Original Word: נָשָׁא
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: nasha'
Pronunciation: naw-shaw'
Phonetic Spelling: (naw-shaw')
KJV: beguile, deceive, X greatly, X utterly
NASB: made, debt, debtor, deceive, exacting
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to lead astray, i.e. (mentally) to delude, or (morally) to seduce

beguile, deceive, greatly, utterly

A primitive root; to lead astray, i.e. (mentally) to delude, or (morally) to seduce -- beguile, deceive, X greatly, X utterly.

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to lend on interest, be a creditor
NASB Translation
debt (1), debtor (1), deceive (1), exacting (1), made (2).

II. נָשָׁא verb only

Niph`al, Hiph`il beguile, deceive; — (kindred with I. שׁוא, from which, however, the forms can hardly be derived (conjectures We^{compare 2. 351})); —

Niph`al Perfect3plural נִשְּׁאוּ Isaiah 19:13 the princes have been beguiled ("" נוֺאֲלוּ, הִתְעוּ).

Hiph`il Perfect הִשִּׁיא Jeremiah 49:16, suffix הִשִּׁאַ֫נִי Genesis 3:13, הִשִּׁיאֶ֑ךָ Obadiah 3; 2masculine singular הִשֵּׁאתָ Jeremiah 4:10; 3plural suffix הִשִּׁיא֫וּךָ Obadiah 7; Imperfect only jussive יַשִּׁיא2Chronicles 32:15, so Psalm 55:16 Qr (see below); יַשִּׁא 2 Kings 18:29; Isaiah 36:14, suffix יַשִּׁאֲךָ 2 Kings 19:10; Isaiah 37:10; 2masculine plural תַּשִּׁאוּ Jeremiah 37:9; Infinitive absolute הַשֵּׁא Jeremiah 4:10; — beguile, usually with accusative of person Genesis 3:13 (J; not elsewhere Hexateuch); Jeremiah 49:16; Obad 3:7; אַליַֿשִּׁאֲךָ 2 Kings 19:10 let not thy God beguile thee = Isaiah 37:10, of Hezekiah 2Chronicles 32:15 (compare below), אַלתַּֿשִּׁאוּ נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם Jeremiah 37:9 do not deceive yourselves; also followed by ל person אַליַֿשִּׁא לָכֶם 2 Kings 18:29 = Isaiah 36:14 (= 2 Chronicles 32:15, see above), Jeremiah 29:8; הַזֶּה הַשֵּׁא הִשֵּׁאתָ לָעָם Jeremiah 4:10 thou hast utterly beguiled this people; ישׁימות עָלֵימוֺ Psalm 55:16 Kt apparently = desolations (be) upon them! (but elsewhere only in proper name, of a location, compare p. 445 above), < Qr יַשִּׁיא מָוֶת עלימו Ew Ol Pe De Now^Hup, compare ᵐ5, let death (beguile them, i.e.) come deceitfully upon them! Brüll Che, compare Bae, conjectures plausibly יַשִּׁיא מָוֶת יִבְלָעֵמוֺ.

Semantic Range and Core Idea

The verb נָשָׁא (nasha) denotes the act of misleading, beguiling, or causing someone to wander from what is true and trustworthy. Although the root can be connected to financial exploitation in a few cognate contexts, in the fifteen canon occurrences it always speaks of moral or spiritual deception—whether perpetrated by another party or embraced as self-deception.

First Appearance: The Proto-Deception

Genesis 3:13 sets the theological tone: “The woman said, ‘The serpent deceived me, and I ate.’”. Here nasha introduces sin to the human story. The verb underlines that the Fall was not merely a mistake; it was the result of deliberate distortion of God’s word. Every later use echoes this primal tragedy, reminding readers that deception is bound up with rebellion against the Lord.

Political Propaganda and Enemy Intimidation

Several occurrences cluster around the Assyrian crisis of Hezekiah’s reign:

• 2 Kings 18:29; Isaiah 36:14 – Rabshakeh warns, “Do not let Hezekiah deceive you,” insisting that Judah’s king cannot secure divine deliverance.
• 2 Kings 19:10; Isaiah 37:10 – Sennacherib’s letter repeats the charge.
• 2 Chronicles 32:15 – The Chronicler records the same taunt.

