נָתַע (na.ta)
na.ta
to break
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb nataʿ is a rare word appearing only once in the Bible, in Job 4:10. Its core meaning involves breaking or breaking down. In this specific context, it describes the lion’s strength being broken.
The text uses the Niphal stem to show that the courage of the mighty lion is shattered. This image highlights how even the strongest creatures are vulnerable to weakness. The word captures a sudden loss of power rather than a gradual decline.
Because it appears just once, its meaning relies entirely on Job’s speech about nature and suffering. It serves as a vivid metaphor for human fragility when faced with divine judgment or hardship.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word nataʿ appears just once in Scripture, found in Job’s reflection on the fragility of power. It describes the sudden breaking of a lion’s strength, showing that even the fiercest creatures can lose their courage. This image reminds us that human resilience is not self-generated but sustained by God.
When life feels overwhelming, this verse offers comfort rather than fear. It acknowledges our vulnerability without leaving us in despair. The breaking of strength can lead to a deeper reliance on divine support, turning weakness into an opportunity for grace.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- they are broken out1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- נִתָּֽעוּ\׃1×
Key Verses
-
Job 4:10
The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, the teeth of the young lions, are broken.
This verse uses nataʿ to describe the sudden loss of the lion's courage, highlighting that even the strongest creatures are vulnerable to weakness.