Lexical Summary naar: Boy, lad, youth, servant Original Word: נָעַר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance shake off, out, self, overthrow, toss up and down A primitive root (probably identical with na'ar, through the idea of the rustling of mane, which usually accompanies the lion's roar); to tumble about -- shake (off, out, self), overthrow, toss up and down. see HEBREW na'ar NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to shake, shake out or off NASB Translation lose (1), overthrew (2), shake (2), shake free (1), shaken (2), shaken off (1), shakes (1), shook (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs II. [נָעַר] verb shake, shake out or off (Late Hebrew נָעַר shake, stir up, especially Pi`el, Niph`al; ᵑ7 נְעֹרֶת tow (see below); Arabic ![]() ![]() Qal Perfect1singular נָעַ֫רְתִּי Nehemiah 5:13; Participle active נֹעֵר Isaiah 33:9,15; passive Nehemiah 5:13; — shake out, to shew emptiness, ׳חָצְנִי נ Nehemiah 5:13 (symbolic), כַּמָּיו מִתְּמֹךְ בַּשֹּׁחַד ׳נ Isaiah 33:15; participle shaken out, emptied וָרֵק ׳נ Nehemiah 5:13 (i.e. stripped of possessions); shake off (leaves) Isaiah 33:9 (compare "" clause). Niph`al Perfect1singular נַנְעַ֫רְתִּי כָאַרְבֶּה Psalm 109:23 I am shaken out like a locust (from fold of a garment; simile of perishing helplessly); compare Imperfect3masculine plural וְיִנָָּֽעֲרוּ רְשָׁעִים מִמֶּ֑נָּה Job 38:13 to seize the corners of the earth that wicked men may be shaken out of it; 1 singular אִנָּעֵר Judges 16:20 I will shake myself (free ? compare Hithpa`el and GFM). Pi`el Imperfect3masculine singular jussive יְנַעֵר Nehemiah 5:13 so may God shake utterly out every man from (מִן) his house, etc.; וַיְנַעֵר Exodus 14:27 and ׳י shook off the Egyptian into (ב) the sea, = Perfect נִעֵר Psalm 136:15 (also with accusative + ב). Hithpa`el Imperative feminine singular הִתְנַעֲרִי מֵעָפָר Isaiah 52:2 shake thyself (free), etc. (of personified Zion). Topical Lexicon Root Idea and Semantic Range Strong’s Hebrew 5287 נָעַר (nāʿar) expresses a forceful shaking meant to dislodge, discard, or free something or someone from unwanted attachment. The image can be literal (dust, folds of a garment) or figurative (enemies, corruption, bribes, the wicked). Occurrences and Thematic Clusters 1. Exodus 14:27; Psalm 136:15 – YHWH “swept” (shook off) Pharaoh into the sea. These eleven uses fall naturally into four motifs: Divine judgment, personal liberation, covenant enforcement, and eschatological renewal. Divine Judgment and Salvation Exodus 14:27 records the decisive deliverance of Israel: “As the Egyptians fled toward it, the LORD swept them into the sea.” The same verb recurs in Psalm 136:15, reinforcing that what seemed like chaotic tossing was, in truth, controlled salvation. Job 38:13 widens the scope: dawn itself is commanded “that the wicked be shaken out of it,” showing cosmic subjugation to the Creator. Personal Resilience and Repentance Samson’s tragic statement, “I will go out as before and shake myself free” (Judges 16:20), exposes hollow self-confidence once the LORD has withdrawn. Conversely, Isaiah 52:2 calls captive Jerusalem to act in faith: “Shake off your dust; rise up.” The imperative acknowledges God’s sovereign grace yet demands human response. Psalm 109:23 voices lament—“I am shaken off like a locust”—but even this complaint drives the sufferer back to covenant hope (Psalm 109:26-27). Covenant Accountability Nehemiah’s prophetic gesture dramatizes covenant sanctions: “So may God shake out every man who fails to keep this promise” (Nehemiah 5:13). The community’s “Amen” links social justice to divine scrutiny. Isaiah 33:15 individualizes the same ethic: the righteous one “shakes his hands free of bribes,” refusing to let corruption cling. Cosmic and Eschatological Imagery Isaiah 33:9 pictures ecological collapse—Bashan and Carmel “shake off their leaves.” The prophet connects environmental devastation to national sin and anticipates restoration when Zion obeys the call of 52:2. Together they point to a coming kingdom in which evil is finally shaken out (compare Hebrews 12:26-27). Practical Ministry Insights • Preaching on deliverance: use Exodus 14 and Psalm 136 to show that God still “shakes off” oppressive powers at the Red Sea and at Calvary. Christological and New Testament Echoes Jesus instructs the Twelve, “If anyone will not receive you…shake the dust off your feet” (Matthew 10:14). The gesture mirrors Isaiah 52:2 and Nehemiah 5:13, signifying both judgment and freedom. Hebrews 12:27 alludes to the final “shaking” when only the unshakable kingdom remains—fulfilled in the risen Christ whose victory at the cross decisively “shook off” principalities (Colossians 2:15). Summary Nāʿar vividly portrays God’s power to separate His people from bondage, to purge wickedness from creation, and to demand integrity among His servants. Whether enacted by hand, robe, or cosmic dawn, each shaking anticipates the ultimate removal of all that opposes His reign and the firm establishment of those who belong to Him. Forms and Transliterations הִתְנַעֲרִ֧י התנערי וְאִנָּעֵ֔ר וְיִנָּעֲר֖וּ וְנִ֘עֵ֤ר וְנֹעֵ֥ר וַיְנַעֵ֧ר ואנער וינער וינערו ונער יְנַעֵ֪ר ינער נִ֝נְעַ֗רְתִּי נָע֖וּר נָעַ֗רְתִּי נֹעֵ֤ר ננערתי נעור נער נערתי hiṯ·na·‘ă·rî hiṯna‘ărî hitnaaRi nā‘artî nā‘ūr nā·‘ar·tî nā·‘ūr naArti naUr nin‘artî nin·‘ar·tî ninArti nō‘êr nō·‘êr noEr vaynaEr veinnaEr veNiEr venoEr veyinnaaRu way·na·‘êr wayna‘êr wə’innā‘êr wə·’in·nā·‘êr wə·ni·‘êr wə·nō·‘êr wə·yin·nā·‘ă·rū wəni‘êr wənō‘êr wəyinnā‘ărū yə·na·‘êr yəna‘êr yenaErLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Exodus 14:27 HEB: נָסִ֣ים לִקְרָאת֑וֹ וַיְנַעֵ֧ר יְהוָ֛ה אֶת־ NAS: into it; then the LORD overthrew the Egyptians KJV: it; and the LORD overthrew the Egyptians INT: were fleeing against overthrew the LORD Egyptian Judges 16:20 Nehemiah 5:13 Nehemiah 5:13 Nehemiah 5:13 Job 38:13 Psalm 109:23 Psalm 136:15 Isaiah 33:9 Isaiah 33:15 Isaiah 52:2 11 Occurrences |