The Hebrew word nâṭal, represented by H5190, is a primitive root meaning to lift, and by implication, to impose, bear, or take up. It appears 4 times across 4 unique verses in the Bible, making each of its occurrences highly specific in conveying concepts of carrying, offering, or lifting with great power.
In its biblical contexts, H5190 is used to describe actions of both God and man. God's power is shown when He taketh up the isles H339 as a very little thing H1851 Isaiah 40:15. It is also used when the LORD H3068 is said to offer David a choice of three H7969 things 2 Samuel 24:12. In a display of compassion, God is said to bare His people in His love H160 and pity H2551 Isaiah 63:9. Conversely, the word describes an individual who has borne a burden, causing him to sit alone H910 and keep silence H1826 Lamentations 3:28.
Several related words help illuminate the meaning of H5190:
- H1350 gâʼal (to redeem): In Isaiah 63:9, God's action to bare His people is directly linked with how he redeemed them out of His love and pity.
- H5375 nâsâʼ (to lift, carry away): This word appears alongside H5190 in Isaiah 63:9, where God is said to bare them and carried them, reinforcing the theme of divine support and deliverance.
- H1826 dâmam (to be silent): This is directly connected to the experience of bearing a burden in Lamentations 3:28, where the one who has borne the Lord's yoke keepeth silence.
- H977 bâchar (select, choose): The act of offering in 2 Samuel 24:12, where God tells David "I offer thee three things," is immediately followed by the command to choose one of them.
The theological weight of H5190 is demonstrated in its varied applications:
- Divine Omnipotence: The word emphasizes God's supreme power, where He can taketh up the isles H339 as effortlessly as one lifts a very little thing H1851, placing all nations and creation in proper perspective Isaiah 40:15.
- Redemptive Support: The act of bearing is not merely physical lifting but an expression of God's sustaining love H160 and pity H2551. He is depicted as the one who bare His people through their afflictions Isaiah 63:9.
- Imposition of Divine Will: The Lord offers David a choice of judgments, illustrating that God can impose situations that require a significant moral and consequential response 2 Samuel 24:12.
- The Weight of Suffering: The word captures the human experience of enduring hardship. In Lamentations 3:28, to have borne a burden from God leads to a state of solitary quietness, reflecting profound submission.
In summary, H5190 is a precise term that, while rare, carries significant meaning. It powerfully illustrates the vast difference between God's ability to lift the foundations of the world and a human's struggle to bear a single burden. From the imposition of a divine choice to the tender act of bearing His people, H5190 communicates the weight and significance of what God lifts and what He lays upon humanity.
TRV