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נָתַץ

𐤍𐤕𐤑

nâthats

H5422 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To pull down or demolish by force, especially referring to structures such as buildings, walls, or altars. The verb can also denote figurative or symbolic acts of destruction or removal, such as breaking covenantal or social structures.

Semantic Range

to tear down (buildings or altars), to demolish (walls, houses, sacred structures), to break down (literal or figurative), to destroy, to remove forcibly, to overthrow a structure or institution

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root נ-ת-ץ, which core meaning is of forceful breaking or tearing down. The form נָתַץ is a standard Qal verb meaning 'to tear down,' 'to demolish.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, נָתַץ frequently refers to the physical demolition of altars, idolatrous shrines, or city walls, especially in the context of reformist actions taken by Israelite or Judahite kings (for example, the reforms of Hezekiah or Josiah). The term may also be used in prophetic contexts to symbolize the removal or judgment of social, religious, or political orders. In post-exilic and later periods, the verb can take on metaphorical connotations, being applied to interpersonal or institutional structures. The core semantic field is more forceful and destructive than related verbs such as סָתַר (H5640, 'to hide' or 'to cover') or שָׁבַר (H7665, 'to break'), as נָתַץ emphasizes the aspect of active demolition, particularly of established or revered structures. English translations like 'break down' or 'tear down' generally capture the sense, but at times the destructive, even violent, nuance may be understated. The verb’s specificity to physical (often sacred or cultic) structures is important for many passages in the Deuteronomistic history and the prophets.

Translation Consistency

primary "demolish" 20 occurrences

Demolish clearly and naturally covers the primary sense of נָתַץ — forcefully pulling down or destroying buildings, walls, altars, or institutions. It is unambiguous for physical destruction and also suits figurative removal or overthrow, and is preferable to the ambiguous single word “tear” or the two-word phrasal “tear down.”

Alternatives (22 occurrences):
"tear down" (8x) "tore down" (7x) "tore it down" (2x) "broken down" (1x) "break down" (1x) "tear you down" (1x) "shatter" (1x) "tears me down" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to tear down; beat down, break down (out), cast down, destroy, overthrow, pull down, throw down.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

נתץ (nâthats) — to tear down, demolish, break apart, destroy

Root נתץ to tear down, demolish, break apart, destroy

Word Forms

26 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H5422-03 נָתַ֣ץ natats HVqp3ms he has torn down he tore down he demolished 6
H5422-14 וַ/יְנַתְּצ֣וּ vayenatetsu HC/Vpw3mp and they broke down and they demolished and they demolished 3
H5422-18 וְ/לִ/נְת֖וֹץ velinetots HC/R/Vqc and to break down and to tear down and to tear down 3
H5422-05 נָֽתְצוּ֙ natetsu HVqp3cp broke down they tore down they tore down 2
H5422-08 נִתְּצוּ֙ nitetsu HVNp3cp are thrown down were torn down were demolished 2
H5422-11 תִּתֹּצ֔וּ/ן titotsun HVqi2mp/Sn you shall tear down you men will tear down you will tear down 2
H5422-15 וַֽ/יִּתְּצ֔וּ vayitetsu HC/Vqw3mp and they demolished and they tore down and they tore down 2
H5422-16 וַֽ/יִּתְּצֻ֔/הוּ vayitetsuhu HC/Vqw3mp/Sp3ms and they tore it down and they tore it down and they tore it down 2
H5422-17 וַ/יִּתֹּץ֙ vayitots HC/Vqw3ms And he broke down and he tore down and he tore down 2
H5422-19 וְ/נָתַ֞ץ venatats HC/Vqp3ms and broke down and he tore down and he demolished 2

