אָטַר
to close up
Definition
The Hebrew verb אָטַר (ʼâṭar) means 'to close up' or 'to shut.' It specifically conveys the idea of closing something tightly, often implying a firm or complete closure. In its sole biblical occurrence in Psalm 69:15, it is used metaphorically, describing the 'pit' or deep waters closing over the psalmist's head, signifying overwhelming danger and entrapment. This usage emphasizes a powerful, inescapable shutting in, rather than a simple, mundane closing of a door.
Biblical Usage
This verb is used only once in the Old Testament, in Psalm 69:15. It appears in a poetic, lament context where the psalmist (traditionally David) cries out for deliverance from deep distress, using the vivid image of being engulfed by waters. The word is employed figuratively to express the feeling of being completely overwhelmed and trapped by calamity.
Etymology
אָטַר is a primitive root in Hebrew. Its core meaning relates to shutting or closing. Cognates in other Semitic languages, like Arabic, support this sense of 'to shut' or 'to stop up.' There are no widely attested derivative nouns from this specific root in Biblical Hebrew, keeping its usage simple and direct.
Semantic Range
Though used only once, אָטַר carries significant theological weight in its context. In Psalm 69:15, it poetically describes the psalmist's experience of divine judgment or profound suffering, feeling as if the earth itself is closing over him. This enriches the reading of the Psalms by providing a powerful Hebrew image for utter desperation and the cry for God's salvation from inescapable circumstances. It connects to themes of lament, judgment, and deliverance.
In the ancient Near Eastern context, pits and deep waters were common metaphors for death, Sheol, and chaos. The verb's use here taps into that cultural understanding of the grave or the abyss as a place that 'shuts' its victims in permanently. The modern reader might miss this visceral, cultural association of a pit closing as a symbol for mortal peril.
סָגַר (sāḡar, H5462) — a more common general verb for 'to shut' or 'close,' used for doors, heavens, etc. (e.g., Genesis 7:16). כָּלָא (kālāʼ, H3607) — means 'to shut up,' 'restrain,' or 'withhold,' often in the sense of confining or preventing (e.g., 1 Kings 8:35).
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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