What does נָטַף (nataf) mean in the Bible?
נָטַף (nataf): Liquid dispensed drop-by-drop; moves figuratively to inspired utterance dripping from prophet's mouth.
Hebrew · H5197
נָטַף
To ooze , i.e. distil gradually ; by implication, to fall in drops ; figuratively, to speak by inspiration
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נָטַף H5197
Pronunciation nataf
What does נָטַף (nataf) mean in the Bible?
נָטַף (nataf): Liquid dispensed drop-by-drop; moves figuratively to inspired utterance dripping from prophet's mouth.
Full entry for נָטַף (H5197) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H5197?
The BSB source-word alignment has 18 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include preach (4), drip (2), will drip (2), and preach (1), dripped (1).
Where does נָטַף (nataf) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Judges 5:4. Its strongest book concentrations include Micah (5), Song Of Solomon (3), Amos (2), Ezekiel (2).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It preach 4× Ezekiel 20:46, Amos 7:16, Micah 2:6
drip 2× Proverbs 5:3, Song Of Solomon 4:11
will drip 2× Joel 3:18, Amos 9:13
and preach 1× Ezekiel 21:2
dripped 1× Song Of Solomon 5:5
dripping 1× Song Of Solomon 5:13
I will preach 1× Micah 2:11
just the preacher 1× Micah 2:11
poured [out rain] 1× Judges 5:4
poured down 1× Judges 5:4
poured down [rain] 1× Psalms 68:8
settled 1× Job 29:22
they preach 1× Micah 2:6
Show sample aligned rows
Judges 5:4 נָטָ֑פוּ to poured [out rain] Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Judges 5:4 נָ֥טְפוּ to poured down Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Job 29:22 תִּטֹּ֥ף to settled Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular Psalms 68:8 נָטְפוּ֮ to poured down [rain] Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Proverbs 5:3 תִּ֭טֹּפְנָה to drip Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine plural Song Of Solomon 4:11 תִּטֹּ֥פְנָה to drip Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine plural Song Of Solomon 5:5 נָֽטְפוּ־ to dripped Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural Song Of Solomon 5:13 נֹטְפ֖וֹת to dripping Verb - Qal - Participle - feminine plural Ezekiel 20:46 וְהַטֵּ֖ף to preach Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular Ezekiel 21:2 וְהַטֵּ֖ף to and preach Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Judges 5:4
Aligned rows 18
Books represented 9
Judges 2 Job 1 Psalms 1 Proverbs 1 Song Of Solomon 3 Ezekiel 2 Joel 1 Amos 2 Micah 5
Source forms
וְהַטֵּ֖ף 2x wə·haṭ·ṭêp̄ Ezekiel 20:46, Ezekiel 21:2
אַטִּ֣ף 1x ’aṭ·ṭip̄ Micah 2:11
וְהִטִּ֤יפוּ 1x wə·hiṭ·ṭî·p̄ū Amos 9:13
יַטִּיפ֑וּן 1x yaṭ·ṭî·p̄ūn Micah 2:6
יִטְּפ֧וּ 1x yiṭ·ṭə·p̄ū Joel 3:18
יַטִּ֣פוּ 1x yaṭ·ṭi·p̄ū Micah 2:6
מַטִּ֖יף 1x maṭ·ṭîp̄ Micah 2:11
נָ֥טְפוּ 1x nā·ṭə·p̄ū Judges 5:4
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural 4x Judges 5:4, Psalms 68:8, Song Of Solomon 5:5
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular 2x Ezekiel 20:46, Ezekiel 21:2
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine plural 2x Proverbs 5:3, Song Of Solomon 4:11
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural 1x Amos 9:13
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular 1x Micah 2:11
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine plural 1x Micah 2:6
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - second person masculine singular 1x Amos 7:16
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine plural 1x Micah 2:6
Evidence Summary
Revelation
Hebrew word. Liquid dispensed drop-by-drop; moves figuratively to inspired utterance dripping from prophet's mouth.
Strong's H5197
Lexical occurrences 18 verses Word forms 2 forms 14 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Micah 2:6-11 Source Gloss
to ooze , i.e. distil gradually ; by implication, to fall in drops ; figuratively, to speak by inspiration
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Liquid dispensed drop-by-drop; moves figuratively to inspired utterance dripping from prophet's mouth.
to ooze, i.e. distil gradually; by implication, to fall in drops; figuratively, to speak by inspiration BDB: drop Usage: drop(-ping), prophesy(-et).
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 2 Aligned forms 14
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 9×
Perfect Judg 5:4 · Ps 68:9 · Song 5:5 4×
Imperfect Prov 5:3 · Song 4:11 · Job 29:22 · Joel 4:18 4×
Participle active Song 5:13 1×
Hiphil causative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action 5×
Imperfect Amos 7:16 · Mic 2:6 · Mic 2:11 3×
Jussive Mic 2:6 1×
Participle active Mic 2:11 1×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
To drip or pour forth words, used metaphorically for prophetic speech.
Showing 1 selected witness from 18 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
נָטַף is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Why This Word Matters
It highlights the steady flow of divine revelation that the people seek to silence. Micah 2:6-11
Canonical Themes
Revelation
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain