5252. nesibbah
Lexical Summary
nesibbah: Circuit, roundabout way, surroundings

Original Word: נְסִבָּה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: ncibbah
Pronunciation: neh-see-BAH
Phonetic Spelling: (nes-ib-baw')
KJV: cause
NASB: turn
Word Origin: [feminine participle passive of H5437 (סָבַב - surrounded)]

1. (properly) an environment, i.e. circumstance or turn of affairs

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
cause

Feminine participle passive of cabab; properly, an environment, i.e. Circumstance or turn of affairs -- cause.

see HEBREW cabab

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from sabab
Definition
turn of affairs
NASB Translation
turn (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
נְסִבָּה noun feminine turn of affairs; — absolute 2 Chronicles 10:15 (= סִבָּה q. v. "" 1 Kings 12:15).

Topical Lexicon
Scriptural Occurrence

2 Chronicles 10:15 contains the sole appearance of נְסִבָּה. The Chronicler records, “So the king did not listen to the people, for this turn of events was from God, to fulfill the word that the LORD had spoken through Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam son of Nebat” (Berean Standard Bible). The term designates the decisive shift in Israel’s national life that led to the division between the Northern and Southern kingdoms.

Contextual Background

Rehoboam’s harsh response to Israel’s elders ignited a revolt that seemed, on the surface, political and interpersonal. The inspired writer, however, pulls back the curtain to reveal a divine design. The “turn of events” was not random: it fulfilled prophetic Word previously delivered (1 Kings 11:29-39). Thus the word marks the convergence of human choice and divine purpose.

Theological Implications

1. Divine Sovereignty. נְסִבָּה emphasizes God’s unseen governance of history. Even rebellion and political upheaval serve the unfolding of His covenant purposes (Isaiah 14:24; Proverbs 19:21).
2. Reliability of Prophecy. The split of the kingdom validates the earlier oracle of Ahijah, illustrating that God’s Word never “returns void” (Isaiah 55:11).
3. Moral Responsibility. Rehoboam’s folly is neither excused nor diminished. Scripture holds him accountable while simultaneously declaring that the entire episode lay within God’s overarching plan, a tension echoed elsewhere (Acts 2:23).

Related Biblical Themes

• Providential “turns.” Comparable statements appear in Genesis 50:20; Judges 14:4; Esther 4:14, each showing God redirecting circumstances for His redemptive ends.
• Kingdom Division. The rupture becomes a cautionary tale about covenant faithfulness, illustrating how leadership choices can fracture God’s people (1 Kings 12:16-24).
• Fulfillment Motif. From the exodus to the incarnation, Scripture repeatedly links historical events to earlier promises, reinforcing trust in God’s timeline (Luke 24:44).

Application for Ministry

1. Shepherding Perspective. Pastors can reassure congregations that unexpected shifts in culture or personal life may be divinely purposed, encouraging steadfast faith.
2. Preaching Prophecy. The account models how to trace prophetic fulfillment, underscoring the authority of Scripture.
3. Leadership Caution. Rehoboam’s failure warns Christian leaders against pride and ignoring wise counsel (Proverbs 11:14).
4. Intercessory Insight. Recognizing God’s hand in “turns of events” fuels prayer that seeks alignment with His will rather than resistance to His providence.

Historical Impact

The Chronicler wrote to a post-exilic community pondering past tragedies. By highlighting נְסִבָּה, he taught that even national calamity advanced God’s promise of a Davidic Messiah. Subsequent Jewish and Christian readers have drawn comfort, seeing in every upheaval a potential stage for divine fulfillment.

Thus, though נְסִבָּה appears only once, it encapsulates a sweeping biblical conviction: God turns the course of history to accomplish His steadfast Word.

Forms and Transliterations
נְסִבָּה֙ נסבה nə·sib·bāh nesibBah nəsibbāh
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Englishman's Concordance
2 Chronicles 10:15
HEB: כִּֽי־ הָיְתָ֤ה נְסִבָּה֙ מֵעִ֣ם הָֽאֱלֹהִ֔ים
NAS: to the people, for it was a turn [of events] from God
KJV: not unto the people: for the cause was of God,
INT: for it was A turn from God

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 5252
1 Occurrence


nə·sib·bāh — 1 Occ.

5251
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