Original Word: נָטַע
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: nata`
Pronunciation: naw-TAH
Phonetic Spelling: (naw-tah')
KJV: fastened, plant(-er)
NASB: plant, planted, plants, establish, pitch, planters, well-driven
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. (properly) to strike in, i.e. fix
2. specifically, to plant (literally or figuratively)

fastened, planted

A primitive root; properly, to strike in, i.e. Fix; specifically, to plant (literally or figuratively) -- fastened, plant(- er).

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to plant
NASB Translation
establish (1), pitch (1), plant (31), planted (21), planters (1), plants (2), well-driven (1).

נָעַץ verb plant (Late Hebrew id., and derivatives; compare Sabean נטעת pavilion [? as planted, established] DHM^{ZMG xxxvii.(1883), 337, 349}): —

Qal Perfect3masculine singular Numbers 24:6 +, 2 masculine singular נָטָ֑עֵתָּ Deuteronomy 6:11, suffix 3masculine plural נְטַעְתָּם Jeremiah 12:2; 1singular נָטַ֫עְתִּי Jeremiah 45:4 2t., וְנָטַעְתִּ֫י Jeremiah 42:10; Ecclesiastes 2:5, suffix נְטַעְתִּיךְ Jeremiah 2:21, וּנְטַעְתִּיו consecutive 2 Samuel 7:10 = וּנְטַעְתִּיהוּ 1 Chronicles 17:9, וּנְטַעְתִּים consecutive Amos 9:15 2t., etc.; Imperfect3masculine singular יִטַּע Daniel 11:45, וַיִּטַּע Genesis 2:8 2t., suffix וַיִּטָּעֵ֫הוּ Isaiah 5:2; 2masculine singular תִּטַּע Deuteronomy 16:21 2t., suffix 3 feminine singular וַתִּטָּעֶ֑הָ Psalm 80:9; suffix 3masculine plural וַתִּטָּעֵ֫מוֺ Exodus 15:17, וַתְּטָּעֵם Psalm 44:3, etc.; Imperative נִטְעוּ Jeremiah 29:5 3t.; Infinitive לִנְטֹעַ Isaiah 51:16; Jeremiah 18:9, לִנְטוֺעַ Jeremiah 1:10; Jeremiah 31:28, לָטַעַת Ecclesiastes 3:2; Participle active נוֺטֵעַ Jeremiah 11:17, נֹטַע Psalm 94:9 (shewing originally a according to Lag^{BN 84}); plural נֹטְעִים Jeremiah 31:5; passive נָטוּעַ Ecclesiastes 3:2, plural נְטוּעִים Ecclesiastes 12:11; —

1 plant, with accusative of tree or vine Numbers 24:6 (J E; subject ׳י), Genesis 21:33 (J), Leviticus 19:23 (H), Isaiah 44:14; Psalm 106:16 (subject ׳י), Ecclesiastes 2:5 also (figurative of people) Jeremiah 2:21; Jeremiah 11:17; Psalm 80:9; Psalm 80:16; with accusative of vineyard Genesis 9:20 (J), Amos 5:11; Amos 9:14; 2 Kings 19:29 = Isaiah 37:30; Zephaniah 1:13; Deuteronomy 20:6; Deuteronomy 28:30,39; Jeremiah 31:5 (3 t. in verse); Jeremiah 35:7; Ezekiel 28:26; Isaiah 65:21; Proverbs 31:16; Psalm 107:37; Ecclesiastes 2:4; olive trees and vineyards Deuteronomy 6:11; Joshua 24:13 (D); garden Genesis 2:8 (׳י), Jeremiah 29:5,28; so with accusative אֲשֵׁרַָה כָּלעֵֿץ Deuteronomy 16:21; נִטְעֵי ׳נ נַעֲמָנִים Isaiah 17:10 (figurative of idolatry); absolute (literally) Isaiah 65:22; Ecclesiastes 3:2 (twice in verse) (opposed to עָקַר); with 2 accusative Isaiah 5:2 (plant vineyard with wine).

2 plant, figurative = establish, usually of establishing people, with accusative 2 Samuel 17:10 = 1 Chronicles 17:9; Amos 9:15 (opposed to נָתַשׁ), Ezekiel 36:36; Exodus 15:17 (song), especially Jeremiah 24:6; Jeremiah 32:41 (ב location), Jeremiah 42:10 (opposed to נָתַשׁ), Jeremiah 45:10 (opposed to id.), Psalm 44:3 (all of establishing Israel); of establishing wicked Jeremiah 12:2; absolute of establishing people Jeremiah 1:10; Jeremiah 18:9; Jeremiah 31:28; more literally, establish heavens Isaiah 51:16 ("" לִיסֹד אֶרֶץ); plant i.e. fix (late use) tents Daniel 11:45; מַשְׂמְרוֺת נְטוּעִים Ecclesiastes 12:11 nails planted, i.e. fixed in; even אֹזֶן ׳נ Psalm 94:9 he that, planted, the ear.

