What does נֶשֶׁךְ (neshekh) mean in the Bible?
נֶשֶׁךְ (neshekh): Prohibited interest on loans to fellow Israelites, marking economic justice as covenant obligation
Hebrew · H5392
נֶשֶׁךְ
נֶשֶׁךְ (neshekh): Prohibited interest on loans to fellow Israelites, marking economic justice as covenant obligation
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נֶשֶׁךְH5392
Pronunciationneshekh
What does נֶשֶׁךְ (neshekh) mean in the Bible?
Full entry for נֶשֶׁךְ (H5392) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H5392?
The BSB source-word alignment has 12 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include interest (4), in usury (3), . . . (2), any interest (1), at interest (1).
Where does נֶשֶׁךְ (neshekh) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Exodus 22:25. Its strongest book concentrations include Ezekiel (4), Deuteronomy (3), Leviticus (2), 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 Itinterest4×Exodus 22:25, Deuteronomy 23:19, Psalms 15:5, Ezekiel 18:17
in usury3×Ezekiel 18:8, Ezekiel 18:13, Ezekiel 22:12
. . .2×Deuteronomy 23:19
any interest1×Leviticus 25:36
at interest1×Leviticus 25:37
by interest1×Proverbs 28:8
Show sample aligned rows
Exodus 22:25נֶֽשֶׁךְ׃tointerestNoun - masculine singularLeviticus 25:36נֶ֣שֶׁךְtoany interestNoun - masculine singularLeviticus 25:37בְּנֶ֑שֶׁךְtoat interestPreposition-b | Noun - masculine singularDeuteronomy 23:19נֶ֥שֶׁךְtointerestNoun - masculine singular constructDeuteronomy 23:19נֶ֣שֶׁךְto. . .Noun - masculine singular constructDeuteronomy 23:19נֶ֕שֶׁךְto. . .Noun - masculine singular constructPsalms 15:5בְּנֶשֶׁךְ֮tointerestPreposition-b | Noun - masculine singularProverbs 28:8בְּנֶ֣שֶׁךְtoby interestPreposition-b | Noun - masculine singularEzekiel 18:8בַּנֶּ֣שֶׁךְtoin usuryPreposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singularEzekiel 18:13בַּנֶּ֧שֶׁךְtoin usuryPreposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowExodus 22:25
Aligned rows12
Books represented6
Exodus1Leviticus2Deuteronomy3Psalms1Proverbs1Ezekiel4
Source forms
נֶ֣שֶׁךְ2xne·šeḵLeviticus 25:36, Deuteronomy 23:19
בְּנֶ֑שֶׁךְ1xbə·ne·šeḵLeviticus 25:37
בְּנֶשֶׁךְ֮1xbə·ne·šeḵPsalms 15:5
בְּנֶ֣שֶׁךְ1xbə·ne·šeḵProverbs 28:8
בַּנֶּ֣שֶׁךְ1xban·ne·šeḵEzekiel 18:8
בַּנֶּ֧שֶׁךְ1xban·ne·šeḵEzekiel 18:13
נֶ֥שֶׁךְ1xne·šeḵDeuteronomy 23:19
נֶ֕שֶׁךְ1xne·šeḵDeuteronomy 23:19
Parsing patterns
Noun - masculine singular4xExodus 22:25, Leviticus 25:36, Ezekiel 18:17, Ezekiel 22:12
Noun - masculine singular construct3xDeuteronomy 23:19
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular3xLeviticus 25:37, Psalms 15:5, Proverbs 28:8
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular2xEzekiel 18:8, Ezekiel 18:13
Evidence Summary
CovenantJustice
Hebrew word. Prohibited interest on loans to fellow Israelites, marking economic justice as covenant obligation
Source Gloss
interest on a debt
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Prohibited interest on loans to fellow Israelites, marking economic justice as covenant obligation
interest on a debt BDB: interest Usage: usury.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
Interest charged on loans, often exploitative in covenant context.
Showing 1 selected witness from 12 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
נֶשֶׁךְ is built from this root:
Why This Word Matters
The term signals violation of Mosaic law regarding treatment of fellow Israelites, highlighting the seriousness of internal injustice.Nehemiah 5:1-13
Canonical Themes
CovenantJustice
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.