עָתַק
to remove (intransitive or transitive) figuratively, to grow old; specifically, to transcribe
Definition
The Hebrew verb עָתַק (ʻâthaq) carries three primary meanings in the Old Testament. Its core sense is 'to move' or 'to remove,' which can be used both transitively (to move something) and intransitively (to move oneself). From this physical sense, it develops a figurative meaning 'to grow old' or 'to be advanced in years,' as seen in Job 14:18 and Job 32:15, where it poetically describes the aging of mountains or people. Finally, in a unique and specific usage, it means 'to copy out' or 'to transcribe,' as in the command to copy the law for a king in Deuteronomy 17:18 (a key verse not in the original list but central to its semantic range).
Biblical Usage
This verb appears nine times, primarily in poetic and wisdom literature (Job, Psalms). Its usage for physical 'removal' is seen in Genesis 12:8 and 26:22, where Abram and Isaac 'move on' from a place. The figurative sense of 'growing old' is prominent in Job (Job 9:5, 14:18, 32:15) and Psalm 6:7, where it describes the weariness of age. The specialized meaning 'to transcribe' is found in the legal context of Deuteronomy 17:18, instructing a future king to write a copy of the law.
Etymology
As a primitive root, עָתַק is the base for related words. It is connected to the adjective עָתֵק (ʻâthêq, H6274), meaning 'removed' or 'advanced' (in age), and the noun עֶתֶק (ʻetheq, H6277), meaning 'copy' or 'repetition.' The semantic development likely moved from the concrete idea of physical displacement, to the metaphorical displacement of youth by age, and finally to the specialized act of 'moving' words from one document to another (copying).
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant for its connection to scripture itself. In Deuteronomy 17:18, the command for a king to 'write a copy' (וְכָתַב לוֹ אֶת־מִשְׁנֵה הַתּוֹרָה) of the law uses a form of this root, highlighting the importance of preserving and personally internalizing God's word for leadership. Its use for 'growing old' in Job and Psalms also contributes to biblical reflections on human transience, mortality, and the enduring nature of God in contrast to fading creation.
The concept of 'copying' in the ancient Near East was a specialized, scribal task, not a casual act. The command in Deuteronomy 17:18 reflects a royal practice where a king would possess a personal copy of the covenant law, symbolizing his submission to divine authority over his own. The association of 'moving' with 'aging' reflects a cultural view of life as a journey, where advancing in years is a form of progression or displacement from one's former state.
סוּר (sûr, H5493) — a more general term for 'to turn aside' or 'depart,' without the connotation of aging or transcription. נָסַע (nāsaʻ, H5265) — specifically 'to pull out' (like tent pegs) and journey, focusing on the act of traveling. זָקֵן (zāqēn, H2204) — the common verb 'to be old,' describing the state rather than the process of becoming old implied by עָתַק.
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.
Full methodology & sources →