the psalmist celebrates a breath that reverses winter’s grip. The same Lord who freezes the deep also thaws it in mercy. God’s word and wind act in concert, underscoring His sovereign timing in both discipline and renewal. For worship, the verse invites confidence that seasons of spiritual cold are never final when God speaks and breathes. Isaiah 40:7—Human Frailty under Divine Breath “The grass withers, the flowers fall when the breath of the LORD blows on them; indeed, the people are grass.” (Isaiah 40:7) In Isaiah’s message of comfort, the verb shatters any illusion of human durability. Nations, rulers, and all flesh are as fragile as meadow blossoms before the slightest exhaling of their Creator. Yet the passage immediately contrasts this fading glory with “the word of our God [that] stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8). The same breath that withers also utters the enduring gospel; therefore, mortal weakness becomes a stage for divine constancy. Theological Themes 1. Sovereignty: Each text presents wind as a tool in God’s hand—whether shielding a covenant, unlocking frozen streams, or leveling human pride. Historical and Cultural Background • Ancient Near Eastern covenant rites often left sacrificial pieces exposed until concluding ceremonies; protecting them signified respect for the deity involved. Ministry and Devotional Application • Intercession: Like Abram, pastors and parents “drive away” spiritual predators through prayer and faithful teaching. Related Words and Further Study Compare with Ruach (“Spirit, wind,” e.g., Genesis 1:2) and the Greek Pneuma in passages such as John 20:22, where Jesus “breathed on them.” Together they form a canonical tapestry: the same breath that drives away birds, melts ice, and withers grass also comes as the life-giving Spirit at Pentecost, securing the covenant Abram once guarded. Forms and Transliterations וַיַּשֵּׁ֥ב וישב יַשֵּׁ֥ב ישב נָ֣שְׁבָה נשבה nā·šə·ḇāh nāšəḇāh Nashevah vaiyashShev way·yaš·šêḇ wayyaššêḇ yaš·šêḇ yashShev yaššêḇLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 15:11 HEB: עַל־ הַפְּגָרִ֑ים וַיַּשֵּׁ֥ב אֹתָ֖ם אַבְרָֽם׃ NAS: and Abram drove them away. KJV: Abram drove them away. INT: upon the carcasses drove and Abram Psalm 147:18 Isaiah 40:7 3 Occurrences |
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