H5258a H5258a
To pour out, especially libations or drink offerings; also to cast molten metal; passively, to be poured out.
Nasak is the standard Hebrew verb for the ritual act of pouring — most often a drink offering (nesek) poured out before the LORD. Its cultic centrality is hard to overstate: the verb governs the libation prescriptions of Numbers 28-29 and appears wherever wine, water, or oil is ceremonially poured upon an altar or memorial pillar. Jacob pours a drink offering on the pillar at Bethel (Gen 35:14); David refuses to drink the water his warriors risked their lives to fetch, pouring it out instead as an offering to God (2 Sam 23:16). A fascinating secondary sense — casting molten metal for idol manufacture (Isa 40:19; 44:10) — reveals the concrete, physical core: liquid poured into a mold. The Arabic cognate nasaka, originally 'to pour,' came to mean 'to worship' through the metonymy of pouring sacrificial blood, tracing the same ritual-semantic path the Hebrew verb walks.
Senses
1. pour out causatively (Hifil/Piel) — To pour out a libation or drink offering in a causative stem (Hifil/Piel) — 15 occurrences, the dominant cultic sense. Covers the formal pouring of drink offerings in the sanctuary system (Num 28:7), memorial libations on sacred pillars (Gen 35:14), and David's dramatic pouring out of the Bethlehem water as a sacrifice (2 Sam 23:16; 1 Chr 11:18). Spanish derramar and French verser both use standard 'pour' vocabulary, while German giessen captures the deliberate, controlled outpouring. The Hifil causative emphasizes the agent's intentional act of presenting liquid to God, distinguishing this from mere spilling. 15×
AR["أُسْكِبُ", "اسْكُبْ", "فَسَكَبَهُ", "وَ-سَكَبَ", "وَ-سَكَبُوا", "وَ-يَسْكُبُونَ", "وَسَكَبَ", "وَسَكَبَهُ", "وَسَكَبُوا", "وَسَكَبْنَا", "وَعَنْ-سَكْبِ", "وَلِنَسْكُبَ", "وَنَسْكُبُ"]·ben["আমি-ঢালব", "আর-ঢালত", "আর-ঢালল", "এবং-ঢালতে", "এবং-ঢালতে-", "এবং-ঢাললেন", "এবং-ঢালা-দিতে", "এবং-ঢেলে-দিলেন", "এবং-তিনি-ঢেলে-দিলেন", "ও-ঢেলেছে", "ঢালা", "সেখানে"]·DE["[וינסך]", "[ויסיכו]", "giessen", "ich-wird-ausgiessen-heraus", "und-ausgiessen", "und-er-goss-heraus", "und-goss"]·EN["I-will-pour-out", "and-from-pouring-out-", "and-he-poured", "and-he-poured-out", "and-poured-out", "and-the-pouring-out", "and-they-poured-out", "and-to-pour-out", "and-to-pour-out-", "pour"]·FR["[וינסך]", "et-il-versa", "et-il-versa-dehors", "et-verser", "répandre", "verser"]·heb["אסיך", "הסך", "ו-ה-סך", "ו-הסיכו", "ו-הסך", "ו-הסך-", "ו-ינסך", "ו-יסיכו", "ו-יסך", "ו-ל-הסך", "ו-נסך"]·HI["उंडेल", "और-उंडेलना", "और-उंडेलना-", "और-उंडेलने-को", "और-उंडेला", "और-उंडेले", "और-उण्डेला", "और-उण्डेला-उन्होंने", "मैं-उंडेलूंगा"]·ID["aku-mencurahkan", "curahkan", "dan-dia-mencurahkan", "dan-ia-mencurahkan", "dan-mencurahkan", "dan-mereka-mencurahkan", "dan-untuk-mencurahkan"]·IT["[אסיך]", "[וינסך]", "[ויסיכו]", "e-egli-versò", "e-egli-versò-fuori", "e-versare", "versare"]·jav["kula-nyawuraken", "lan-kanggé-nyiram", "lan-kanggé-nyiram-", "lan-ngesok", "lan-ngesokaken", "lan-ngsokaken