Properly, an exalted one, i.e. a king or sheik ; also a rising mist
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H5387 commonly names a leader, ruler, prince, tribal head, or chief, and in a separate image can describe rising vapor. 22, a leader who sins unintentionally incurs guilt and must respond when the sin becomes known.
Reader summary
Full entry for נָשִׂיא (H5387) · Open the biblical lexicon
H5387 commonly names a leader, ruler, prince, tribal head, or chief, and in a separate image can describe rising vapor. 22, a leader who sins unintentionally incurs guilt and must respond when the sin becomes known.
The BSB source-word alignment has 134 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include The leader (25), the leaders (11), the prince (11), a leader (9), and the leaders (7).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 17:20. Its strongest book concentrations include Numbers (62), Ezekiel (37), Joshua (13), 1 Chronicles (4).
H5387 commonly names a leader, ruler, prince, tribal head, or chief, and in a separate image can describe rising vapor. In Lev. 4. 22, a leader who sins unintentionally incurs guilt and must respond when the sin becomes known. In Josh. 9. 15, congregation leaders swear an oath whose consequences they must later honor. In Ezek. 22. 6, Jerusalem's princes are accused of using power to shed blood.
H5387 opens teaching on representative office, leaders under law, public promises, material contribution, and power corrupted into violence. It does not make office sacred immunity, require silence about wrongdoing, or transfer divine authority to every ruler's command. The title names recognized leadership but does not establish that every officeholder is wise, just, or beyond review.
H5387 names tribal, family, civic, royal, and future leaders across law, narrative, genealogy, and prophecy. Leaders assemble, give, judge, swear, sin, mourn, exploit, and face judgment; title never predetermines faithfulness.
When a leader sins unintentionally and does what is prohibited by any of the commandments of the Lord his God, he incurs guilt.
A leader remains capable of guilt and must bring the prescribed response when an unintentional violation becomes known.
And Joshua made a treaty of peace with them to let them live, and the leaders of the congregation swore an oath to them.
Israel's leaders swear a treaty oath and later face communal pressure over the promise made.
See how every prince of Israel within you has used his power to shed blood.
Jerusalem's princes use their power to shed blood, exposing leadership severed from covenant justice.
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItA compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
Hebrew word. One exalted above others through office or position; leader bearing authority and responsibility
One exalted above others through office or position; leader bearing authority and responsibility
properly, an exalted one, i.e. a king or sheik; also a rising mist BDB: rising mist Usage: captain, chief, cloud, governor, prince, ruler, vapour.
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Showing 3 selected witnesses from 134 lexical occurrence verses.
נָשִׂיא is built from this root:
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
H5387 presents leadership as visible responsibility, not spiritual exemption. Leviticus includes a ruler among people who can sin and need an accountable path of acknowledgment and atonement. Joshua's leaders make an oath after inadequate inquiry, yet Israel does not solve the error by breaking the promise when it becomes inconvenient. The narrative holds together discernment failure and obligation.
Ezekiel exposes the darkest use of office: princes turn power toward bloodshed. Other leaders bring gifts, organize tribes, represent families, or mourn under judgment. Faithful application requires transparent decisions, documented commitments, impartial investigation, and repair when leaders err. Respect for office cannot mean concealment, retaliation, or automatic credibility.
A leader's title enlarges rather than shrinks responsibility because decisions affect people who did not personally make them.
Lev.4.22
H5387 is a Hebrew noun commonly used for an elevated leader or prince. A homonymous image of something rising can refer to mist or cloud, and context clearly distinguishes weather imagery from human office.
Jesus defines leadership through service and self-giving, while the apostles require overseers to meet character standards, reject domineering rule, and remain accountable within the flock. Jesus redefines greatness through service, and apostolic oversight remains accountable to the Chief Shepherd's example and judgment.