What does נֵס (nēs) mean in the Bible?
נֵס (nēs): A visible rallying point or signal raised to gather, direct, or mark covenant people in wilderness journey.
Hebrew · H5251
נֵס
A flag ; also a sail ; by implication, a flagstaff ; generally a signal ; figuratively, a token
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נֵס H5251
Pronunciation nēs
What does נֵס (nēs) mean in the Bible?
נֵס (nēs): A visible rallying point or signal raised to gather, direct, or mark covenant people in wilderness journey.
Full entry for נֵס (H5251) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H5251?
The BSB source-word alignment has 21 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include a banner (8), a pole (2), a signal flag (1), as a banner (1), as a warning sign (1).
Where does נֵס (nēs) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 17:15. Its strongest book concentrations include Isaiah (10), Jeremiah (5), Numbers (3), Exodus (1).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It a banner 8× Psalms 60:4, Isaiah 5:26, Isaiah 11:12, Isaiah 13:2
a pole 2× Numbers 21:8, Numbers 21:9
a signal flag 1× Jeremiah 4:6
as a banner 1× Isaiah 11:10
as a warning sign 1× Numbers 26:10
at [the sight of] the battle standard 1× Isaiah 31:9
banner 1× Ezekiel 27:7
Is My Banner 1× Exodus 17:15
like a banner 1× Isaiah 30:17
My banner 1× Isaiah 49:22
the sail 1× Isaiah 33:23
the signal flag 1× Jeremiah 4:21
when a banner 1× Isaiah 18:3
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 17:15 נִסִּֽי׃ to Is My Banner Noun - proper - masculine singular construct | first person common singular Numbers 21:8 נֵ֑ס to a pole Noun - masculine singular Numbers 21:9 הַנֵּ֑ס to a pole Article | Noun - masculine singular Numbers 26:10 לְנֵֽס׃ to as a warning sign Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular Psalms 60:4 נֵּ֭ס to a banner Noun - masculine singular Isaiah 5:26 נֵ֤ס to a banner Noun - masculine singular Isaiah 11:10 לְנֵ֣ס to as a banner Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct Isaiah 11:12 נֵס֙ to a banner Noun - masculine singular Isaiah 13:2 נֵ֔ס to a banner Noun - masculine singular Isaiah 18:3 נֵ֤ס to when a banner Noun - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Exodus 17:15
Aligned rows 21
Books represented 6
Exodus 1 Numbers 3 Psalms 1 Isaiah 10 Jeremiah 5 Ezekiel 1
Source forms
נֵ֔ס 3x nês Isaiah 13:2, Isaiah 33:23, Jeremiah 50:2
נֵ֤ס 2x nês Isaiah 5:26, Isaiah 18:3
נֵ֣ס 2x nês Jeremiah 4:6, Jeremiah 51:27
הַנֵּ֑ס 1x han·nês Numbers 21:9
וְכַנֵּ֖ס 1x wə·ḵan·nês Isaiah 30:17
לְנֵ֣ס 1x lə·nês Isaiah 11:10
לְנֵ֑ס 1x lə·nês Ezekiel 27:7
לְנֵֽס׃ 1x lə·nês Numbers 26:10
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine singular 13x Numbers 21:8, Psalms 60:4, Isaiah 5:26, Isaiah 11:12
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular 2x Numbers 26:10, Ezekiel 27:7
Article | Noun - masculine singular 1x Numbers 21:9
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-k, Article | Noun - masculine singular 1x Isaiah 30:17
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular 1x Isaiah 49:22
Noun - proper - masculine singular construct | first person common singular 1x Exodus 17:15
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct 1x Isaiah 11:10
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular 1x Isaiah 31:9
Evidence Summary
Messiah
Hebrew word. A visible rallying point or signal raised to gather, direct, or mark covenant people in wilderness journey.
Source Gloss
a flag ; also a sail ; by implication, a flagstaff ; generally a signal ; figuratively, a token
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
A visible rallying point or signal raised to gather, direct, or mark covenant people in wilderness journey.
a flag; also a sail; by implication, a flagstaff; generally a signal; figuratively, a token BDB: standard Usage: banner, pole, sail, (en-) sign, standard.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
Signal pole or standard raised for gathering.
Signal or standard raised for gathering.
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 20 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
נֵס is built from this root:
נָסַס H5264
Why This Word Matters
The banner symbolizes visible leadership and global summons under the Messiah. Isaiah 11:11-16
Symbolizes divine summons to the nations for restoration. Isaiah 49:22-26
Canonical Themes
Messiah
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain