עָתַר (a.tar)
a.tar
be abundant
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb ‘atar carries the core meaning of abundance or being plentiful. It appears only once in the Old Testament, found in Proverbs 26:7 within a proverb describing foolishness. In this specific context, the form used is the Hiphil stem, which indicates causation or intensification.
Here, the phrase translates to "he multiplies his words" or "he becomes abundant in speech." The word highlights an excess of talk rather than wisdom. This single usage illustrates how the root describes a quantity that has grown beyond what is useful or appropriate, marking foolishness by its sheer volume of empty utterances.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word ‘atar describes a state of being abundant or plentiful, but its single appearance in Proverbs 26:7 reveals a specific nuance. In this context, it describes foolishness as an excess of words. It is not merely about speaking much, but about speech that has grown beyond what is useful or wise. This reminds us that quantity does not equal quality in communication.
When we find ourselves talking too much, especially when we are anxious or trying to prove a point, we may be falling into this trap of abundance without substance. Wisdom often looks like restraint. It is better to have few words that carry weight than many that add noise. This verse invites us to pause and consider if our speech is building up or just filling space.
God values clarity and truth over volume. We can trust Him with our thoughts, knowing that He hears the quiet heart as well as the loud voice. Let us seek to speak with purpose, letting our words be few but meaningful, reflecting the wisdom that comes from above rather than the abundance of empty talk.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ [are] abundant1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וְ֝/נַעְתָּר֗וֹת1×
Key Verses
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Proverbs 27:6
The wounds of a friend are faithful, although the kisses of an enemy are profuse.
This verse uses the related concept of profuse kisses to contrast with faithful wounds, illustrating how abundance in action can be deceptive, much like abundant words in folly.