H3467 H3467
To save, deliver, rescue (Hifil); a savior or deliverer (Hifil participle); to be saved or receive salvation (Nifal).
Yasha is the verbal root behind some of the most important names and concepts in Scripture — Joshua, Jesus (Yeshua), Isaiah (Yesha'yahu), and the noun yeshu'ah ('salvation'). In its dominant Hifil stem it means to deliver or rescue from danger, enemies, or oppression, with either God or a human champion as the subject. The Hifil participle moshia' ('savior, deliverer') becomes a near-title for God in the prophets and for the judges who rescue Israel in the book of Judges. The Nifal passive captures the other side of the same event: 'to be saved,' 'to experience deliverance.' The multilingual evidence is illuminating — Arabic splits between khalasa ('to rescue/redeem') and anqadha ('to save from danger'), Korean uses guwonhada (a dedicated salvation term borrowed from Chinese), and Swahili -okoa carries the specific sense of pulling someone from peril. The root's breadth — from battlefield deliverance to eschatological salvation — makes it one of the Hebrew Bible's most theologically consequential verbs.
Senses
1. save, deliver, rescue (Hifil active) — Active Hifil causative: to save, deliver, or rescue someone from danger, enemies, distress, or oppression — the largest sense at 156 occurrences spanning every major corpus. God saves Israel at the Red Sea (Exod 14:30), raises up judges to save them from enemies (Judg 3:31, 7:7, 10:1), and promises future deliverance through the prophets (Isa 35:4, 45:22). Human agents also 'save' — David's mighty men, military commanders, and kings who deliver their people. Arabic khallasa/anqadha, Korean 구원하다 (guwonhada), and Swahili -okoa all converge on rescue-from-peril semantics. The Psalms' urgent imperative hoshi'eni ('save me!') — as in Ps 3:7, 6:4, 22:21 — captures the verb at its most existentially charged. 156×
AR["خَلَّصْ", "خَلِّص", "خَلِّصني", "خَلِّصْ", "خَلِّصْ-", "خَلِّصْني", "خَلِّصْنِي"]·ben["আমাকে-রক্ষা-কর", "আমাকে-রক্ষা-করুন", "উদ্ধার-কর-আমাকে", "উদ্ধার-করো", "পরিত্রাণ-কর-আমাকে", "পরিত্রাণ-করো", "পরিত্রাণ-করো-আমাকে", "রক্ষা-কর", "রক্ষা-কর-আমাকে", "রক্ষা-করুন", "রক্ষা-করো", "রক্ষা-করো-আমাকে"]·DE["rette", "rette-mich", "rettete"]·EN["save", "save-me"]·FR["le-sauver", "sauve", "sauve-moi", "sauver"]·heb["הושיע-אותי", "הושיעה", "הושיעני", "הושע"]·HI["बचा", "बचा-", "बचा-मुझे", "मुझे-बचा", "होशीआह"]·ID["Selamatkanlah", "Selamatkanlah-aku", "selamatkanlah", "selamatkanlah-aku", "tolonglah"]·IT["salva", "salvami", "salvo'"]·jav["Ngluwaraken-kawula", "Ngluwari-kula", "Ngluwaria", "Slametna", "Tulungana", "Wilujengna", "kawula-wilujengaken,", "kula", "mugi-ngrahayokaken", "