Niph`al Perfect3plural נִטָּ֑עוּ Isaiah 40:24 be planted, figurative, = be established.

Divine Gardener in Creation

The first occurrence of נָטַע sets the pattern for all that follows: “And the LORD God planted a garden in Eden, in the east” (Genesis 2:8). The verb situates the Lord as the original Gardener, establishing an ordered, fruitful environment for humanity. Every later use draws on this foundational act, whether speaking of literal orchards or symbolic communities.

Agricultural Context in the Torah

The Pentateuch employs נָטַע for everyday husbandry—vineyards, olive groves, and trees (Exodus 15:17; Leviticus 19:23; Deuteronomy 20:6; 28:30). Planting required patience; fruit was not eaten until the fifth year (Leviticus 19:23-25), impressing upon Israel that harvest belongs to the Lord. In Deuteronomy 20:6 the newly engaged planter was exempt from war, underscoring how cultivation tied one’s life and posterity to the Promised Land.

Warning Against Idolatrous Plantings

Planting could be perverted. “You shall not plant any tree as an Asherah beside the altar of the LORD your God” (Deuteronomy 16:21). The same verb that celebrates paradise also exposes counterfeit worship. Later prophets brand Judah’s shrines as “plantings” destined for shame (Isaiah 1:29-30).

Planting as Covenant Blessing

Planting typifies settled inheritance. “The LORD your God will bless you in the land… when you plant vineyards and olive groves” (Deuteronomy 28:8; cf. Psalm 44:2). The blessing formula often pairs נָטַע with building (Jeremiah 24:6), conveying stability. Conversely, covenant curses threaten that others will eat what Israel has planted (Deuteronomy 28:30; Amos 5:11).

National Planting of Israel

When David’s kingdom was secured, Nathan prophesied, “I will appoint a place for My people Israel and plant them, so that they may dwell in their own place and be disturbed no more” (2 Samuel 7:10). This promise echoes the Exodus refrain, “You will bring them in and plant them on the mountain of Your inheritance” (Exodus 15:17). The Exodus-Conquest narrative treats Israel itself as the Lord’s vineyard transplanted from Egypt (Psalm 80:8-9).

Prophetic Tension: Uprooting and Replanting

Jeremiah’s call “to uproot and tear down… to build and to plant” (Jeremiah 1:10) captures the double-edged nature of נָטַע. Divine judgment may uproot a nation, yet mercy replants the remnant (Jeremiah 24:6; 31:28). Ezekiel employs a cedar shoot to picture the Messianic king whom the Lord will “plant on a high and lofty mountain” so that “every kind of bird will dwell in it” (Ezekiel 17:22-23).

Righteous Lives as Plantings of the Lord

Wisdom and worship literature apply נָטַע to people rather than fields. “The righteous will flourish like a palm tree… planted in the house of the LORD” (Psalm 92:12-13). Isaiah foretells that the Servant will proclaim liberty “that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified” (Isaiah 61:3). Covenant faithfulness therefore expresses itself in rooted, fruitful lives within God’s presence.

Temple and Cultic Imagery

Solomon’s temple dedication reflects the earlier planting language: “I have built You an exalted house, a place for You to dwell forever” (1 Kings 8:13). While נָטַע is not explicitly used in that verse, the conceptual link between planting and permanent dwelling pervades priestly texts (cf. Psalm 68:16). Moreover, Psalm 52:8 depicts the worshiper as “an olive tree flourishing in the house of God,” blending agricultural and sanctuary motifs.

Eschatological Hope

Prophets close with promises of irreversible security. “They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit… My chosen ones will long enjoy the work of their hands” (Isaiah 65:21-22). Amos ends with the climactic word: “I will plant them on their land, and they will never again be uprooted” (Amos 9:15). Here נָטַע seals the certainty of the coming kingdom.

Christological Fulfillment

Though the Hebrew verb does not appear in the New Testament, its theology does. Jesus adopts vineyard imagery in parables (Matthew 21:33-44; John 15:1-8). The Father is still the Vinedresser; the Son is the true Vine; believers are branches whose fruitfulness proves genuine planting. Paul echoes Isaiah 61:3 when he portrays the church as God’s cultivated field (1 Corinthians 3:9).

Ministry Application

1. Perseverance: Like farmers, believers labor expectantly, knowing growth is God’s work (James 5:7).
2. Holiness: Idolatrous “plantings” must be removed; worship is regulated by God’s Word.
3. Mission: The promise to plant nations foreshadows global evangelism; the church participates by sowing the gospel.
4. Hope: Every uprooting is temporary for those in Christ; ultimate replanting is guaranteed in the New Jerusalem.

Across its fifty-plus occurrences, נָטַע portrays the Lord as Planter, Provider, and Protector, assuring His people that what He plants He will cause to prosper forever.

הֲנֹ֣טַֽע הַנּוֹטֵ֣עַ הנוטע הנטע וְיִטַּע֙ וְלִנְט֖וֹעַ וְלִנְטֹֽעַ׃ וְלִנְטֽוֹעַ׃ וְנִטְע֣וּ וְנִטְע֥וּ וְנָטְע֣וּ וְנָטַ֥עְתִּי וְנָטַעְתִּ֥י וְתִטָּעֵ֙מוֹ֙ וַיִּטְּע֣וּ וַיִּטַּ֖ע וַיִּטַּ֞ע וַיִּטַּ֥ע וַיִּטָּעֵ֙הוּ֙ וַתִּטָּעֵ֑ם וַתִּטָּעֶֽהָ׃ וּנְטַעְתִּ֖ים וּנְטַעְתִּ֙יהוּ֙ וּנְטַעְתִּ֞ים וּנְטַעְתִּיו֙ וּנְטַעְתֶּם֙ ויטע ויטעהו ויטעו ולנטוע ולנטוע׃ ולנטע׃ ונטעו ונטעתי ונטעתיהו ונטעתיו ונטעתים ונטעתם ותטעה׃ ותטעם ותטעמו יִטְּע֖וּ יטעו לִנְטֹ֤עַ לָטַ֔עַת לטעת לנטע נְטַעְתִּ֣יךְ נְטַעְתֶּ֔ם נְטַעְתָּם֙ נְטוּעִ֖ים נִטָּ֗עוּ נָ֣טְעָה נָטְע֥וּ נָטְעָ֣ה נָטַ֖עְתִּי נָטַ֣ע נָטַ֥ע נָטַ֥עְתִּי נָטָ֑עְתָּ נָטָֽע׃ נָטֽוּעַ׃ נֹטְעִ֖ים נטוע׃ נטועים נטע נטע׃ נטעה נטעו נטעים נטעת נטעתי נטעתיך נטעתם תִּטְּעִ֣י תִּטְּעִי֙ תִּטַּ֖ע תִטַּ֥ע תִטָּ֔עוּ תטע תטעו תטעי hă·nō·ṭa‘ han·nō·w·ṭê·a‘ hannoTea hannōwṭêa‘ haNota hănōṭa‘ lā·ṭa·‘aṯ lāṭa‘aṯ laTaat lin·ṭō·a‘ linToa linṭōa‘ nā·ṭa‘ nā·ṭā‘ nā·ṭa‘·tî nā·ṭā·‘ə·tā nā·ṭə·‘āh nā·ṭə·‘ū nā·ṭū·a‘ naTa nāṭa‘ nāṭā‘ nāṭā‘ətā nāṭa‘tî naTaeta naTati nāṭə‘āh nāṭə‘ū nateAh nateU naTua nāṭūa‘ nə·ṭa‘·tām nə·ṭa‘·tem nə·ṭa‘·tîḵ nə·ṭū·‘îm nəṭa‘tām nəṭa‘tem nəṭa‘tîḵ netaTam netaTem netaTich nəṭū‘îm netuIm niṭ·ṭā·‘ū niṭṭā‘ū nitTau nō·ṭə·‘îm nōṭə‘îm noteIm tiṭ·ṭa‘ ṯiṭ·ṭa‘ ṯiṭ·ṭā·‘ū tiṭ·ṭə·‘î titTa tiṭṭa‘ ṯiṭṭa‘ ṯiṭṭā‘ū titTau tiṭṭə‘î titteI ū·nə·ṭa‘·tem ū·nə·ṭa‘·tî·hū ū·nə·ṭa‘·tîm ū·nə·ṭa‘·tîw ūnəṭa‘tem ūnəṭa‘tîhū ūnəṭa‘tîm ūnəṭa‘tîw unetaTem unetaTihu unetaTim unetaTiv vaiyitTa vaiyittaEhu vaiyitteU vattittaEha vattittaEm velinToa venaTati venateU venitU vetittaEmov veyitTa wat·tiṭ·ṭā·‘e·hā wat·tiṭ·ṭā·‘êm wattiṭṭā‘ehā wattiṭṭā‘êm way·yiṭ·ṭa‘ way·yiṭ·ṭā·‘ê·hū way·yiṭ·ṭə·‘ū wayyiṭṭa‘ wayyiṭṭā‘êhū wayyiṭṭə‘ū wə·lin·ṭō·a‘ wə·lin·ṭō·w·a‘ wə·nā·ṭa‘·tî wə·nā·ṭə·‘ū wə·niṭ·‘ū wə·ṯiṭ·ṭā·‘ê·mōw wə·yiṭ·ṭa‘ wəlinṭōa‘ wəlinṭōwa‘ wənāṭa‘tî wənāṭə‘ū wəniṭ‘ū wəṯiṭṭā‘êmōw wəyiṭṭa‘ yiṭ·ṭə·‘ū yiṭṭə‘ū yitteUInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts