H1607 H1607
To shake, quake, toss violently; of earth and mountains in theophany, of surging waters, and figuratively of nations staggering under judgment.
A verb capturing violent, convulsive shaking — the kind that makes foundations tremble and waters surge. In its most iconic usage, the earth shakes at YHWH's theophanic descent (Ps 18:8 = 2 Sam 22:8), where the Hitpael describes mountains tossing back and forth like boats in a storm. Jeremiah employs it for the Nile's floodwaters surging and overflowing (Jer 46:7–8) and, strikingly, for nations reeling like drunkards after drinking the cup of God's wrath (Jer 25:16). Spanish captures this vividly with 'se estremeció' (shuddered) for earth-quaking and 'se tambalearán' (they will stagger) for the judgment image, neatly distinguishing the physical and figurative poles.
Senses
1. to shake, quake, toss — Violent shaking, quaking, or tossing — used of cosmic and natural convulsions. The Qal describes the earth quaking at theophany (Ps 18:8 = 2 Sam 22:8), while the Hitpael intensifies this to 'shaking back and forth,' applied both to mountains trembling in God's presence and to surging waters: the sea waves that cannot pass their boundary (Jer 5:22) and the Nile's floodwaters rising and tossing (Jer 46:7–8). The Pual passive in Job 34:20 describes a people 'convulsed' or shaken up, possibly by divine intervention at midnight. 9×
AR["تَضْطَرِبُ", "فَارْتَجَتْ", "وَ-يَتَمَوَّجُونَ", "وَارْتَجَتْ", "وَارْتَجَّتْ", "يَضطَرِبونَ"]·ben["(কেতিব)", "আন্দোলিত-হয়", "এবং-কম্পিত-হল", "এবং-কাঁপল", "এবং-গর্জন-করে", "নড়ে-চড়ে"]·DE["[k]", "[ויתגעשו]", "[יגעשו]", "[יתגעשו]", "und-shook", "und-sie-shook"]·EN["[k]", "and-it-shook", "and-shook", "and-they-shook", "and-they-toss-about", "are-shaken", "surge"]·FR["[k]", "[ויתגעשו]", "[יתגעשו]", "et-agiter", "et-cela-shook", "et-ils-shook", "יגעשו"]·heb["ו-יתגעש", "ו-יתגעשו", "ו-תגעש", "יגועשו", "יתגעשו"]·HI["उबलते-हैं", "और-काँपी", "और-कांपी", "और-कांपे", "और-डगमगाईं", "और-वे-उछलते-हैं", "और-हिली", "कांपते-हैं"]·ID["(dan-berguncang)", "Dan-bergemuruh", "Dan-berguncang", "[dan-berguncang]", "bergelora", "berguncang", "dan-bergoncang", "dan-berguncang"]·IT["[k]", "agitarsi", "e-agitarsi", "e-essi-shook", "e-esso-shook", "e-fu-scosso", "sono-shaken"]·jav["(lan-goyah)", "Saha-oyag", "[lan-goyah]", "geter", "lan-goyah", "lan-ngantos-gumrojog", "saha-oyag", "umob"]·KO["(그리고-흔들렸다)", "[그리고-흔들렸다]", "그리고-물결쳐도", "그리고-흔들렸다", "그리고-흔들렸도다", "월렵거리다", "흔들린다"]·PT["(e-tremeu)", "E-agitam-se", "E-tremeu", "[e-tremeu]", "agitam-se", "e-se-abalaram", "e-tremeram", "serão-sacudidos"]·RU["[кетив]", "волнуются", "и-заволнуется", "и-заколебалась", "и-заколебались", "и-потряслись", "потрясается"]·ES["(y-se-estremeció)", "[y-se-estremeció]", "se-agitan", "se-sacuden", "y-se-agitarán", "y-se-estremecieron", "y-se-estremeció"]·SW["Na-ilitikisika", "ingawa-yanachafuka", "na-ikatetemeka", "na-ilitikisika", "wanatetemeka", "yanayochafuka"]·TR["(ve-titredi)", "[ve-titredi]", "kabarır", "sarsılır", "ve-dalgalanacaklar", "ve-sarsıldılar", "ve-titredi"]·urd["(اور-ہلی)", "[اور-ہلی]", "اور-تھرتھرائیں", "اور-موجیں-اُٹھتی-ہیں", "اور-ہلی", "اور-ہلیں", "متلاطم-ہوتے-ہیں", "ہلتے ہیں"]
2. to stagger, reel (figurative) — Figurative staggering or reeling under divine judgment. In Jeremiah 25:16, the Hitpoel form wehitgo'ashu describes nations who drink YHWH's cup of wrath and then 'stagger' — an extension from physical earthquake-shaking to the disorientation and collapse of peoples. Spanish translates this as 'se tambalearán' (they will totter), distinguishing it clearly from the literal earthquake sense, and highlighting how Hebrew re-uses seismic vocabulary for political and eschatological upheaval. 1×
AR["وَ-يَتَرَنَّحُونَ"]·ben["আর-থরথর-করবে"]·DE["[והתגעשו]"]·EN["and-stagger"]·FR["[והתגעשו]"]·heb["ו-התגועשו"]·HI["और-डगमगाएँ"]·ID["dan-akan-terhuyung-huyung"]·IT["e-agitarsi"]·jav["lan-sami-sempoyongan"]·KO["그리고-비틀거리리라"]·PT["e-cambalearão"]·RU["и-шататься"]·ES["y-se-tambalearán"]·SW["na-watayumba"]·TR["ve-sende-leyecekler"]·urd["اور-ڈگمگائیں"]
Related Senses
H4325 1. water, waters (582×)H6965b 1. Qal: to rise, arise, get up (432×)H2091 1. gold (the metal) (389×)H0068 1. stone, rock (material/object) (267×)H5178a 1. bronze/copper as metal (131×)H6083 1. dust, dry earth, soil (108×)H8313 1. burn, set fire to (94×)H2734 1. anger was kindled (82×)G5204 1. water (80×)H2822 1. darkness, absence of light (80×)G5457 1. light (illumination) (71×)G0450 1. rise, stand up (physical) (69×)H6965b 2. Qal: to stand firm, endure, be valid (50×)H6999a 2. burn sacrifice on altar (Hifil) (45×)H5553 1. rock, cliff (physical feature) (43×)H6965b 4. Hifil: to establish, confirm (covenant/kingdom/word) (40×)H1197a 1. burn, be on fire (39×)H4306 1. rain, showers (38×)H1653 1. rain, precipitation (34×)G4655 1. darkness (30×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [גָּעַשׁ] vb. shake, quake (NH id.)— Qal Impf. וַתִּגְעַשׁ ψ 18:8a = 2 S 22:8a Kt (Qr Hithp.);—quake of earth at theoph, ψ 18:8 = 2 S 22:8 (read Kt; ‖ רעשׁ). Pu. Impf. be shaken up, convulsed יְגֹעֲשׁוּ־עָם Jb 34:20 a people are convulsed. Hithp. shake back and forth, toss or reel to and fro וַיִּתְגָּעַשׁ Qr 2 S 22:8a (Qal); יִתְגָּֽעֲשׁוּ Je 46:7, וַיִּתְגָּֽעֲשׁוּ ψ 18:8b + 2 times;—of…