", "lan-nyidra", "lan-nyiram", "lan-nyuntakaken", "lan-piyambakipun-ngesokaken", "sesepana"]·KO["그리고-부어", "그리고-부었다", "그리고-붓다", "그리고-붓다-", "그리고-붓었다", "부어라", "붓지"]·PT["derrama", "derramarei", "e-derramando", "e-derramar", "e-derramar-", "e-derramaram", "e-derramou", "e-derramou-a", "e-para-derramar"]·RU["буду-совершать", "возливай", "и-возливали", "и-возлил", "и-вылил", "и-лили", "и-лить", "и-лить-", "и-льём", "и-совершают-возлияние", "и-совершил-возлияние"]·ES["derrama", "derramaré", "y-derramando", "y-derramar", "y-derramaron", "y-derramó", "y-la-derramó", "y-para-derramar"]·SW["akamwaga", "mimina", "na-akamimina", "na-akayamimina", "na-kumimina", "na-kumiminia", "na-kumiminia-", "na-wakamimina", "na-walimiminia", "nitamimina"]·TR["dök", "dökeceğim", "ve-dökerek", "ve-dökmek", "ve-dökmek-için-", "ve-döktü", "ve-döktüler", "ve-için-dökmek"]·urd["انڈیل", "اور-انڈیلا", "اور-انڈیلا-اس-نے", "اور-انڈیلے-انہوں-نے", "اور-اُنڈیلنا", "اور-اُنڈیلنے-سے", "اور-اُنڈیلنے-کو", "اور-ڈالا", "میں-ڈھالوں-گا"]
Gen 35:14, Num 28:7, 2 Sam 23:16, 2 Kgs 16:13, 1 Chr 11:18, Ps 16:4, Jer 7:18, Jer 19:13, Jer 32:29, Jer 44:17, Jer 44:18, Jer 44:19 (+3 more)
2. pour out libation (Qal) — To pour out a libation in the basic Qal stem — 4 occurrences where the simple active voice suffices without causative intensification. In Exod 30:9, alien drink offerings are prohibited on the incense altar; Hos 9:4 warns that Israel's sacrifices will not please the LORD and 'they shall not pour out wine offerings to him.' Isaiah 29:10 extends the metaphor strikingly: God has 'poured out upon you a spirit of deep sleep,' treating divine judgment as a libation of stupor. Isaiah 30:1 uses the infinitive to accuse Israel of 'pouring out' alliances with Egypt rather than with God. The Qal form preserves the basic, unmarked pouring action. 4×
AR["تَسكُبونَ", "سَكَبَ", "وَ-لِيَسْكُبُوا", "يَسكُبونَ"]·ben["ও-ঢালতে", "ঢালবে", "ঢেলেছেন", "তোমরা-ঢালবে"]·DE["[יסכו]", "ausgiessen", "du-soll-giessen", "und-ausgiessen"]·EN["and-to-weave", "has-poured-out", "they-shall-pour-out", "you-shall-pour"]·FR["et-verser", "tu---verser", "verser"]·heb["ו-ל-נסוך", "ייסכו", "נסך", "תסכו"]·HI["उँडेलना", "उंडेला", "उंडेलेंगे", "और-उंडेलने-के-लिए"]·ID["dan-untuk-mencurahkan", "engkau-mencurahkan", "mencurahkan", "mereka-mencurahkan"]·IT["[יסכו]", "e-versare", "tu-shall-versare", "versare"]·jav["dipun-esokaken", "lan-supados-nggawe", "panjenengan-siramaken", "sami-ngesok"]·KO["그리고-에-붓되", "너희는-부어서는-안-된다", "부으셨다", "붓으리라"]·PT["derramareis", "derramarão", "derramou", "e-para-derramar"]·RU["будут-лить", "возливайте", "и-заключать", "излил"]·ES["derramarán", "derramaréis", "derramó", "y-para-derramar"]·SW["amemwaga", "mimina", "mtamimina", "na-kumwaga"]·TR["doktu", "dökecekler", "dökeceksiniz", "ve-dokmek-icin"]·urd["انڈیلا-ہے", "اور-ڈھالنے-کے-لیے", "تم-ڈھالو-گے", "نندھیں-گے"]
