First and only occurrence
And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Yehovah-nissi, that is, Yehovah is my banner. Exo 17:15
The primitive root
Strong’s H3071, Yehovah-nissi, a compound word from Strong’s H3068, Yehovah, and Strong’s H5251, nec, a concrete noun meaning, “something lifted up;” from Strong’s H5264 nacac נסס, a primitive root meaning, “to gleam from afar,” i.e., to be conspicuous as a signal, to raise a beacon. The pictographs are nun + sin + sin.
nun נ, ן = the seed, thus continue, heir, son
sin ס = the thorn, thus grab, hate, protect
sin ס = the thorn, thus grab, hate, protect
The story being told is of continuing (nun) to grab hold (sin), i.e.; to lift up as an ensign, standard, or banner, in order to provide refuge (second sin, in its meaning of protection). According to the Ancient Hebrew Lexicon, the verbal root of this whole family of words is “to lift up;” the concrete noun is “a standard,” the banner, which is carried into battle with the tribal or national leaders. As long as the battle rages, the banner is continually held aloft to indicate to near and far that this party in the conflict has not been defeated. The abstract concept then, is “refuge,” as the place to which one retreats to come under the protection of the head or king.
Strong’s says it means, “to gleam from afar,” to be conspicuous as a signal. Moses held aloft the rod of God, and as long as he did so, Israel prevailed over her enemies. From this event, then, Moses named the altar, Yehovah is my banner, i.e., Yehovah is He who we lift up aloft so that Israel prevails.
This history and meaning of the name of Yehovah-nissi is where the idea of tribal and national flags came from; where the idea of beacon fires came from, to serve as a signal to those ‘afar,’ and where the idea of lighthouses came from, which gleam from afar and so protect those who are sailing in by guiding them toward safe harbor.
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