נָתַק
𐤍𐤕𐤒
nâthaq
H5423 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To pull or tear away, to forcibly remove or separate by drawing, plucking, or breaking off. The term encompasses physical separation (such as uprooting, pulling, or tearing something from its place), as well as metaphorical senses such as estranging or separating people or groups. It generally conveys a sense of forceful action resulting in detachment either of objects or relationships.
Semantic Range
to pull off, to tear away, to break apart, to uproot, to pluck, to pull out, to draw away, to root out, to remove by force, to estrange or separate relationships
Root / Etymology
From the root נתק, which fundamentally conveys the idea of forcibly detaching or separating. The verb is a Qal stem, usually referring to acts of pulling out, tearing away, or breaking apart, with causative or passive forms sometimes attested.
Historical & Contextual Notes
נָתַק appears across various Biblical contexts, ranging from physical acts (breaking fetters, pulling out hair, uprooting), to metaphorical uses (estranging relationships, breaking alliances or bonds). In physical contexts, it frequently describes the force needed to separate something unwillingly (chains in Judges 16:9, hair in Ezra 9:3). In legal or metaphorical uses, it can refer to social or spiritual estrangement (Isaiah 58:6, referring to 'breaking every yoke'). The root is less commonly used compared to some synonyms (such as קָרַע 'to tear'), often highlighting the aspect of extraction or forced removal rather than merely the act of breaking. It is notable that later translations sometimes use 'destroy' or 'cut off' in places where the meaning is more specifically 'to tear out' or 'to separate by force'. Earlier uses tend to be more physical, while later texts may use it for relationship estrangement or covenantal language.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to tear off; break (off), burst, draw (away), lift up, pluck (away, off), pull (out), root out.
Bantu Hebrew
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נתק (n-t-q) — to tear away, to separate, to extract by force
Word Forms
20 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5423-10 |
נִתְּק֗וּ | nitequ | HVNp3cp |
are broken off | they were torn away | 3 |
H5423-19 |
יִנָּתֵ֤ק | yinateq | HVNi3ms |
he will be torn out | he will be torn away | 3 |
H5423-09 |
נִתָּֽקוּ | nitaqu | HVNp3cp |
are broken | were torn away | 2 |
H5423-18 |
יְנַתֵּ֜ק | yenateq | HVpi3ms |
he broke | he will tear away | 2 |
H5423-01 |
אֲנַתֵּ֑ק | anateq | HVpi1cs |
I will tear off | I will forcibly tear away | 2 |
H5423-08 |
נִתַּ֨קְתִּי֙ | nitaqeti | HVpp1cs |
I tore off | I forcefully tore away | 1 |
H5423-14 |
וַ/יְנַתֵּק֙ | vayenateq | HC/Vpw3ms |
and-he-snapped | and he ripped away | 1 |
H5423-03 |
הָנְתְּק֖וּ | hanetequ | HVHp3cp |
were drawn away | they were forcibly torn away | 1 |
H5423-20 |
יִנָּתֵֽקוּ | yinatequ | HVNi3mp |
be-broken | they will be torn away | 1 |
H5423-15 |
וַֽ/יְנַתְּקֵ֛/ם | vayenateqem | HC/Vpw3ms/Sp3mp |
and he snapped them | and he tore them away forcefully | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
27 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5423-17 |
Leviticus 22:24 | וְ/נָת֣וּק | venatuq | HC/Vqsmsa |
or torn | torn away |
H5423-10 |
Joshua 4:18 | נִתְּק֗וּ | nitequ | HVNp3cp |
were pulled up | they were torn away |
H5423-05 |
Joshua 8:6 | הַתִּיקֵ֤/נוּ | hatiqenu | HVhc/Sp1cp |
we-have-drawn-them | causing to tear us away |
H5423-16 |
Joshua 8:16 | וַ/יִּנָּתְק֖וּ | vayinatequ | HC/VNw3mp |
and were drawn away | and they were torn away |
H5423-14 |
Judges 16:9 | וַ/יְנַתֵּק֙ | vayenateq | HC/Vpw3ms |
and-he-snapped | and he ripped away |
H5423-19 |
Judges 16:9 | יִנָּתֵ֤ק | yinateq | HVNi3ms |
snaps | he will be torn away |
H5423-15 |
Judges 16:12 | וַֽ/יְנַתְּקֵ֛/ם | vayenateqem | HC/Vpw3ms/Sp3mp |
and he snapped them | and he tore them away forcefully |
H5423-03 |
Judges 20:31 | הָנְתְּק֖וּ | hanetequ | HVHp3cp |
were drawn away | they were forcibly torn away |
H5423-13 |
Judges 20:32 | וּֽ/נְתַקְּנֻ֔/הוּ | unetaqenuhu | HC/Vqq1cp/Sp3ms |
and draw him away | and we tore him away |
H5423-07 |
Isaiah 5:27 | נִתַּ֖ק | nitaq | HVNp3ms |
is broken | was torn away |