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נָטַשׁ

𐤍𐤈𐤔

nâṭash

H5203 verb

SILEX Entry

Root נטש to abandon, to forsake, to leave

Definition

To abandon, leave, or forsake, whether of people, locations, responsibilities, or duties. The core meaning involves active relinquishment or letting go, either physically (as in letting something drop, leaving behind, permitting to remain) or figuratively (as in forsaking a commitment or ceasing activity). Semantic range includes to leave behind, forsake, allow to lie fallow, neglect, or let go.

Semantic Range

to abandon, forsake, leave, leave behind, neglect, permit to remain, allow to lie fallow, let go, leave untended, let drop

Root / Etymology

The root נטש (נ-ט-שׁ) generally means to leave or abate. The precise etymology is debated; while some early sources associate the root with the idea of 'pounding' or 'beating out' (possibly relating to threshing actions in agricultural contexts), consensus in modern lexicography identifies 'to abandon, to leave' as the primary root sense. The connection to 'pounding' is not well-attested and is likely secondary or interpretive.

Historical & Contextual Notes

נָטַשׁ appears across different strata of biblical Hebrew, predominantly with the sense of abandonment or leaving. In early narratives, it describes leaving things physically (e.g., letting cattle or people remain behind, leaving the land untilled). In prophetic and poetic literature, it expresses social or religious abandonment (e.g., forsaking the covenant, neglecting the land or community). The verb can sometimes overlap with עזב (ʿāzav, 'to leave, forsake'), but נָטַשׁ tends to connote a stronger or more final sense of release, often with implications of neglect or dereliction. In post-exilic usage and later Hebrew, the term becomes less frequent, often replaced by other verbs. Standard English translations like 'forsake' or 'abandon' generally capture the primary sense but may underrepresent nuances such as 'permit' or 'leave undisturbed.' The verb does not carry the later theological or religious connotations associated with 'apostasy' unless specifically in religious contexts.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; properly, to pound, i.e. smite; by implication (as if beating out, and thus expanding) to disperse; also, to thrust off, down, out or upon (inclusively, reject, let alone, permit, remit, etc.); cast off, drawn, let fall, forsake, join (battle), leave (off), lie still, loose, spread (self) abroad, stretch out, suffer.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

נטש (n-ṭ-š) — to abandon, to forsake, to leave

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H5189 נְטִישָׁה the tendrils

Word Forms

25 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H5203-21 וַ/יִּטֹּ֨שׁ vayitosh HC/Vqw3ms and left and he abandoned 6
H5203-22 וְ/נָטַשְׁתִּ֗י venatasheti HC/Vqq1cs and-I-will-abandon and I will abandon 3
H5203-25 יִטֹּ֤שׁ yitosh HVqi3ms he will leave he will abandon 3
H5203-19 וַ/יִּנָּטְשׁ֖וּ vayinateshu HC/VNw3mp and spread out and they were abandoned 3
H5203-17 וּ/נְטַשְׁתִּ֣י/ךָ unetashetikha HC/Vqq1cs/Sp2ms And I will abandon you and I abandoned you 2
H5203-20 וַֽ/יִּטְּשֻׁ֑/הוּ vayiteshuhu HC/Vqw3mp/Sp3ms and left it and they abandoned him 2
H5203-12 נִטְּשׁ֖וּ niteshu HVNp3cp are loosed they were abandoned 2
H5203-15 תִּ֝טֹּ֗שׁ titosh HVqj2ms forsake may you abandon 2
H5203-16 וּ/נְטַשְׁתָּ֗/הּ unetashetah HC/Vqq2ms/Sp3fs and leave it and you abandoned her 1
H5203-03 נָטַ֗שְׁתָּה natashetah HVqp2ms you have forsaken you abandoned 1

Occurrences in Scripture

40 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H5203-07 Genesis 31:28 נְטַשְׁתַּ֔/נִי netashetani HVqp2ms/Sp1cs you allowed me you abandoned me
H5203-16 Exodus 23:11 וּ/נְטַשְׁתָּ֗/הּ unetashetah HC/Vqq2ms/Sp3fs and leave it and you abandoned her
H5203-21 Numbers 11:31 וַ/יִּטֹּ֨שׁ vayitosh HC/Vqw3ms and let fall and he abandoned
H5203-21 Deuteronomy 32:15 וַ/יִּטֹּשׁ֙ vayitosh HC/Vqw3ms and he forsook and he abandoned
H5203-06 Judges 6:13 נְטָשָׁ֣/נוּ netashanu HVqp3ms/Sp1cp has forsaken us he abandoned us
H5203-19 Judges 15:9 וַ/יִּנָּטְשׁ֖וּ vayinateshu HC/VNw3mp and spread out and they were abandoned
H5203-18 1 Samuel 4:2 וַ/תִּטֹּשׁ֙ vatitosh HC/Vqw3fs and spread and she abandoned
H5203-01 1 Samuel 10:2 נָטַ֤שׁ natash HVqp3ms has ceased he abandoned
H5203-25 1 Samuel 12:22 יִטֹּ֤שׁ yitosh HVqi3ms will-forsake he will abandon
H5203-21 1 Samuel 17:20 וַ/יִּטֹּ֤שׁ vayitosh HC/Vqw3ms and left and he abandoned
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