נְשִׁיקָה
ne.shi.qah
kiss
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
ExploredBased on the lexicon data, the Hebrew word H5390 (Strong's number), נְשִׁיקָה (transliteration), with a short definition of "kiss", appears to be a concrete and physical act of affection. Its definition directly suggests a gesture of intimacy and affection. The fact that it is defined as a specific action, rather than an emotion, indicates a physical manifestation of love or respect. The limited number of occurrences in the Bible, totaling 2, suggests that this word may be used in a specific or specialized context. This could indicate that the concept of the kiss held significant cultural, emotional, or ritual value for the ancient Israelites, or that the act was highly formalized or ritualized. The brevity of its usage also emphasizes its importance and specificity within the Hebrew language. The importance and significance of the word H5390 can be inferred from its limited but intentional usage. It likely played a critical role in expressing affection, devotion, or recognition in specific scenarios, and its use carried a degree of formality or ritualistic importance that was not duplicated by other linguistic options. Its scarcity further underscores its value as a culturally significant expression in ancient Hebrew communication.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences across the text