נָקַט
to loathe
Definition
The verb נָקַט (nâqaṭ) means to feel a deep, visceral disgust or loathing, often to the point of being utterly weary or disgusted with something. In its sole biblical occurrence in Job 10:1, it describes Job's profound emotional and spiritual exhaustion, where he declares, 'My soul is weary of my life.' The sense extends beyond simple dislike to a state of being completely fed up or disgusted, often from prolonged hardship. This meaning aligns with the King James Version's translation as 'weary,' capturing the resultant fatigue from such intense aversion.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in the poetic book of Job. It appears in Job 10:1 within Job's lament, expressing his deep disgust and weariness with his own existence due to his immense suffering. The context is a personal, emotional outburst of despair, showing the word's use for expressing extreme personal loathing and spiritual fatigue.
Etymology
נָקַט is considered a primitive root in Hebrew. Its core meaning relates to being disgusted or loathing. Cognates in other Semitic languages, like Akkadian 'naqāṭu' meaning 'to curse,' suggest an original sense connected to strong rejection or condemnation, which developed into the concept of visceral disgust and weariness found in Biblical Hebrew.
Semantic Range
Though used only once, this word is theologically significant as it gives voice to the raw, human experience of despair within the context of suffering and divine questioning. In Job 10:1, it captures the depth of a righteous man's anguish, enriching our understanding of biblical lament. It shows that Scripture authentically includes expressions of profound weariness with life itself, which can validate similar human experiences while pointing toward the need for God's perspective and ultimate redemption.
In the ancient Near Eastern context, expressing such direct loathing for one's life was a powerful literary and rhetorical device, highlighting extreme distress. It differs from some modern sensitivities by its stark, unvarnished portrayal of despair within a prayer or lament directed to God, showing a cultural acceptance of bringing even the darkest emotions before the divine.
קוּץ (qûṣ, H6973) — to feel a loathing or disgust, often used in the context of detesting food or being sickened. שָׂנֵא (śānēʾ, H8130) — to hate or be an enemy; focuses more on active hatred or opposition rather than the weary disgust of נָקַט. יָגַע (yāḡaʿ, H3021) — to labor, grow weary, or be exhausted; focuses more on the physical or toil-related fatigue that can result from hardship.
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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