3. cast molten metal (Qal) — To cast molten metal, especially for idol-making — 2 occurrences in the Qal stem with a specialized technical sense. In Isa 40:19, a craftsman 'casts' an idol, and in Isa 44:10, the prophet mocks those who 'cast' a metal image that profits nothing. Spanish fundir ('to smelt/cast') and French verser (used more generically) handle the metallurgical sense differently, but the Hebrew itself makes no morphological distinction — only the direct object (metal rather than liquid offering) shifts the meaning. The semantic bridge is transparent: liquid poured into a mold rather than onto an altar. 2×
AR["سَكَبَ"]·ben["ঢালাই-করেছে"]·DE["ausgiessen"]·EN["a-craftsman", "has-cast"]·FR["verser"]·heb["נסך"]·HI["ढालता-है", "ढाली"]·ID["dituang", "menuang"]·IT["versare"]·jav["ingkang-dicor", "sampun-cor"]·KO["부었느뇨", "부었으니"]·PT["fundiu"]·RU["отлил"]·ES["funde", "fundió"]·SW["ameisubu", "amesubu"]·TR["doktu"]·urd["ڈھالا", "ڈھالتا-ہے"]
4. be poured out (Hofal) — To be poured out (Hofal passive) — 2 occurrences describing vessels or containers from which liquid is poured. In Exod 25:29 and 37:16, the tabernacle's golden flagons are described as those 'with which to pour out' (or 'from which libation is poured'). Spanish se librará/será-derramado and French est-versé both mark the passive voice. These cultic furnishing descriptions complete the picture: not only the act of pouring and the substance poured, but the sacred vessels designed for the purpose. 2×
AR["يُسكَبُ"]·ben["ঢালা-হবে"]·DE["ist-goss", "ist-goss-heraus"]·EN["is-poured", "is-poured-out"]·FR["est-versa", "est-versa-dehors"]·heb["יוסך"]·HI["उंडेला-जाए", "उडेलेंगे"]·ID["dituangkan"]·IT["è-versò", "è-versò-fuori"]·jav["dipun-unjuk", "dipunisep"]·KO["부어질", "부을"]·PT["será-derramado"]·RU["будет-изливаться", "будет-совершаться-возлияние"]·ES["se-librará", "será-derramado"]·SW["yatamiminiwa", "zingewekwa-mimina"]·TR["dökülecek", "dökülür"]·urd["اُنڈیلا-جاتا", "ڈھالا-جائے"]
Related Senses
G0846 1. third-person pronoun reference (5552×)H???? 1. (4670×)H6213a 1. do, perform, act (2383×)G4160 1. do, act, perform (473×)H5221 1. Hifil: to strike in battle, smite enemies (362×)H0899b 1. garment, article of clothing (216×)H6213a 2. make, construct, fabricate (148×)H3772 1. cut a covenant / make a pact (97×)H5060 1. touch physically (Qal) (96×)H3615 1. complete a task (Piel) (85×)H3772 2. cut off / destroy (Hifil causative) (81×)H3920 1. capture, seize (Qal) (76×)H???? 12. (76×)H3772 3. be cut off / be eliminated (Niphal) (74×)H6213a 3. be done, be made (Niphal) (73×)G4160 2. make, construct, create (62×)H3847 1. Qal: put on, wear (60×)H8210 1. pour out (liquid/libation) (59×)G2440 1. garment or clothing (general) (54×)H4191 4. kill / put to death (Hifil causative) (50×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† I. נָסַךְ vb. pour out (NH id., pour, cast (metals, Pi. make libation; Ph. נסך cast gold or iron Lzb323f.; 𝔗 נְסַךְ make libation; Syriac ܢܣܰܟ pour out; Arabic نَسَكَ, orig. be-pour, water NöZMG xli (1887), 719 (rare), usually worship Lane3032 (cf. RSSem. i. 213; 2d ed. 229), i.e. pour out blood of victim, pour out wine WeHeid. 2, 114, 118, 142);— Qal Pf. 3 ms. נָסַךְ Is 29:10; 40:19; נָסָ֑ךְ…