to tear
na.taq denotes severing or pulling something away, especially bonds, cords, yokes, roots, or persons.
The dominant use describes forcefully severing bindings or connected material: cords, bonds, yokes, a belt or thong, and even breasts are broken, loosened, or torn. Other clauses use it for pulling away or removing people, roots, or an object, while several passive forms portray something already torn away, including a tent’s cords, a man from his tent’s security, plans, or a damaged animal.
Senses in use
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Severing bindings and connected material · dominant
In Isaiah 58:6, the Piel imperfect addresses a group in clauses about loosening wicked bonds, untying yoke-straps, and breaking every yoke. The same use is concrete in Judges 16:9 and Judges 16:12, where Samson breaks free from cords, and in Jeremiah 2:20 and Jeremiah 30:8, where yokes and bonds are broken or torn off.
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Pulling or drawing away · common
In Joshua 8:6, the Hiphil infinitive occurs in the strategy of drawing pursuers away from the city; Joshua 8:16 similarly describes those pursuing Joshua as drawn away. In Jeremiah 22:24, the first-person Qal imperfect is spoken of removing Coniah from a signet-like position, while Ezekiel 17:9 places the action on roots being taken out.
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Being torn away or left detached · occasional
Passive forms describe a resulting condition: in Jeremiah 10:20 the APB renders a ruined tent whose cords are torn, and in Job 18:14 a man is torn from the security of his tent. Job 17:11 applies the image to plans torn away, while Leviticus 22:24 lists an animal described as torn among bodily defects.
In the Anselm Project Bible: Across these verses, the APB commonly uses “tear,” “broke,” “broken,” or “torn,” and in removal scenes uses “drawn away,” “drag,” or “tear you off.” Because the APB is a whole-verse translation, these renderings show the clauses’ presentation rather than fixed English equivalents.