נְתַר

נְתַר

Definition

The Aramaic noun נְתַר (nᵉthar) means 'a shaking off' or 'a removal.' It appears only in Daniel 4:14 (Aramaic portion), where the divine decree commands that the tree (representing King Nebuchadnezzar) be cut down, but its stump and roots be left bound with a band of iron and bronze. The purpose stated is 'until seven times pass over him' (Daniel 4:16, 23, 25), but the text also includes the phrase 'in the tender grass of the field.' Some translations (like the KJV) render a related verbal form as 'shake off,' implying the removal of leaves or fruit, though the exact nuance in this poetic decree is debated. The core sense is of a decisive, divinely ordained stripping away.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only once in the entire Bible, in the Aramaic section of the book of Daniel (Daniel 4:14). It occurs within the prophetic dream of Nebuchadnezzar, interpreted by Daniel. The usage is in the context of a judicial decree from the 'watchers' (heavenly beings) describing the fate of a great tree, which symbolizes the king's pride and coming humiliation. The term helps convey the totality and inevitability of the judgment that will 'remove' the king's dominion and sanity for a set period.

Etymology

נְתַר (nᵉthar) is an Aramaic noun directly corresponding to the Hebrew verb נָתַר (nathar, H5425), which means 'to jump, to shake, to shake off or out.' The Aramaic form retains this core idea of a forceful removal or separation. It shares a semantic field with other Semitic roots indicating shaking, loosening, or breaking free.

Semantic Range

This word, though used only once, is theologically significant as it is embedded in a key passage about God's sovereignty over human kingdoms and pride. In Daniel 4, the decree of 'shaking off' is an act of divine judgment meant to humble the mightiest ruler on earth and teach that 'the Most High rules the kingdom of men' (Daniel 4:17, 25). Understanding this term reinforces the theme that God actively intervenes to 'remove' arrogance and that even severe judgments have a redemptive purpose—here, leading Nebuchadnezzar to acknowledge the true God (Daniel 4:34-37). In the ancient Near Eastern context of Daniel, trees were common symbols for kings, empires, and their stability (cf. Ezekiel 31, Judges 9:8-15). A decree to 'shake off' or strip a tree would be understood as a direct assault on a king's power, vitality, and honor. This imagery powerfully communicated the complete and public nature of Nebuchadnezzar's coming humiliation, which would have been shocking to a culture that viewed monarchs as nearly divine. נָתַר (nathar, H5425) — The Hebrew verb root meaning 'to shake off,' from which the Aramaic noun is derived. גָּדַע (gada`, H1438) — 'to cut down' (as in the tree in the same verse), emphasizing destruction rather than removal. עָקַר (`aqar, H6131) — 'to uproot,' a more total removal than a shaking off.

Word Details