נְטַר
𐤍𐤈𐤓
nᵉṭar
H5202 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To keep, guard, or hold on to; in Aramaic contexts, primarily to retain, preserve, or hold back, especially in the sense of withholding action such as anger or forgiveness. The word is mostly used in the context of holding on to an attitude (such as anger), or retaining something rather than releasing it.
Semantic Range
to retain anger, to keep (a grudge), to hold on to (an attitude), to preserve, to withhold action, to keep in guarded or remembered status
Root / Etymology
Aramaic form corresponding to the Hebrew root נטר, meaning 'to keep, guard, retain.' The word is a derived verbal stem and occurs in Aramaic sections of the biblical text, particularly in Ezra and Daniel.
Historical & Contextual Notes
נְטַר is found in the Aramaic portions of the Hebrew Bible (notably Daniel and Ezra) and is not attested in standard Biblical Hebrew narrative or poetry. The verb is often used with negative attitudes: e.g., 'to retain anger' or 'to bear a grudge.' Its sense of 'keeping or retaining' is not directly related to physical guarding (as is often the case with Hebrew שָׁמַר, shamar), but rather to the non-relinquishment of an internal state. Standard English translations often render it as 'keep,' 'retain,' or 'hold,' but the nuance is frequently about not letting go, especially with reference to anger or resentment, which can be narrower than English 'keep.' In post-biblical and later Rabbinic Aramaic, the root retains a similar sense and is used in legal and ethical discourse about retaining or releasing claims.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
(Aramaic) corresponding to נָטַר; to retain; keep.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
נטר (n-ṭ-r) — to keep, retain, guard, hold back
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5202-01 |
נִטְרֵֽת | niteret | AVqp1cs |
I kept | I retained | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5202-01 |
Daniel 7:28 | נִטְרֵֽת | niteret | AVqp1cs |
I kept | I retained |