נָתַשׁ
to tear away
Definition
The Hebrew verb נָתַשׁ (nâthash) fundamentally means to tear away, uproot, or pluck out by the roots. It describes a forceful, often violent, removal of something firmly planted or established. In a literal agricultural sense, it refers to the uprooting of plants or trees (2 Chronicles 7:20). Metaphorically, it is used for God's judgment in tearing a people away from their land, as seen in the warnings of exile (Deuteronomy 29:28, 1 Kings 14:15). Conversely, in a positive sense, it can describe God's action in uprooting wicked nations to plant His people, as in Jeremiah's call (Jeremiah 1:10).
Biblical Usage
נָתַשׁ is used 19 times, primarily in the prophetic and historical books. It appears in contexts of divine judgment, often paired with the opposite action of 'planting' (נָטַע, nâṭaʿ). For example, God promises to both 'pluck up' and 'plant' nations (Jeremiah 1:10, 12:14-15). It describes the destruction of idolatrous worship sites (2 Chronicles 7:20) and the utter ruin of the wicked (Psalm 9:6). The usage consistently conveys a complete, decisive, and often divinely orchestrated removal.
Etymology
נָתַשׁ is a primitive root. Its core meaning relates to a violent pulling or tearing out. Cognates in other Semitic languages, like Ugaritic and Arabic, support the sense of 'to pull out' or 'to pluck.' The Hebrew root itself does not derive from another known Hebrew word, indicating its basic, foundational nature for expressing the concept of radical displacement.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it vividly portrays God's sovereign authority over nations and history. It underscores that God is not only a planter and builder (Jeremiah 1:10) but also a judge who uproots what He has established due to covenant unfaithfulness (1 Kings 14:15). Understanding נָתַשׁ enriches the reading of prophetic literature, highlighting the seriousness of God's warnings and the comprehensiveness of His judgments, while also framing His restorative promises (Jeremiah 12:15) as acts of re-planting after necessary uprooting.
In an agrarian society, the image of uprooting a tree or plant was a powerful metaphor for total destruction and loss of stability. A plant's roots were its source of life and connection to the land; to tear it out was to ensure its death. This cultural understanding makes the biblical usage of נָתַשׁ for exile—being torn from one's ancestral land—profoundly resonant, conveying not just relocation but a severing of identity, heritage, and divine blessing associated with the Promised Land.
עָקַר (ʿāqar, H6131) — to root up or pluck up; often used interchangeably with נָתַשׁ, but can emphasize the ground being broken. שָׁרַשׁ (shārash, H8327) — to take root; the conceptual opposite, meaning to become firmly established. נָסַח (nāsach, H5255) — to pull or tear away; can be used for tearing down altars, with a slightly different nuance of pulling out or off.
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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