נָעַר (na.ar)
na.ar
to shake
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 9 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb na.ar describes the physical act of shaking, often with the specific purpose of emptying or removing something from a container or garment. In its most common usage, it depicts someone shaking out dust, debris, or emptiness to demonstrate that they are no longer responsible for what remains. This concrete action serves as a powerful metaphor for separation or renunciation of responsibility.
The sources highlight its use in contexts where individuals shake off the dust from their feet or clothes as a sign of disassociation. For instance, in Nehemiah 5:13, Nehemiah shakes out his garment to symbolize that God will similarly shake out anyone who does not keep this promise. Similarly, Isaiah 21:5 uses the imagery of shaking to describe the sudden collapse of security and strength.
This word carries significant theological weight by turning a simple physical motion into a statement of accountability. It is not merely about movement but about the deliberate act of leaving something behind or declaring one’s hands clean of a particular burden. The repeated use in prophetic and historical books underscores its role in marking clear boundaries between responsibility and innocence.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word na.ar describes the physical act of shaking, often to empty a garment or remove dust. In the ancient world, this was not just a casual movement but a deliberate gesture of separation. When someone shook out their clothes, they were publicly declaring that they no longer carried the burden or responsibility associated with what had been left behind.
For your faith, this word offers a profound picture of freedom from guilt and false obligations. It reminds us that God invites us to leave behind the weight of past failures, the expectations of others, or the shame we feel is too heavy to bear. Just as Nehemiah shook out his lap to signify a clean break from broken promises, you can trust that God provides the strength to release what no longer serves His purpose in your life.
This action points toward a deeper spiritual reality: we are not defined by the dust of our past or the burdens we have carried. Instead, we are called to arise and walk in newness of life, trusting that our hands are clean before God when we surrender our anxieties to Him.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 9 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ he shook off2×
- so/ they may be shaken1×
- so/ I may shake myself free1×
- shaken out1×
- shake yourself free1×
- may he shake out1×
- and/ [is] shaking off1×
- [one who] shakes out1×
- I shook out1×
- I have been shaken off1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- נֹעֵ֤ר1×
- נָעַ֗רְתִּי1×
- נָע֖וּר1×
- נִ֝נְעַ֗רְתִּי1×
- יְנַעֵ֪ר1×
- וַ/יְנַעֵ֧ר1×
- וְ/נֹעֵ֥ר1×
- וְ/נִ֘עֵ֤ר1×
- וְ/יִנָּעֲר֖וּ1×
- וְ/אִנָּעֵ֔ר1×
- הִתְנַעֲרִ֧י1×
Key Verses
-
Nehemiah 5:13
Also I shook out my lap, and said, “So may God shake out every man from his house, and from his labor, that doesn’t perform this promise; even may he be shaken out and emptied like this.” All the assembly said, “Amen,” and praised Yahweh. The people did according to this promise.
Nehemiah uses this action as a solemn oath, asking God to shake out anyone who fails to keep their promise, highlighting the word's role in establishing accountability.
-
Isaiah 52:2
Shake yourself from the dust! Arise, sit up, Jerusalem! Release yourself from the bonds of your neck, captive daughter of Zion!
The prophet commands Jerusalem to shake off dust and bonds, using the physical act as a metaphor for liberation from captivity and restoration of dignity.
-
Judges 16:20
She said, “The Philistines are upon you, Samson!” He awoke out of his sleep, and said, “I will go out as at other times, and shake myself free.” But he didn’t know that Yahweh had departed from him.
Samson attempts to shake himself free like previous times, illustrating how the word can describe a futile effort when divine strength has departed.