Original Word: נָתַק
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: nathaq
Pronunciation: naw-thak'
Phonetic Spelling: (naw-thak')
KJV: break (off), burst, draw (away), lift up, pluck (away, off), pull (out), root out
NASB: drawn away, torn apart, broken, snapped, tear off, torn, break
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to tear off

break off, burst, draw away, lift up, pluck away, off, pull out, root out

A primitive root; to tear off -- break (off), burst, draw (away), lift up, pluck (away, off), pull (out), root out.

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to pull, draw, or tear away, apart, or off
NASB Translation
break (1), broke apart (1), broken (2), burst (1), drag off (1), draw away (1), drawn away (3), lifted (1), pull (1), pull off (1), separated (1), snapped (2), snaps (1), tear (1), tear apart (1), tear off (2), tore off (1), torn (2), torn apart (3).

[נָתַק] verb pull, draw, tear away, apart, off (Late Hebrew id.; ᵑ7 נְתַק in derived species (rare), pull off, tear off; Christian-Palestinian Aramaic shake off, Schw^{Idioticon 58}; Arabic pull off, draw out, shake; Di⁶⁶⁰ compare Ethiopic detrahere, etc.); —

Qal Perfect1plural suffix וּנְתַקְּנוּהוּ consecutive Judges 20:32 (on dagesh forte dirimens see Ges^{§ 20h}); Imperfect1singular suffix אֶתְּקֶנְךָּ Jeremiah 22:24 (compare Ges^{§ 58}, i); Passive participle נָתוּק Leviticus 22:24; —

1 draw away warriors from (מִן) city, unto (אֶלֿ) high road Judges 20:32.

2 draw or pull off ring from (מִן) finger Jeremiah 22:24 (figurative of rejection of king of Judah by ׳י).

3 pull, tear away Leviticus 22:24 (passive, of testicles, + מָעוּךְ, כָּתוּת, כָּרוּת).

Niph`al Perfect3masculine singular נִתַּק Isaiah 5:27; 3plural נִתְּקוּ Joshua 4:18; Job 17:11, נִתָּ֑קוּ Jeremiah 6:29; Jeremiah 10:20; Imperfect3masculine singular יִנָּתֵק Judges 16:9 2t.; 3 masculine plural וַיִּנָָּֽתְקוּ Joshua 8:16, יִנָּתֵ֑קוּ Isaiah 33:20; —

1 be drawn away from (מִן) city Joshua 8:16 (compare Qal 1); of soles of feet, be drawn out (from water) unto (אֶלֿ) dry ground Joshua 4:18.

2 be torn apart, or in two, snapped: of sandal-thong Isaiah 5:27, strand of tow Judges 16:9 (simile), cord Ecclesiastes 4:12; especially tent-cord (in figurative) Isaiah 33:20; Jeremiah 10:20, so יִנָּתֵק מֵאָהֳלוֺ מִבְטַחוֺ Job 18:14; metaphor of plans (זִמֹּת) Job 17:11.

3 be separated, in smelting, figurative, רָעִים לֹא נִתָּ֑קוּ Jeremiah 6:29.

Pi`el Perfect1singular נִתַּקְתִּי Jeremiah 2:20; 3plural נִתְּקוּ Jeremiah 5:5; Imperfect3masculine singular יְנַתֵּק Ezekiel 17:9; Psalm 107:14, וַיְנַתֵּק Judges 16:9, suffix וַיְנַתְּקֵם Judges 16:12; 2feminine singular תְּנַתֵּ֑קִי Ezekiel 23:34; 1singular אֲנַתֵּק Nahum 1:13; 1plural נְנַתְּקָה cohortative Psalm 2:3; 2masculine plural תְּנַתֵּ֑קוּ Isaiah 58:6; —

1 tear apart, snap, with accusative הַיְתָרִים Judges 16:9 the cords, Judges 16:12 (+ מֵעַל זְרֹעֹתָיו); especially with accusative מוֺסֵרוֺת, bonds (figurative) Nahum 1:13; Jeremiah 2:20; Jeremiah 5:5; Jeremiah 30:8; Psalm 2:3; Psalm 107:14; object מוֺטָה Isaiah 58:6 ("" מַּתֵּחַ, and הַתֵּר אֲגֻדּוֺת מוֺטָה).

2 tear out, up, object roots Ezekiel 17:9 (in figurative); tear out, away, object breasts Ezekiel 23:34 (in violent figurative of Jerusalem as drunken woman).

Hiph`il 1. Infinitive construct suffix הַתִּיקֵנוּ: draw away warriors from (מִן) city Joshua 8:6 (= Qal 1).

2 Imperative masculine singular suffix הַתִּקֵם drag them away like sheep to slaughter Jeremiah 12:3 (of ׳יs dealing with wicked).

Hoph`al Perfect (si vera lectio) הָנְתְּקוּ מִןהָֿעִיר Judges 20:31 they were drawn away from the city (compare Niph`al 1), but probably gloss, see GFM.

Patterns of Separation and Removal

The verb נָתַק appears roughly twenty-seven times, always conveying forcible separation—stones from houses, hair from heads, people from lands, kingdoms from dynasties, or deceivers from their prey. In every case the action is decisive, leaving what remains purified, liberated, or judged.

Physical and Ritual Purification

• Leviticus 13:56 instructs that a mildew-stained portion of cloth be “cut out of the garment.”
• Leviticus 14:40–45 repeats the command for infected houses: “the contaminated stones [shall] be pulled out and thrown into an unclean place outside the city” (14:40).