Occurrences in Scripture

42 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H5422-11 Exodus 34:13 תִּתֹּצ֔וּ/ן titotsun HVqi2mp/Sn you shall tear down you men will tear down you will tear down
H5422-26 Leviticus 11:35 יֻתָּ֖ץ yutats HVHi3ms it shall be broken he will be torn down shall be broken down
H5422-19 Leviticus 14:45 וְ/נָתַ֣ץ venatats HC/Vqq3ms and-he-shall-break-down and he tore down and he shall break down
H5422-10 Deuteronomy 7:5 תִּתֹּ֔צוּ titotsu HVqi2mp you shall tear down you will tear down you shall tear down
H5422-20 Deuteronomy 12:3 וְ/נִתַּצְתֶּ֣ם venitatsetem HC/Vpq2mp you shall tear down you will thoroughly demolish you will thoroughly demolish
H5422-11 Judges 2:2 תִּתֹּצ֑וּ/ן titotsun HVqi2mp/Sn you shall tear down you men will tear down you will tear down
H5422-09 Judges 6:28 נֻתַּץ֙ nutats HVPp3ms was torn down was demolished was demolished
H5422-03 Judges 6:30 נָתַץ֙ natats HVqp3ms he has torn down he tore down he demolished
H5422-03 Judges 6:31 נָתַ֖ץ natats HVqp3ms he has torn down he tore down he demolished
H5422-03 Judges 6:32 נָתַ֖ץ natats HVqp3ms he broke down he tore down he demolished
H5422-01 Judges 8:9 אֶתֹּ֖ץ etots HVqi1cs I will tear down I will demolish I will demolish
H5422-03 Judges 8:17 נָתָ֑ץ natats HVqp3ms he beat down he tore down he demolished
H5422-17 Judges 9:45 וַ/יִּתֹּץ֙ vayitots HC/Vqw3ms and he razed and he tore down and he tore down
H5422-15 2 Kings 10:27 וַֽ/יִּתְּצ֔וּ vayitetsu HC/Vqw3mp and they demolished and they tore down and they tore down
H5422-15 2 Kings 10:27 וַֽ/יִּתְּצוּ֙ vayitetsu-2 HC/Vqw3mp and they demolished and they tore down and they tore down
H5422-16 2 Kings 11:18 וַֽ/יִּתְּצֻ֗/הוּ vayitetsuhu HC/Vqw3mp/Sp3ms and they tore it down and they tore it down and they tore it down
H5422-17 2 Kings 23:7 וַ/יִּתֹּץ֙ vayitots HC/Vqw3ms And he broke down and he tore down and he tore down
H5422-19 2 Kings 23:8 וְ/נָתַ֞ץ venatats HC/Vqp3ms and broke down and he tore down and he demolished
H5422-03 2 Kings 23:12 נָתַ֣ץ natats HVqp3ms did break down he tore down he demolished
H5422-03 2 Kings 23:15 נָתָ֑ץ natats HVqp3ms he broke down he tore down he demolished
H5422-05 2 Kings 25:10 נָֽתְצוּ֙ natetsu HVqp3cp broke down they tore down they tore down
H5422-12 Isaiah 22:10 וַ/תִּתְֿצוּ֙ vatitetsu HC/Vqw2mp and you demolished you tore down and you tore down
H5422-18 Jeremiah 1:10 וְ/לִ/נְת֖וֹץ velinetots HC/R/Vqc and to tear down and to tear down and to tear down
H5422-08 Jeremiah 4:26 נִתְּצוּ֙ nitetsu HVNp3cp were torn down were torn down were demolished
H5422-18 Jeremiah 18:7 וְ/לִ/נְת֖וֹץ velinetots HC/R/Vqc and to pull down and to tear down and to tear down
H5422-18 Jeremiah 31:28 וְ/לִ/נְת֛וֹץ velinetots HC/R/Vqc and to break down and to tear down and to tear down
H5422-02 Jeremiah 33:4 הַ/נְּתֻצִ֕ים hanetutsim HTd/Vqsmpa which are torn down the demolished ones the demolished ones
H5422-04 Jeremiah 39:8 נָתָֽצוּ natatsu HVqp3cp they-broke-down they demolished they demolished
H5422-05 Jeremiah 52:14 נָֽתְצוּ֙ natetsu HVqp3cp broke down they tore down they tore down
H5422-21 Ezekiel 16:39 וְ/נִתְּצ֣וּ venitetsu HC/Vpq3cp and-they-will-demolish and they demolished and they demolished
H5422-24 Ezekiel 26:9 יִתֹּ֖ץ yitots HVqi3ms he-will-break-down he will tear down he will tear down
H5422-25 Ezekiel 26:12 יִתֹּ֑צוּ yitotsu HVqi3mp they-will-pull-down they will tear down they will tear down
H5422-08 Nahum 1:6 נִתְּצ֥וּ nitetsu HVNp3cp are thrown down were torn down were demolished
H5422-22 Psalms 52:7 יִתָּצְ/ךָ֪ yitatsekha HVqi3ms/Sp2ms will uproot you he will tear you down he will tear you down
H5422-06 Psalms 58:7 נְתֹ֣ץ netots HVqv2ms shatter Tear down! shatter
H5422-23 Job 19:10 יִתְּצֵ֣/נִי yitetseni HVqi3ms/Sp1cs he breaks me down he tears me down he tears me down
H5422-16 2 Chronicles 23:17 וַֽ/יִּתְּצֻ֔/הוּ vayitetsuhu HC/Vqw3mp/Sp3ms and tore it down and they tore it down and they tore it down
H5422-14 2 Chronicles 31:1 וַ/יְנַתְּצ֣וּ vayenatetsu HC/Vpw3mp and-they-threw-down and they demolished and they demolished
H5422-07 2 Chronicles 33:3 נִתַּ֖ץ nitats HVpp3ms he had broken down he forcefully demolished he forcefully demolished
H5422-14 2 Chronicles 34:4 וַ/יְנַתְּצ֣וּ vayenatetsu HC/Vpw3mp they tore down and they demolished and they demolished
H5422-13 2 Chronicles 34:7 וַ/יְנַתֵּ֣ץ vayenatets HC/Vpw3ms and-he-broke-down and he demolished and he demolished
H5422-14 2 Chronicles 36:19 וַֽ/יְנַתְּצ֔וּ vayenatetsu HC/Vpw3mp and they broke down and they demolished and they demolished
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