mugi-nylametaken-kula", "ngluwari-a", "ngluwari-kula", "ningali", "tulungana"]·KO["구원하소서", "구원하소서-나-를", "구원하소서-나를", "구해-주소서"]·PT["Salva", "Salva-me", "salva", "salva-me"]·RU["спаси", "спаси-меня"]·ES["Salva", "Sálvame", "salva", "sálvame", "¡Salva"]·SW["Niokoe", "Okoa", "Uniokoe", "Uokoe", "niokoe", "nisaidie", "okoa", "uniokoe"]·TR["kurtar", "kurtar-beni"]·urd["بَچا", "بَچا-مُجھے", "بچا", "بچا-مجھے", "مجھے-بچا"]
Exod 14:30, Deut 20:4, Judg 3:31, Judg 7:7, Judg 10:1, Judg 10:13, Judg 13:5, 1 Sam 14:23, 1 Sam 23:5, 2 Sam 3:18, 2 Sam 8:6, 2 Sam 8:14 (+38 more)
2. savior, deliverer (Hifil participle substantive) — Hifil participle used substantively as an agent noun: 'savior,' 'deliverer,' 'rescuer' — 28 occurrences. The moshia' is the one who effects deliverance, whether God himself ('I am the LORD your God... and besides me there is no savior,' Hos 13:4) or a human champion like Othniel (Judg 3:9) or Ehud (Judg 3:15). The article or possessive suffix typically marks the substantival use: ha-moshia' ('the deliverer'), moshi'ekha ('your savior'). Arabic mukhallis and Korean 구원자 (guwon-ja, literally 'salvation-person') both use dedicated agent-noun formations, confirming this as a lexicalized title rather than a mere participle. The tragic negation in Deut 22:27, 28:29, 28:31 — 'and there was no deliverer' — shows how central this figure was to Israelite expectations. 28×
AR["الـ-مُخَلِّصُ", "المُخَلِّصُ", "لِ-مُخَلِّصٍ", "مَنْ-يُخَلِّصُ", "مُخَلِّصاً", "مُخَلِّصًا", "مُخَلِّصٌ", "مُخَلِّصَ", "مُخَلِّصُكَ", "مُخَلِّصُكِ", "مُنْقِذٌ", "مُنْقِذَ", "وَمُخَلِّصٌ"]·ben["-তোমার-ত্রাণকর্তা", "-সেই-উদ্ধারকর্তা", "উদ্ধারক", "উদ্ধারকর্তা", "উদ্ধারকারী", "এবং-ত্রাণকর্তা", "তোমার-উদ্ধারকর্তা", "তোমার-ত্রাণকর্তা", "ত্রাণকর্তা", "রক্ষাকারী"]·DE["deliverer", "der-eins-rettend", "ein-deliverer", "ein-savior", "eins-rettend", "retten", "rettend", "rettete", "saving", "savior", "und-retten"]·EN["Savior", "a-Savior", "a-deliverer", "a-savior", "and-a-Savior", "deliverer", "one-saving", "saving", "savior", "the-one-saving", "your-Savior"]·FR["de-sauver", "deliverer", "et-sauver", "le-un-sauvant", "sauvant", "sauver", "saving", "savior", "un-libérateur", "un-sauvant", "un-savior"]·heb["ה-מושיע", "ו-מושיע", "ל-מושיע", "מוֹשִׁיעַ", "מושיע", "מושיעך"]·HI["उद्धारकर्ता", "उद्धारकर्ता-तेरा", "और-उद्धारकर्ता", "छुड़ानेवाला", "तेरा-उद्धारक", "तेरा-उद्धारकर्ता", "बचाने-वाला", "बचानेवाला", "बचानेवाला।", "मोशीअ"]·ID["Juruselamat", "Juruselamat-mu", "Penolongmu", "dan-Juruselamat", "juruselamat", "penyelamat", "yang-menyelamatkan"]·IT["deliverer", "e-salvare", "il-uno-salvando", "salvando", "salvare", "salvatore", "salvo'", "saving", "un-deliverer", "un-salvatore", "uno-salvando"