Mold in garments and masonry symbolized invasive uncleanness. The only remedy was excision, not cosmetic cover. This anticipates the New Testament call to “put off the old self” rather than merely refurbish it. Ministry application: holiness requires radical, not partial, removal of corruption.

Demolition of Idolatry

Josiah’s reforms use נָתַק for the destruction of the Bethel shrine: “He pulled down the altar…and burned it, grinding it to powder” (2 Kings 23:15–16, cf. 17:21). Tearing down idolatrous structures embodied covenant loyalty. Modern ministry likewise recognizes that idols (whether tangible or ideological) cannot be managed; they must be dismantled.

National Severance

In 2 Kings 17:21, the Lord “tore Israel away from the house of David,” fulfilling earlier warnings. The verb underscores both divine initiative and finality: political unity cannot stand where spiritual fidelity fails. The split kingdom becomes a living parable of the cost of apostasy and a sober reminder that God’s redemptive plan is never thwarted even when individual nations are judged.

Judicial and Personal Discipline

Nehemiah confronted mixed marriages with public sanctions: “I rebuked them…beat some of them and pulled out their hair” (Nehemiah 13:25). The physical pulling embodies the moral rift created by disobedience. Job 24:2 laments social injustice: “Men move boundary stones; they seize flocks and pasture them,” portraying ruthless detachment of property from rightful owners. Both texts highlight that forcible separation, when misapplied, violates God’s justice, but when applied under divine authority, restores it.

Prophetic Deliverance from Deception

Ezekiel targets occult practices: “I am against your magic bands… I will tear them from your arms and set free the people you ensnare” (Ezekiel 13:20–21). Here נָתַק reverses bondage, liberating victims. The gospel ministry continues this pattern, casting down strongholds and freeing captives through truth.

Theological Trajectory

1. Sin infects (Leviticus), deceives (Ezekiel), enslaves (2 Kings), and divides (Nehemiah).
2. God intervenes decisively—sometimes through human agents—to tear away corruption.
3. The ultimate remedy arrives in Christ, who was Himself “cut off” (Daniel 9:26; prophetic echo) so believers might be “grafted in” (Romans 11:17). The negative image of נָתַק thus points forward to the positive work of substitution and reconciliation.

Pastoral Implications

• Preaching: expose and excise spiritual mildew early; delay only deepens damage.
• Discipleship: cultivate intolerance for idolatry; partial measures invite relapse.
• Church discipline: when exercised biblically, separation can protect the flock and offer offenders a path to restoration (1 Corinthians 5:5 echoes the principle).
• Social ethics: oppose unjust “removals” (Job 24:2) and advocate for restitution, reflecting God’s heart for the oppressed.

Summary

נָתַק depicts the Lord’s uncompromising action against impurity and oppression, whether in fabrics, houses, altars, nations, or hearts. Recognizing its pattern equips believers to pursue holiness, dismantle idolatry, administer righteous discipline, and proclaim the liberating gospel that ultimately heals every rightful separation.

אֲנַתֵּ֑ק אֲנַתֵּֽק׃ אֶתְּקֶֽנְךָּ׃ אנתק אנתק׃ אתקנך׃ הַתִּיקֵ֤נוּ הַתִּקֵם֙ הָנְתְּק֖וּ הנתקו התיקנו התקם וְנָת֣וּק וַֽיְנַתְּקֵ֛ם וַיְנַתֵּק֙ וַיִּנָּתְק֖וּ וּֽנְתַקְּנֻ֔הוּ וינתק וינתקו וינתקם ונתוק ונתקנהו יְנַתֵּ֜ק יְנַתֵּֽק׃ יִנָּתֵ֣ק יִנָּתֵ֤ק יִנָּתֵֽק׃ יִנָּתֵֽקוּ׃ ינתק ינתק׃ ינתקו׃ נְֽ֭נַתְּקָה נִתְּק֑וּ נִתְּק֖וּ נִתְּק֗וּ נִתַּ֖ק נִתַּ֙קְתִּי֙ נִתָּ֑קוּ נִתָּֽקוּ׃ ננתקה נתק נתקו נתקו׃ נתקתי תְּנַתֵּ֑קִי תְּנַתֵּֽקוּ׃ תנתקו׃ תנתקי ’ă·nat·têq ’ănattêq ’et·tə·qen·kā ’ettəqenkā anatTek etteKenka hā·nə·tə·qū haneteKu hānətəqū hat·tî·qê·nū hat·ti·qêm hattiKem hattiKenu hattiqêm hattîqênū nə·nat·tə·qāh Nenattekah nənattəqāh nit·tā·qū nit·taq nit·taq·tî nit·tə·qū nitTak nitTakti nitTaku nittaq nittaqtî nittāqū nitteKu nittəqū tə·nat·tê·qî tə·nat·tê·qū tenatTeki tenatTeku tənattêqî tənattêqū ū·nə·ṯaq·qə·nu·hū unetakkeNuhu ūnəṯaqqənuhū vaiyinnateKu vaynatTek vaynatteKem venaTuk way·nat·tə·qêm way·nat·têq way·yin·nā·ṯə·qū waynattêq waynattəqêm wayyinnāṯəqū wə·nā·ṯūq wənāṯūq yə·nat·têq yenatTek yənattêq yin·nā·ṯê·qū yin·nā·ṯêq yinnaTek yinnaTeku yinnāṯêq yinnāṯêqūInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts