Lexical Summary nesach: drawn Original Word: נְסַח Strong's Exhaustive Concordance pull down (Aramaic) corresponding to nacach -- pull down. see HEBREW nacach NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to nasach Definition to pull away NASB Translation drawn (1). Topical Lexicon Definition and Scope of Usage Strong’s Hebrew 5256 נְסַח appears once in Scripture, in the Aramaic portion of Ezra 6:11. There it denotes a structural beam pulled from a man’s own house and used as the very instrument of his punishment. The solitary occurrence fixes the term within a royal decree yet carries lasting theological weight. Biblical Context King Darius I confirmed Cyrus’ earlier authorization for rebuilding the Jerusalem temple. To safeguard that sacred work, he commanded: “I hereby decree that if anyone changes this edict, a beam is to be pulled from his house, and he is to be impaled on it, and his house is to be made into a pile of rubble.” (Ezra 6:11) The נְסַח is the “beam” uprooted from the offender’s dwelling. Thus the word is embedded in a context of covenant-like sanction, where civil authority protects divine purposes. Historical Background Persian law often matched the punishment to the crime, a feature known as talionic justice. By decreeing that the violator’s own timber become the stake of execution, Darius underscored two principles: 1. Total reversal—what supported his life now enacts his death. Archaeological evidence shows impalement was practiced in the ancient Near East long before crucifixion was refined by the Romans. Ezra records the earliest biblical intersection of this method with Israel’s post-exilic history. Theological Significance 1. Protection of Worship: The lone use of נְסַח serves the larger narrative of Ezra—God providentially secures legitimate worship. Any threat, whether political or personal, meets swift justice (compare Esther 7:10). Christological Hints While Ezra 6:11 primarily addresses temporal discipline, the notion of a wooden instrument bearing judgment anticipates the ultimate redemptive act where Christ “carried our sins in His body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24). The contrast is striking: the impaling beam in Ezra destroys the guilty, whereas the cross exalts the Innocent who saves the guilty. Practical and Ministry Applications • Guarding God’s Work: Church leaders are reminded that ministries birthed by the Lord must not be altered for personal convenience. The cost of tampering can be severe, even if consequences are not as immediate as in Ezra’s day. Related Biblical Motifs Impalement / Crucifixion – Numbers 25:4; Deuteronomy 21:22–23; Acts 5:30 House Turned to Rubble – Joshua 6:26; 2 Kings 10:27 Decrees of Kings Serving God’s Plan – Ezra 1:1–4; Nehemiah 2:1–8; Isaiah 45:1 Conclusion Though נְסַח appears only once, its narrative placement amplifies the immutable connection between divine purpose and human responsibility. The beam that upheld a roof becomes the instrument of judgment when one sets himself against the restoration of true worship. In every age, God defends His dwelling among His people and vindicates His word. Forms and Transliterations יִתְנְסַ֥ח יתנסח yiṯ·nə·saḥ yitneSach yiṯnəsaḥLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezra 6:11 HEB: פִּתְגָמָ֣א דְנָ֔ה יִתְנְסַ֥ח אָע֙ מִן־ NAS: a timber shall be drawn from his house KJV: let timber be pulled down from INT: edict this shall be drawn A timber from 1 Occurrence |
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