Lexical Summary
patar: To interpret
Original Word:פָטַר
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:patar
Pronunciation:pah-TAR
Phonetic Spelling:(paw-tar')
KJV: dismiss, free, let (shoot) out, slip away
NASB:open, dismiss, free, letting, separate, slipped away
Word Origin:[a primitive root]
1. to cleave or burst through, i.e. (causatively) to emit, whether literal or figurative (gape)
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
dismiss, free, let shoot out, slip away
A primitive root; to cleave or burst through, i.e. (causatively) to emit, whether literal or figurative (gape) -- dismiss, free, let (shoot) out, slip away.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origina prim. root
Definitionto separate, remove, set free
NASB Translationdismiss (1), free (1), letting (1), open (4), separate (1), slipped away (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
(Late Hebrew
depart, set free, Niph`al also
die; Phoenician CIS
102a, 2depart (die ?); Assyrian
pa‰âru,
split,
break through,
ip‰iru,
ransom, Tel Amarna
escape, set free (perhaps Canaanite); Arabic
cleave, split, also
create; Ethiopic
create, fabricate; Aramaic ,
withdraw, depart); —
Perfect3masculine singular 2Chronicles 23:8;Imperfect3masculine singular1 Samuel 19:10;Participle activeProverbs 17:14;passive1 Chronicles 9:33 Qr (Kt ); construct1 Kings 6:18,29,32,1 Kings 6:35; —
intransitiveremove oneself, specificallyescape1 Samuel 19:10 (, compare Dr).
transitiveset free from duty 2 Chronicles 23:8 (accusative of person), so passive1 Chronicles 9:33 Qr (Kt adjective or Aramaic participle, same meaning);Proverbs 17:14set free, let out; passive technical term of ornament in temple, dubious, usuallyout-spread (garlands)of flowers1 Kings 6:18,29,32,35.
compare in Syriac PS3093.Imperfect3masculine singularPsalm 22:8they separate with the lip, i. e. open mouth wide (insultingly).
1 Chronicles 9:33 Kt see
see .
Topical Lexicon
OverviewThe verb פָטַר traces a vivid arc across the Old Testament narrative, portraying moments when something is loosed, dismissed, or slips away. Whether the action involves a person eluding peril, a priest withholding dismissal, lips unrestrained in mockery, or water bursting through a dam of contention, the word invites reflection on release—both welcome and disastrous.
Canonical Occurrences
•1 Samuel 19:10 – David “slipped away” from Saul’s murderous spear, illustrating divine preservation of the anointed king.
•2 Chronicles 23:8 – Jehoiada “had not dismissed the divisions,” tightening security around Joash and safeguarding covenantal continuity.
•Psalm 22:7 – The mockers “sneer” (lit. “shoot out the lip”) at the suffering Messiah, their unbridled derision fulfilling prophecy.
•Proverbs 17:14 – “Starting a quarrel is like letting out water,” warning that once released, strife rushes forward with destructive force.
Threads of Meaning
1. Physical escape (1 Samuel 19) – Human agency is portrayed, yet the text leaves no doubt that the Lord is the ultimate refuge.
2. Administrative restraint (2 Chronicles 23) – Holding the watchmen in place forestalls chaos, underscoring responsible leadership in sacred service.
3. Verbal unbridling (Psalm 22) – Lips that should praise instead pour contempt on the Righteous Sufferer, spotlighting the heart–mouth connection.
4. Social rupture (Proverbs 17) – Conflict management is cast as hydraulic engineering: once the sluice gate is lifted, repair becomes costly.
Historical Significance
In each setting פָטַר occurs at a juncture critical to Israel’s story:
• David’s escape preserves the messianic line.
• Jehoiada’s refusal to dismiss the guards protects a six-year-old heir and the Davidic promise.
• The psalmist’s experience, later echoed on Golgotha, anchors prophetic anticipation of the crucifixion.
• Solomon’s proverb arms the community with wisdom to avert societal fracture.
Theological Observations
Release is not morally neutral. Godly release (deliverance, rescue) advances salvation history, while ungodly release (derision, strife) amplifies sin’s curse. The term therefore sharpens discernment: What we choose to loose or restrain has covenant consequences.
Christological Echoes
Psalm 22:7 finds its climax at the cross, where onlookers “sneer” at Jesus Christ. Their unrestrained lips confirm both human depravity and divine foreknowledge. Yet even as mockery is loosed, redemption is secured; the One whom the wicked dismiss becomes the very means of their deliverance.
Ministry Application
• Pastoral care: Help congregants discern when to release and when to restrain—whether emotions, words, or decisions.
• Conflict resolution: ApplyProverbs 17:14 early; closing the breach before water escapes averts relational floods.
• Leadership: Like Jehoiada, maintain vigilance in seasons of transition; premature dismissal of responsibilities endangers future generations.
• Evangelism: David’s escape and Christ’s mockery together testify that God overrules hostile schemes, emboldening witness in the face of opposition.
Devotional Reflection
Pray for lips that are loosed in praise, not scorn; hearts that are quick to release forgiveness, yet slow to unleash contention; and lives that, like David’s, find their escape not in human cunning but in the shadow of the Almighty.
Forms and Transliterations
וַיִּפְטַר֙ ויפטר יַפְטִ֥ירוּ יפטירו פָטַ֛ר פּ֣וֹטֵֽר פוטר פטר faTar p̄ā·ṭar p̄āṭar pō·w·ṭêr Poter pōwṭêr vaiyifTar way·yip̄·ṭar wayyip̄ṭar yafTiru yap̄·ṭî·rū yap̄ṭîrū
Links
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