Lexical Summary nethar: Natron, lye, soap Original Word: נְתַר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance shake off (Aramaic) corresponding to nathar -- shake off. see HEBREW nathar NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to nathar Definition to strip off NASB Translation strip off (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [נְתַר] verb Haph`el strip off (ᵑ7 נְתַר fall off; Syriac  ; Arabic  scatter; Assyrian našâru, diminish, shorten, Late Hebrew נָשַׁר fall off); — Imperative masculine plural אַתַּ֫רוּ (K§ 42 b)) Daniel 4:11 (accusative of leaves).Topical Lexicon Biblical Occurrence The verb נְתַר appears once, in Daniel 4:14, where the holy watcher commands concerning the great tree of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream: “Cut down the tree and trim off its branches, strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit!” (Berean Standard Bible). In the Aramaic narrative the verb marks a decisive, violent removal—leaves are forcibly “stripped off,” signaling the end of royal grandeur. Literary Setting in Daniel Nebuchadnezzar’s vision (Daniel 4:4-18) presents a colossal tree nurturing “every creature.” Its sudden reduction to a stump underlines the central theme of the chapter: “the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom He wills” (Daniel 4:17). נְתַר functions as a verbal hinge within the judgment formula—first pronouncing the cutting, then the stripping—so that every layer of the tree’s abundance is peeled away. It dramatizes how swiftly God can transform apparent permanence into exposure and need. Imagery of Divestiture and Humbling The action behind נְתַר is not gentle pruning but thorough dispossession. Flourishing foliage symbolizes security, beauty, and provision; its being “stripped off” depicts total vulnerability. Comparable biblical pictures include Isaiah 18:5, where luxuriant vines are “cut away,” and John 15:2, where unfruitful branches are taken away. Together they teach that what is not rooted in obedient humility cannot stand when God executes judgment. Historical and Prophetic Significance Daniel prophesies within Babylon’s imperial zenith. The single occurrence of נְתַר captures that empire’s abrupt reversal: within twelve months Nebuchadnezzar’s pride is broken (Daniel 4:29-33). The word therefore stands as a memorial to exiles that no earthly power is immune to divine reproof. Subsequent Jewish readers, living under successive empires, would hear in נְתַר both warning and comfort—warning to rulers, comfort to the oppressed that God dismantles arrogance. Theological Themes 1. Sovereignty: נְתַר underscores God’s uncontested right to remove what He once granted (Psalm 75:6-7). Practical Ministry Applications • Humility in leadership: Spiritual and civic leaders must recognize that positions, influence, and resources can be “stripped off” swiftly when pride supplants worship (Proverbs 16:18). Intertextual Echoes Daniel’s solitary נְתַר contributes to the larger biblical motif of shaking or removing: The word thus invites reflection on God’s ultimate shaking of all kingdoms until only His everlasting kingdom stands (Daniel 2:44). In sum, נְתַר is a vivid thread in Scripture’s tapestry of divine sovereignty, reminding every generation that what God strips away He does so for both judgment and redemptive purpose. Forms and Transliterations אַתַּ֥רוּ אתרו ’at·ta·rū ’attarū atTaruLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Daniel 4:14 HEB: וְקַצִּ֣צוּ עַנְפ֔וֹהִי אַתַּ֥רוּ עָפְיֵ֖הּ וּבַדַּ֣רוּ NAS: its branches, Strip off its foliage KJV: his branches, shake off his leaves, INT: and cut branches Strip foliage and scatter 1 Occurrence |
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