Lexical Summary natil: Burden, load Original Word: נְטִיל Strong's Exhaustive Concordance ladenFrom natal; laden -- that bear. see HEBREW natal NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom natal Definition laden NASB Translation weigh (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [נָטִיל] adjective laden, only plural construct נְטִילֵי כָ֑סֶף Zephaniah 1:11 those laden with silver.. Topical Lexicon Overview Nəṭîl (Strong’s 5187) appears once in Scripture, Zephaniah 1:11, where it identifies those who “weigh out silver.” The vocabulary evokes the bustling mercantile life of late-monarchic Judah and becomes a lens through which the prophet denounces economic corruption under divine judgment. Historical and Cultural Background In the ancient Near East precious metals were commonly measured on balance scales before coinage became standardized. Professional “weighers” served as trusted middlemen in market districts, guaranteeing accurate transactions for both retailers and larger wholesale caravans (compare Genesis 23:16; Jeremiah 32:10). In Jerusalem this trade flourished in the Mishneh and Maktesh quarters that lay near the Tyropoeon Valley—areas densely populated by craftsmen, bankers, and Phoenician importers. Zephaniah singles out this group because the reliability of their vocation made any dishonesty especially egregious. Literary Context in Zephaniah “Wail, O dwellers of the Market District, for all your merchants will be silenced; all those who weigh out silver will be cut off” (Zephaniah 1:11). The oracle forms part of a tripartite announcement (Zephaniah 1:10-13) in which the Lord walks through Jerusalem, sounding judgment on social strata from royal officials (verse 8) to complacent homeowners (verse 13). Nəṭîl marks an occupational class whose commercial influence shaped daily life. Their downfall symbolizes the collapse of Judah’s economic confidence and demonstrates that divine judgment spares no social veneer. Theological Significance 1. Divine concern for economic righteousness Applications in Ministry • Integrity in commerce: Christian professionals engaged in finance and trade are urged to practice transparent dealings, echoing Zephaniah’s implicit standard (2 Corinthians 8:21). Related Words and Passages • moʾzen (“scales”) – Proverbs 11:1, Micah 6:11 Nəṭîl thus stands as a concise yet potent reminder that divine holiness reaches into the weighing room as surely as into the sanctuary, calling every vocation to honest stewardship under the watchful eye of the Lord. Forms and Transliterations נְטִ֥ילֵי נטילי nə·ṭî·lê nəṭîlê neTileiLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Zephaniah 1:11 HEB: נִכְרְת֖וּ כָּל־ נְטִ֥ילֵי כָֽסֶף׃ NAS: All who weigh out silver KJV: are cut down; all they that bear silver INT: will be cut All weigh silver 1 Occurrence |
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