]·jav["Juru-wilujeng", "Juru-wilujeng-panjenengan", "ingkang-nylametaken", "ingkang-paring-karahayon", "juru-slamet", "juru-wilujeng", "lan-Juru-wilujeng", "ngluwari"]·KO["구원자가", "구원자를", "구원자이시니라", "구원하는-분이라고", "구원하는-자", "구원하는-자-가", "구원하는-자가", "구원하시는", "그-구원하시는", "그리고-구원자가", "너의-구원자", "너의-구원자이고", "너의-구원자이며", "에-구원자가"]·PT["Salvador", "e-salvador", "o-que-salva", "para-salvador", "quem-salve", "salvador", "salvador-teu", "salvando", "teu-Salvador"]·RU["Спасителем", "Спаситель", "Спаситель-твой", "Спасителя", "и-спасающий", "спасаешь", "спасающего", "спасающий", "спасителя"]·ES["Salvador", "el-que-salva", "por-Salvador", "quien-salvara", "quien-salve", "salva", "salvador", "salvando", "tu-Salvador", "tu-salvador", "y-salvador"]·SW["Mwokozi", "Mwokozi-wako", "mwokozi", "mwokozi-wako", "na-Mwokozi"]·TR["Kurtarici", "Kurtaricin", "ardından", "kurtaran", "kurtarici", "kurtartıcı", "kurtarıcı", "ve-Kurtarici"]·urd["اور-نجات-دہندہ", "بچانے-والا", "تیرا-بچانے-والا", "تیرا-نجات-دہندہ", "نجات-دہندہ", "نجات-دینے-والا", "نجات-دینے-والا-ہے"]
Deut 22:27, Deut 28:29, Deut 28:31, Judg 3:9, Judg 3:15, Judg 6:36, Judg 12:3, 1 Sam 10:19, 1 Sam 11:3, 1 Sam 14:39, 2 Sam 22:3, 2 Sam 22:42 (+16 more)
3. be saved, receive salvation (Nifal passive) — Nifal passive/reflexive: to be saved, to be delivered, to receive or experience salvation — 21 occurrences. Here the rescued party is the grammatical subject: 'Israel is saved by the LORD with an everlasting salvation' (Isa 45:17), 'happy are you, O Israel — who is like you, a people saved by the LORD?' (Deut 33:29). The Nifal captures the recipient's perspective on the same event the Hifil describes from the agent's side. Korean 구원받다 (guwon-batda, 'receive salvation') uses a passive auxiliary, and Arabic yukhallas (Form II passive) mirrors the Hebrew voice shift. The theological weight is enormous: the Nifal declares that salvation is something experienced and received, not self-achieved. 21×
AR["أَخْلُصُ", "تَخْلُصُ", "تَخْلُصُونَ", "تَخْلُصِي", "تُخَلَّصُ", "خُلِّصَ", "فَ-أُخَلَّصَ", "فَنَخْلُصَ", "مَخْلُوصٌ", "مُخَلَّصًا", "نَخْلُصْ", "وَ-أَخْلُصُ", "وَ-تَخْلُصُونَ", "وَاِخْلُصُوا", "وَمُخَلَّصٌ", "يَخْلُصُ", "يُخَلَّصُ"]·ben["-আমাকে-ও-আমি-উদ্ধার-পাব", "আমি-রক্ষা-পাব", "আমি-রক্ষিত-হব", "আর-উদ্ধার-পাব", "উদ্ধার-পাবে-সে", "উদ্ধার-পেয়েছি", "এবং-আমরা-রক্ষা-পাব", "এবং-উদ্ধার-পাবে", "এবং-উদ্ধার-প্রাপ্ত", "এবং-রক্ষা-পাও", "পরিত্রাণপ্রাপ্ত", "রক্ষা-পাও", "রক্ষা-পাবে", "রক্ষা-পাবে-তোমরা", "রক্ষা-পায়", "রক্ষা-পেয়েছে"]·DE["ich-am-rettete", "retten", "rettete", "und-du-soll-sein-rettete", "und-retten", "und-rettete"]·EN["I-am-saved", "and-I-will-be-saved", "and-be-saved", "and-saved", "and-we-will-be-saved", "and-you-shall-be-saved", "are-saved", "he-will-be-saved", "is-saved", "saved", "will-be-saved", "you-may-be-saved", "you-shall-be-saved"]·FR["[ונושע]", "et-sauver", "et-tu-devra-être-sauva", "je-am-sauva", "sauva", "sauver"]·heb["איוושע", "ו-איוושעה", "ו-היוושעו", "ו-נושע", "ו-נושעתם", "ו-ניוושעה", "ייוושע", "נושע", "נושענו", "תיוושע", "תיוושעון", "תיוושעי"]·HI["उद्धार-पाएगा", "और-उद्धार-पाओ", "और-उद्धार-पाया-हुआ", "और-बच-जाऊँगा", "और-बचाए-जाओगे", "और-हम-उद्धार-पाएं", "बचाई-जाए-तू", "बचाए-गए", "बचाए-जाओगे-तुम", "बचाया-गया", "बचाया-जाऊँगा", "बचाया-जाऊंगा", "बचाया-जाएगा", "बचाया-जाएगा-वह", "बचाया-जाता-है"]·ID["akan-diselamatkan", "aku-diselamatkan", "dan-aku-akan-selamat", "dan-diselamatkan", "dan-kami-akan-diselamatkan", "dan-kamu-akan-diselamatkan", "dia-akan-diselamatkan", "diselamatkan", "kamu-diselamatkan", "supaya-aku-selamat", "yang-diselamatkan"]·IT["e-salvare", "e-salvo'", "e-tu-dovra-essere-salvo", "io-am-salvò", "salvare", "salvo", "salvo'"]·jav["badhe-kaslametaken", "badhé-dipun-luwari", "badé-kaslametaken", "ingkang-kaslamet", "ingkang-kaslametaken", "kaslametaken", "kawilujengaken", "kula-dipun-luwari", "kula-dipun-slametaken", "lan-dipun-luwari", "lan-kawilujengaken-a", "lan-kula-dipunluwari", "lan-panjenengan-sedaya-dipun-luwari", "panjenengan-dipun-luwari", "panjenengan-dipun-wilujengaken", "saha-kawula-sedaya-badhé-dipunwilujengaken", "supados-kawula-wilujeng;"]·KO["구원-받지", "구원받나이다", "구원받았느니라", "구원받았다", "구원받으리라", "구원받은", "구원을-받다", "구원을-얻을-것이다", "그리고-구원-받으리라", "그리고-구원받으라", "그리고-구원받을-것이다", "그리고-구원을-가지신", "그리면-내가-구원받으리라", "그리하면-우리가-구원을-받으리이다", "내가-구원-받으리라", "너희가-구원받으리라", "네가-구원받으라"]·PT["e-salvo", "e-sede-salvos", "e-serei-salvo", "e-serei-salvo;", "e-sereis-salvos", "e-seremos-salvos", "fomos-salvos", "salvo", "sejas-salva", "serei-salvo", "sereis-salvos", "será-salva", "será-salvo", "sou-salvo", "é-salvo"]·RU["будет-спасена", "будет-спасён", "будете-спасены", "и-будете-спасены", "и-буду-спасён", "и-спасающий", "и-спасусь", "и-спасёмся", "и-спасётесь", "спасаемый", "спасается", "спасены", "спасусь", "спасён", "спасётся", "ты-спаслась"]·ES["es-salvado", "hemos-sido-salvados", "salvado", "seas-salva", "será-salvada", "será-salvado", "seré-salvado", "seré-salvo", "seréis-salvos", "y-salvado", "y-sed-salvos", "y-seremos-salvos", "y-seré-salvado", "y-seré-salvo", "y-seréis-salvados"]·SW["anayeokolewa", "ataokolewa", "imeokolewa", "itaokolewa", "lililokombolewa", "mtaokolewa", "na-mtaokolewa", "na-mwenye-wokovu", "na-mwokolewe", "na-nitaokoka", "na-tutaokolewa", "nami-nitaokolewa", "nitaokolewa", "okolewa", "upate-kuokolewa"]·TR["kurtarildi", "kurtarılan", "kurtarılmış", "kurtulaasın", "kurtulacak", "kurtulacaksiniz", "kurtulacağım", "kurtulduk", "kurtuldum", "kurtulur", "ve-kurtulaLım", "ve-kurtulaayım", "ve-kurtulacaksınız", "ve-kurtulan", "ve-kurtulayım", "ve-kurtulun"]·urd["اور-بچ-جاؤں", "اور-بچ-جاؤں-گا", "اور-بچائے-جائیں-گے-ہم", "اور-تم-بچائے-جاؤ-گے", "اور-نجات-پاؤ", "اور-نجات-یافتہ", "بچ-جائے", "بچائی-گئی", "بچائے-جاؤ-گے", "بچائے-گئے", "بچایا-جائے-گا", "بچایا-جائے-گا-وہ", "بچایا-جاتا-ہے", "بچے-گا", "میں-بچایا-جاؤں-گا", "نجات-پائے-گا", "نجات-پاتا-ہے"]
Num 10:9, Deut 33:29, 2 Sam 22:4, Ps 18:3, Ps 33:16, Ps 80:3, Ps 80:7, Ps 80:19, Ps 119:117, Prov 28:18, Isa 30:15, Isa 45:17 (+9 more)
4. sense 4 — A single ambiguous occurrence at 2 Samuel 10:11 where Joab tells Abishai 'if the Arameans are too strong for me, then you shall save me; and if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come to save you.' The multilingual evidence (Spanish para salvación, French pour salut, German fuer salvation) suggests the translations treated this as a nominal or purposive construction ('for salvation/deliverance') rather than a straightforward finite verb. The verse functions as a mutual-aid pact between commanders and may represent a transitional usage where the verb shades toward its nominal derivative yeshu'ah. 1×
AR["لِنَجدَةٍ"]·ben["উদ্ধারের-জন্য"]·DE["fuer-salvation"]·EN["for-salvation"]·FR["pour-salut"]·heb["ל-ישועה"]·HI["सहायता-को"]·ID["untuk-pertolongan"]·IT["per-salvezza"]·jav["kanggé-kaslametaning"]·KO["구원으로"]·PT["para-salvação"]·RU["во-спасение"]·ES["para-salvación"]·SW["wokovu"]·TR["kurtuluş-için"]·urd["نجات-کے-لیے"]
Related Senses
H7965 1. peace, absence of conflict (198×)H5127 1. flee, run away (Qal) (144×)G1515 1. peace, well-being, harmony (93×)H8002 1. peace offering(s) (87×)G4982 1. save spiritually, grant salvation (79×)H3444 1. salvation, deliverance (67×)H4422 1. Nifal: escape, flee (63×)H1272 1. flee, run away (Qal) (58×)H6869b 1. distress, trouble (57×)G4991 1. of salvation (46×)G2347 1. tribulation, affliction, distress (45×)H0983 1. security, safety, confidence (42×)H6031b 1. Piel: afflict, oppress (42×)H6040 1. affliction, misery, suffering (36×)H3468 1. salvation, deliverance (33×)G5343 1. flee, run away (28×)H8668 1. salvation, deliverance (27×)H8252 1. be quiet, be at rest (26×)G4990 1. Savior (24×)H0343 1. calamity, disaster, ruin (24×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [יָשַׁע] vb. Hiph. deliver; Niph. intrans. and pass. (Arabic وَسِعَ be capacious, ii. make wide, spacious, iv. make sufficient, v. viii. be or live in abundance (v. Dr 1 S 14:45) Ph. n.pr. ישע; Sab. יתֿע (royal epith.), n.pr. אליתֿע, יתֿעאל, עמיתֿע, e.g. MordtZMG 1876, 37; 1893, 409, 416, 417, etc. (yet note strange equiv., תֿ = س); not in Aramaic; MI4 השעני he delivered me, l3 (ב)משע…