Original Word: עָטָה
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: `atah
Pronunciation: ah-tah'
Phonetic Spelling: (aw-taw')
KJV: array self, be clad, (put a) cover (-ing, self), fill, put on, X surely, turn aside
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to wrap, i.e. cover, veil, cloth, or roll

array self, be clad, put a cover self, fill, put on, surely, turn aside

A primitive root; to wrap, i.e. Cover, veil, cloth, or roll -- array self, be clad, (put a) cover (-ing, self), fill, put on, X surely, turn aside.

I. עָטָה verb wrap oneself, enwrap envelop oneself (Arabic cover, conceal; Aramaic extinguish, destroy; Assyrian e‰û, be dark, e‰ûtu, darkness); —

Qal Perfect3masculine singular ׳וְע (consecutive) Jeremiah 43:12; 3plural וְעָטוּ (consecutive) Micah 3:7; Imperfect3masculine singular יַעְטֶה Leviticus 13:45 2t., וַיַּ֫עַט Isaiah 59:17; 2masculine singular תַּעְטֶה Ezekiel 24:17; 3masculine plural יַעֲטוּ (Baer ׳יַעְ) Psalm 71:13; Psalm 109:29; 2masculine plural תַּעְטוּ Ezekiel 24:22 Participle active עֹטֶה 1 Samuel 28:14; Psalm 104:2; feminine singular עֹטְיָה Songs 1:7; —

1 wrap, envelop oneself with something (accusative, like לבשׁ): וְהוּא עֹטֶה מְעִיל 1 Samuel 28:14 an old man ascending, and he is enwrapped in a robe; so הָרֹעֶה בִּגְדוֺ ׳יַע Jeremiah 43:12 (sim), and אֶתאֶֿרֶץ ׳וְע מִצְרֵיִם Jeremiah 43:12 he will wrap himself in the land of Egypt (use it as a robe, figurative, of Nebuchadnezzar; so completely will it be in his power, Gf); so figurative of ׳י, וַיַּעַטַ כַּמְעִיל קִנְאָה Isaiah 59:17 ׅ "" (לָבַשׁ, אֿוֺר כַּשַּׁלְמָה׳ע Psalm 104:2; of men, ׳כְּבֶגֶד יַע Psalm 109:19 (simile "" לָבַשׁ Psalm 109:18), כַמְעִיל בָּשְׁתָּם ׳וְיַע Psalm 109:29 ("" id.), ׳יַע ׳חָרְמָּה וגי Psalm 71:13; with עַל of part covered, in phrase וְעָטוּ עַלשָֿׂפָם Micah 3:7 they shall envelop themselves upon their beard (cover the beard, sign of mourning or shame Che Now Benz^{Archaeology 165} Now^{Archaeology i. 195}), so Ezekiel 24:17,22 (of leper) Leviticus 13:45 (P); participle feminine עֹטְיָה Songs 1:7 as substantive, one wrapping ( a veil about her), i.e. a mourner; > a harlot (compare Genesis 38:14); but read perhaps טֹעֲיָה wandering woman, see טעה. — וַיַּעַט etc., see עיט; מְעֻטָּה etc., see also עיט.

Hiph`il Perfect2masculine singular הֶעֲטִיתָ עָלָיו כּוּשָׁה Psalm 89:46 (of ׳י) thou hast wrapped shame upon him (enwrapped him in shame); Imperfect3masculine singular בְּרָכוֺת יַעְטֶה מוֺרֶה Psalm 84:7 early rain enwrappeth (it, עֵמֶק הַבָּכָא v^a) with blessings (ᵐ5 δώσει, as if from Arabic , III, IV. give, compare Ne^Marg.41); read probably also יַעֲטֵנִי Isaiah 61:10 (for ᵑ0 יְעָטָ֑נִי, see יעט) with a robe of rightness he envelopeth me,, so Brd Di Ry^Kau Du; >

Qal Perfect עָטָ֑נִי Klo Che^Hpt.

II. [עָטָה] verb grasp (Arabic , I, VII. take with hands); —

Qal Infinitive absolute + Participle active suffix וְעֹטְךָ עָטֹה Isaiah 22:17 he shall grasp thee forcibly, compare Ges^Comm. Hi Ew De Che^Comm. Di Gu^Kau; > Thes Rob-Ges Buhl^Lex (13) from I. טְה (he shall wrap, roll thee tight together) for this verb not transitive

Root Idea and Range of Meaning

עָטָה portrays the action of drawing something around oneself or another, whether a garment, the mouth, a people, shame, or even divine zeal. The verb therefore moves easily between the literal (wrapping or veiling) and the figurative (clothing in honor or disgrace, surrounding in judgment or protection).

Physical Covering in Ritual and Mourning

Leviticus 13:45 prescribes that the leper “must cover his mouth and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean!’ ”. This visible self-veiling protected the community and testified to personal contagion and spiritual defilement. Ezekiel was commanded twice (Ezekiel 24:17, 24:22) not to “cover your mustache,” modeling the restraint of outward mourning during Jerusalem’s impending fall. Micah 3:7 pictures false prophets reduced to silence: “They will all cover their mouths because there is no answer from God”. In each scene עָטָה marks external actions that mirror inner conditions—uncleanness, restraint, or shame.

Garments, Honor, and Shame

When the medium describes Samuel to Saul, she observes “an old man … wrapped in a robe” (1 Samuel 28:14). The robe signals dignity even in the realm of the dead. By contrast, the Psalter repeatedly asks that enemies be wrapped in humiliation:
• “May those who seek my harm be covered with scorn and disgrace” (Psalm 71:13).
• “You have covered him with shame” (Psalm 89:45).
• “May it be like a garment wrapped about him” (Psalm 109:19; cf. 109:29).

The same verb is used for blessing as well: the early rain “covers” the Valley of Baca with pools (Psalm 84:6), showing that God can drape the landscape with abundance just as easily as He clothes men with ignominy.

Divine Majesty and Warrior Imagery

Psalm 104:2 exults, “He wraps Himself in light as with a garment.” Light here is not mere illumination but the regal mantle of the Creator, echoing Eden’s unmediated glory and prefiguring the transfigured Christ (Matthew 17). Isaiah 59:17 pictures the LORD as Divine Warrior: “He put on garments of vengeance and wrapped Himself in zeal as in a cloak”. Paul later draws upon this passage for the “armor of God” (Ephesians 6:14–17), rooting New-Covenant warfare in the Old-Covenant revelation of God’s own battle dress.

Prophetic Judgment and National Upheaval

Isaiah 22:17 warns the proud official Shebna that the LORD will seize him and “wrap you tightly” before hurling him away—an image of inescapable capture. Jeremiah 43:12 foretells Babylon’s conquest of Egypt: “As a shepherd wraps his garment around him, so will Nebuchadnezzar wrap Egypt around himself”. Here עָטָה conveys total possession; the conqueror enfolds the vanquished as effortlessly as cloth around the body.

Pilgrimage Blessing and Bridal Modesty

Song of Songs 1:7 asks why the Shulammite should be “like one who veils herself” beside the flocks, hinting at modesty and the desire for exclusive fellowship. The same root thus embraces both the joyous intimacy of covenant love and the priestly purity demanded in Leviticus.

Theological Threads

1. COVERING AND ATONEMENT: While עָטָה itself does not denote atonement, its idea of envelopment foreshadows the greater covering provided by the blood of Christ, whose righteousness becomes our garment (Romans 13:14; Revelation 7:14).
2. SHAME OR GLORY: Scripture consistently uses the verb to show that God alone determines whether a person is wrapped in honor or disgrace; human pride or repentance tips the scale.
3. ALREADY/NOT YET: Isaiah’s warrior God “wrapped in zeal” points forward to the final revelation when the Lamb will come “dressed in a robe dipped in blood” (Revelation 19:13).

Ministry Reflections

• Pastors can call the flock to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ” by contrasting the temporary coverings of self-made honor with the lasting robe of salvation.
• In counseling, the imagery of shame being “wrapped around” an individual (Psalms 89, 109) invites discussion of Christ’s power to remove disgrace and clothe the believer with dignity.
• The prophetical use (Jeremiah 43; Isaiah 22) reminds leaders that positions and nations are easily “wrapped up” and removed when pride displaces humility.

Across its seventeen appearances, עָטָה intertwines the visible act of wrapping with the invisible realities of divine judgment, protection, blessing, and glory—each thread converging on the ultimate covering found in the gospel.

הֶֽעֱטִ֨יתָ העטית וְיַעֲט֖וּ וְעָט֥וּ וְעָטָה֩ וְעֹטְךָ֖ וַיַּ֥עַט ויעט ויעטו ועטה ועטו ועטך יַֽעֲט֣וּ יַעְטֶ֑ה יַעְטֶ֤ה יַעְטֶ֥ה יעטה יעטו כְּעֹ֣טְיָ֔ה כעטיה עָטֹֽה׃ עֹֽטֶה־ עֹטֶ֖ה עטה עטה־ עטה׃ תַעְט֔וּ תַעְטֶה֙ תעטה תעטו ‘ā·ṭōh ‘āṭōh ‘ō·ṭeh ‘ō·ṭeh- ‘ōṭeh ‘ōṭeh- aToh he‘ĕṭîṯā he·‘ĕ·ṭî·ṯā heeTita kə‘ōṭəyāh kə·‘ō·ṭə·yāh keOteYah oTeh ṯa‘·ṭeh ṯa‘·ṭū ṯa‘ṭeh ṯa‘ṭū taTeh taTu vaiYaat veaTah veaTu veoteCha veyaaTu way·ya·‘aṭ wayya‘aṭ wə‘āṭāh wə‘āṭū wə‘ōṭəḵā wə·‘ā·ṭāh wə·‘ā·ṭū wə·‘ō·ṭə·ḵā wə·ya·‘ă·ṭū wəya‘ăṭū ya‘·ṭeh ya‘ăṭū ya‘ṭeh ya·‘ă·ṭū yaaTu yaTehInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts