Yâsha‛ (יָשַׁע, 3467), “to help, deliver, save.” Outside Hebrew this word is attested only in Moabite. It appears in all periods of Hebrew (including post-biblical Hebrew) and in biblical Hebrew about 205 times. The verb occurs only in the causative and passive stems.

Essentially the word means “to remove or seek to remove someone from a burden, oppression, or danger.” In Exod. 2:17 (the first appearance of this verb) yâsha‛ signifies to remove someone from a burden or job: “… Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock.” The word is frequently used of removing or seeking to remove someone from the danger of defeat: “And the men of Gibeon sent unto Joshua … saying, slack not thy hand from thy servants; come up to us quickly, and save us, and help us …” (Josh. 10:6). This is a request to preserve them from possible death. The real danger is not yet upon them but soon will be. The Gibeonites see in Israel their only help.

Yâsha‛ is used in other situations as when Jephthah tells the Ephraimites that they had been summoned to the war at a crucial time but did not respond and “delivered me not out of their [children of Ammon] hands” (Judg. 12:2). Here the emphasis is “set free,” or “liberate,” in other words, to remove someone from a condition already upon him. Militarily the word can also be used of “helping,” emphasizing the union of forces so as to forge a single and stronger fighting unit. This is no last-ditch stand for the unit being helped. So Joab told Abishai: “If the Syrians be too strong for me, then thou shalt help me …” (2 Sam. 10:11). Also, compare: “So the Syrians feared to help [to serve as an ally of] the children of Ammon any more” (2 Sam. 10:19).

In the realm of justice and civil law yâsha‛ represents an obligation on the part of anyone who hears an outcry of one being mistreated: “For he [the rapist] found her [the one he was about to rape] in the field, and the betrothed damsel cried, and there was none to save her” (Deut. 22:27; cf. 28:29). Therefore, one may appeal especially to the king as the one obligated to help maintain one’s rights: “And when the woman of Tekoah spake to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, and did obeisance, and said, Help, O king” (2 Sam. 14:4; cf. 2 Kings 6:26). The king also “delivered” his people from subjection to their enemies (1 Sam. 10:27; Hos. 13:10). Jeremiah says of the messianic king: “In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely …” (23:6). Here yâsha‛ is paralleled by “dwell safely,” a phrase which identifies the meaning of yâsha‛ as “to be preserved from danger.” Ultimately, God is the Great King who “goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you [deliver you from danger]” (Deut. 20:4), and the Judge of all Israel.

The word appears in many prayer petitions: “Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God …” (Ps. 3:7). This is a combination, therefore, of military emphasis (a prayer for deliverance from some enemy by forceful interference) and judicial emphasis (a prayer for that which is the petitioner’s due and the obligation of the one petitioned—in God’s case the obligation is selfimposed through the establishment of the covenantal relationship; cf. Ps. 20:9). In other instances the judicial obligation is in view: “He [the Lord’s anointed king] shall judge the poor of the people, he shall save the children of the needy, and shall break in pieces the oppressor” (Ps. 72:4). In this passage the word in synonymous parallelism to yâsha‛ is shapat, “to see that legal justice is executed.” Very often the psalmist has in view the spiritual aspect of God’s eternal covenant. This is clear in passages such as Ps. 86, where David confesses that, although the ruler of Israel, he is humbled (godly), and that, although enjoying kingly wealth, he is needy (trusting in God). On the basis of these spiritual conditions he prays for God’s covenantal response: “Preserve my soul; for I am holy: O thou my God, save thy servant that trusteth in thee” (Ps. 86:2). The blessings sought here are both eternal (Ps. 86:11-13) and temporal (Ps. 86:14-17).

B. Nouns.

Yeshû‛âh (יְשׁוּעָה, Strong's #3444), “salvation.” This word appears about 78 times and refers primarily to God’s acts of help which have already occurred and been experienced. In Gen. 49:18 (the first biblical occurrence), the word includes the idea of “salvation” through divinely appointed means and from inequity. In 1 Sam. 14:45 yeshû‛âh is used of a human act: “And the people said unto Saul, Shall Jonathan die, who hath wrought this great salvation in Israel?” The word is used infrequently of deliverance and/or help effected by things (Isa. 12:3).

The noun teshû‛âh also means “salvation.” It occurs about 34 times. The word is frequently joined with responses of thanksgiving and rejoicing (Judg. 15:18—the first occurrence; 1 Sam. 11:13). Teshû‛âh, therefore, is sometimes rendered “deliverance” (Judg. 15:18), “victory” (2 Sam. 19:2), as well as “salvation” (Isa. 45:17). The idea of “salvation” is that of preservation from threatened, impending, and perhaps deserved danger and suffering. Yeshû‛âh is used in a few instances of a human act: “Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counselors there is safety” (Prov. 11:14).

The noun yesha’ which occurs 36 times, signifies that which God will do in man’s behalf (2 Sam. 22:3), or that which has been done by Him for man (2 Sam. 22:36). In two instances this word means simply the general absence of oppression and need (Job 5:4, 11).

The word may be translated as “salvation” or “safety.” The noun mosha’ot occurs only once to mean “saving acts” (Ps. 68:20).

Bibliography Information
Vines, W. E., M. A. Entry for 'Save'. Vine's Expository Dictionary of OT Words. https://www.studylight.org/dictionaries/eng/vot/s/save.html. 1940.

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