Nasha here exposes imperial propaganda designed to shake faith in the covenant God. The repetition in Kings, Chronicles, and Isaiah highlights the danger of trusting political spin over prophetic assurance. God vindicates His own reputation by overthrowing Sennacherib, proving that the Lord, not military might, defines reality.

False Prophets and Religious Delusion

Jeremiah contests a parade of voices that misuse divine language:

• Jeremiah 4:10 twice laments, “Ah, Lord GOD! Surely You have utterly deceived this people.” The prophet’s anguish recognizes that false optimism about peace has taken root.
• Jeremiah 29:8 warns the exiles, “Do not let your prophets and diviners who are among you deceive you.”
• Jeremiah 37:9 cautions the remnant, “Do not deceive yourselves,” while Jeremiah 23:39 shows that those who persist in counterfeit visions will be cast off.

In these texts nasha confronts religious manipulation. The prophet calls the community back to tested revelation, exposing any message that contradicts God’s covenantal warnings.

National Pride and Self-Deception

Obadiah uses nasha to indict Edom:

• Obadiah 1:3 – “The pride of your heart has deceived you.”
• Obadiah 1:7 – Allies will betray Edom, revealing the folly of its self-confidence.

Jeremiah 49:16 echoes this oracle against Edom. These passages show that nasha may be reflexive; the heart can deceive itself through arrogance and supposed invulnerability. Divine judgment unmasks such illusions.

Theological Trajectory

1. Deception originates with the serpent and continues wherever God’s word is displaced.
2. External threats (Assyria), internal authorities (false prophets), and inward pride (Edom) all employ deception.
3. The Lord consistently exposes and reverses nasha, preserving His truth, protecting His people, and punishing rebels.
4. The prevalence of nasha reinforces the doctrine of total depravity: humanity is not merely misinformed but willingly misled unless God intervenes.

Ministry Implications

• Discernment: Shepherds and congregations must evaluate every message—political, cultural, or religious—by the whole counsel of Scripture, lest they be “tossed about by every wind of teaching.”
• Integrity: Leaders must avoid any speech or strategy that manipulates God’s flock; the Lord detests nasha even when cloaked in pious language.
• Humility: Pride is fertile soil for deception. Believers guard their hearts by continual repentance and dependence on grace.
• Hope: God’s triumph over Assyria and His future judgment of Edom assure the faithful that truth will finally prevail. The antidote to nasha is not skepticism but confident trust in the One who is “the Way and the Truth and the Life” (John 14:6).

Conclusion

Strong’s Hebrew 5377 unmasks a perennial threat to covenant faithfulness. From Eden to the exilic prophets, nasha warns that misplacing trust—whether in the tempter, worldly power, spiritual charlatans, or self—invites ruin. Yet each occurrence also magnifies the Lord’s unwavering commitment to truth, calling every generation to cling to His word and walk in the light.

הִשִּׁ֤יא הִשִּׁיא֛וּךָ הִשִּׁיאֶ֔ךָ הִשִּׁיאַ֖נִי הִשֵּׁ֜אתָ הַשֵּׁ֨א השא השאת השיא השיאוך השיאך השיאני יַשִּׁ֥א יַשִּׁ֥יא יַשִּׁ֧יאוּ יַשִּׁאֲךָ֣ יַשִּׁיא֩ ישא ישאך ישיא ישיאו נִשְּׁא֖וּ נָשֹׁ֑א נשא נשאו תַּשִּׁ֤אוּ תשאו haš·šê hashShe haššê hiš·šê·ṯā hiš·šî hiš·šî·’a·nî hiš·šî·’e·ḵā hiš·šî·’ū·ḵā hishSheta hishShi hishshiAni hishshiEcha hishshiUcha hiššêṯā hiššî hiššî’anî hiššî’eḵā hiššî’ūḵā nā·šō naSho nāšō niš·šə·’ū nishsheU niššə’ū taš·ši·’ū tashShiu tašši’ū yaš·ši yaš·šî yaš·ši·’ă·ḵā yaš·šî·’ū yashShi yashshiaCha yashShiu yašši yaššî yašši’ăḵā yaššî’ūInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts