H4131 H4131
To totter, shake, slip, be moved; in Hifil, to cause to fall or topple
A verb of instability and unsteady motion, used overwhelmingly in the Psalms to express either vulnerability or unshakeable confidence. The world shall not be moved (1 Chr 16:30; Ps 93:1); the righteous shall never be shaken (Ps 15:5; 62:2). Yet the wicked totter and stagger, and their foot shall slip in due time (Deut 32:35). The French consistently renders all stems with 'chanceler' (to totter), while Spanish distinguishes 'resbalar' (to slip) from 'tambalearse' (to stagger), revealing the verb's two physical images: losing footing on slippery ground versus wobbling like an unsteady structure. In its causative Hifil stem, it means to bring someone down—to topple the enemy (Ps 140:10).
Senses
1. be shaken, be moved — The Nifal passive sense: to be shaken, be moved, or be disturbed from a stable position. This is the voice of theological confidence—the earth shall not be moved (1 Chr 16:30), and the one who trusts in the LORD shall not be shaken (Ps 15:5; 16:8). The negative assertion 'I shall not be moved' (Ps 10:6; 62:2, 6) is almost a creedal formula in the Psalter. Spanish 'moverse' and French 'chanceler' both convey this passive displacement from stability. 21×
AR["أَتَزَعزَعُ", "أَتَزَعْزَعُ", "تَتَحَرَّكُ.", "تَتَزَعزَع", "تَتَزَعْزَعَ", "تَتَزَعْزَعُ", "تَزَعْزَعْتُ", "يَتَزَعزَع", "يَتَزَعْزَعُ"]·ben["আমি-টলব", "আমি-টলব।", "আমি-নড়ব", "এটি-নড়বে", "নড়বে", "নড়বে,", "নড়বে-না", "নড়ে", "নড়ে-যায়", "সে-নড়বে"]·DE["[ימוט]", "wankte"]·EN["I-am-shaken", "I-shall-be-moved", "I-shall-be-shaken", "I-will-be-shaken", "are-shaken", "can-it-be-moved", "he-shall-be-shaken", "he-will-be-shaken", "it-is-moved", "it-will-be-moved", "shall-be-shaken", "she-will-be-moved", "totter", "will-be-moved"]·FR["chanceler"]·heb["אמוט", "יימוט", "ימוט", "ימוטו", "תימוט"]·HI["डगमगाऊँगा-मैं", "डगमगाएगा", "डगमगाती-हैं", "डगमगाया-जाएगा", "डिगेगी-वह", "मैं-डगमगाऊँ", "मैं-डगमगाऊँगा", "मैं-डगमगाऊंगा", "वह-हिलेगी", "वे-हिलतीं", "हिलेगा", "हिलेगी"]·ID["akan-digoyahkan", "akan-goyah", "aku-akan-goyah", "aku-goyah", "bergoncang", "bergoyang", "dapat digerakkan", "ia-tergoyahkan", "tergoncang", "tergoyahkan"]·IT["vacillare"]·jav["Kabèh-goyah", "badhe-goyah", "badhe-oyag", "badhé-goyah", "ebah", "ebah-kula", "goyah", "kawula-badhé-goyah", "kula-ebah", "kula-goyah", "oyag", "saged-obah."]·KO["움직인다", "흔들리다", "흔들리리라", "흔들리리이다", "흔들리면", "흔들리지", "흔들린다", "흔들릴"]·PT["abalam-se", "abalar-se-á", "eu-vacilar", "se-abala", "se-move.", "seja-abalada", "serei-abalado", "será-abalada", "será-abalado", "será-movida", "será-movido"]·RU["-поколеблется", "колеблются", "поколеблется", "поколеблюсь", "пошатнётся", "сдвигаются"]·ES["resbale", "se-mueva", "se-mueve", "se-tambalean", "será-movida", "será-movido", "será-removida", "será-removido", "seré-movido"]·SW["atatikiswa", "haitaondolewa", "hatatikiswa", "hautayumba", "inasogea", "kusogezwa", "ninaanguka", "nitatikiswa", "sitasogezwa", "sitayumba", "tetemeka", "tikisika", "tikisike", "tikiswi", "usogezwe", "zinatetemeka"]·TR["hareket-etmez", "sallanacak", "sallanır", "sarsılacak", "sarsılacağım", "sarsılır", "sarsılırım", "sarsılıyor"]·urd["میں-ڈگمگاؤں-گا", "میں-ڈگمگایا", "وہ-ڈگمگائے-گا", "ڈگمگاؤں", "ڈگمگاؤں-گا", "ڈگمگائے-گا", "ڈگمگائے-گی", "ڈگمگاتا", "گرے-گا", "ہلتیں", "ہلتے-ہیں", "ہلے-گا", "ہلے-گی"]
2. totter, waver, stagger — The Qal active and Hitpael reflexive sense: to totter, waver, or stagger like something losing its balance. Mountains totter when God arises (Ps 46:2, 6), the earth staggers under judgment (Isa 24:19-20), and those being led to slaughter stagger helplessly (Prov 24:11). Spanish 'tambalearse' (to reel) captures the visible, physical unsteadiness that distinguishes this from the quieter Nifal passive. Psalm 55:22 uses it of the righteous wavering under betrayal. 10×
AR["تَتَرَنَّحُ", "تَتَزَعْزَعُ", "تَرَنَّحَتْ", "تَرَنُّحًا", "تَزَعزُعًا", "تَزَعْزَعَتِ", "مائِلٌ", "وَ-الْمائِلِينَ", "وَعِنْدَ-تَزَعْزُعِ", "يَتَزَعْزَعُ"]·ben["এবং-যারা-হেলে-পড়ছে", "ও-মধ্যে-কম্পন", "চলন", "তা-নড়েছে", "নড়বড়", "নড়বড়-করেছে", "নড়বে", "নড়ে", "নড়েছে"]·DE["[התמוטטה]", "[ומטים]", "[מוט]", "[מט]", "[תמוט]", "[תמוטנה]", "und-wankte", "wankte"]·EN["and-those-staggering", "and-when-totter", "it-totters", "may-be-moved", "tottered", "tottering", "totters", "wavering", "will-be-moved"]·FR["chanceler", "de-chanceler", "et-chanceler", "et-dans-chanceler"]·heb["התמוטטה", "ו-ב-מוט", "ו-מטים", "מוט", "מט", "מטה", "מטו", "תמוט", "תמוטנה"]·HI["और-में-हट", "और-लड़खड़ातों-को", "डगमगा-गई", "डगमगाएंगे", "डगमगाएगी", "डगमगाना", "डिगे", "लड़खड़ाता-हुआ", "वह-डगमगा-रही-है"]·ID["akan-goyah", "dan-yang-terhuyung-huyung", "guncang", "guncang-terguncang", "yang-goyah"]·IT["e-vacillare", "vacillare"]·jav["Zoba", "badhé-goyah", "gonjang-ganjing", "goyah", "kang-goyang", "lan-nalika-oyag", "lan-tiyang-kang-miring", "pangandikanipun", "sampun-gonjang-ganjing"]·KO["그리고-비틀거리는-자들을", "그리고-흔들릴-때", "기울어졌도다", "비틀거렸으니", "비틀거리는", "흔들렸음이니이다", "흔들리고", "흔들리나", "흔들리리라", "흔들림-을"]·PT["abalar", "abalaram-se", "abalo", "e-os-que-vacilam", "e-quando-vacilarem", "foi-abalada", "que-vacila", "treme", "vacilará", "vacilarão"]·RU["и-когда-колеблются", "и-шатающихся", "колебались", "колебанием", "колеблется", "поколебаться", "поколеблется", "поколеблются", "пошатнувшийся"]·ES["que-cede", "se-tambaleó", "tambalear", "tambalearon", "temblará", "temblarán", "tiembla", "y-a-los-que-tambalean", "y-en-tambalear"]·SW["anayeyumba", "imetikisika", "inayumba", "kutikisika", "kutikisika-tikisika", "na-inapotikisika", "na-wanaojikokota", "tetemeka", "vitatetemeka", "zilitikisika"]·TR["sallanacak", "sallandılar", "sallanssa", "sallanıyor", "sarsarak", "sarsildi", "sarsılma", "tökezleyen", "ve-sallanınca", "ve-sendeleyen"]·urd["اور-ڈگمگاتے-ہوئے", "اور-ڈگمگانے-میں", "ڈگمگائی", "ڈگمگائیں", "ڈگمگاتا-ہوا", "ڈگمگانا", "ہل-جائیں", "ہل-گئی", "ہلنا", "ہلے-گا"]
3. slip, lose footing — A more specific Qal sense: to slip or lose one's footing, emphasizing sudden loss of traction rather than gradual wobbling. When your brother's hand slips (Lev 25:35), you must support him. Their foot shall slip in due time (Deut 32:35) pictures divine judgment as a treacherous path. The psalmist's steps have not slipped (Ps 17:5), and when his foot was slipping, God's mercy held him up (Ps 94:18). Spanish 'resbalar' (to slip) precisely isolates this image from the broader tottering. 5×
AR["تَزِلُّ", "زَلَّتْ", "عِنْدَ-زَلَلِ", "وَتَضْعُفُ"]·ben["এবং-দুর্বল-হয়", "নড়েছে", "পিছলে-গেছে", "পিছলে-যায়", "যখন-পিছলে-যায়"]·DE["slips", "und-slips", "wankte"]·EN["and-slips", "have-slipped", "slips", "when-slips"]·FR["chanceler", "dans-chanceler", "de-chanceler", "et-slips", "slips"]·heb["ב-מוט", "ו-מטה", "מטה", "נמוטו", "תמוט"]·HI["और-गिर जाए", "डगमगाएं", "डगमगाएगा", "में-फिसलने-पर", "लड़खड़ाया"]·ID["bergoyang", "bersamamu", "tergelincir"]·IT["e-slips", "slips", "vacillare"]·jav["goyang", "kepleset", "kesandung", "lan-kendho", "nalika-kepleset"]·KO["-흔들릴-때", "그리고-흔들리면", "미끄러졌도다", "미끄러지리라", "흔들리지"]·PT["e-falhar", "escorregou", "escorreguem", "quando-vacila", "vacilar"]·RU["и-ослабеет", "когда-поколеблется", "поколеблется", "поколеблются", "пошатнулась"]·ES["cuando-resbale", "que-resbale", "resbala", "resbalen", "y-se-debilita"]·SW["imetelemka", "itakapotetemeka", "na-atashuka", "unapoteleeza", "zikateleza"]·TR["-kaydığında", "kayar", "kaydı", "ve-düşerse"]·urd["اور-ڈگمگائے", "لڑکھڑانے-میں", "پھسل-گیا", "پھسلے", "ڈگمگائیں"]
4. cause to fall, bring down — The Hifil causative: to cause someone to fall, to bring down or topple. In Psalm 140:10, the psalmist prays that burning coals fall upon the wicked and that they be cast into pits from which they cannot rise. Psalm 55:3 similarly calls for God to bring down the oppressor. This inverts the typical passive/reflexive pattern: instead of asking 'do not let me be shaken,' the speaker asks God to shake and topple the enemy. 3×
AR["(يَسْقُطُ)", "[يَسْقُطُ]", "يُلقونَ"]·ben["(পড়বে)", "[পড়বে]", "নিক্ষেপ-করে"]·DE["wankte"]·EN["(let-fall)", "[ketiv:let-fall]", "they-bring-down"]·FR["chanceler"]·heb["(ימוטו)", "[ימיטו]", "ימיטו"]·HI["गिरें"]·ID["(Dijatuhkan)", "[Dijatuhkan]"]·IT["vacillare"]·jav["Mugi-gumlethak", "ing-sungkawa", "mugi-gumlethak"]·KO["기울이나이다", "떨어질지어다", "쏟아질지어다"]·PT["Caiam", "caiam", "lançam"]·RU["[kethiv]", "обрушивают", "падут"]·ES["Caigan", "[Caigan]", "lanzan"]·SW["(zishuke)", "[zishuke]", "wananishusha"]·TR["düşsün", "yığıyorlar"]·urd["گریں", "گِراتے"]
Related Senses
H0935 1. come, arrive (Qal) (2413×)G1473 1. first person singular pronoun (2084×)H3318 1. Qal: go out, depart, come forth (891×)H7725 1. to return, come/go back (Qal) (874×)H5927 1. go up, ascend (Qal) (779×)H7971 1. to send, dispatch (Qal) (701×)G2064 1. come / arrive (physical movement toward) (588×)H5307 1. Qal: fall down physically (339×)H5375 1. Qal: to lift up, raise (330×)H5975 1. to stand, stand up (310×)H5674a 1. Qal: pass by, pass through (256×)H3381 1. Qal: to go down, descend (physical movement) (242×)G1831 1. go/come out physically (193×)H5337 1. deliver, rescue, save (Hifil) (188×)H7901 1. lie down, rest, sleep (183×)G1525 1. enter a place physically (179×)H7812 1. prostrate oneself, bow down, worship (173×)H3318 2. Hifil: bring out, lead out, take out (persons) (172×)H7725 2. to bring back, restore (Hifil) (151×)H5674a 2. Qal: cross over (134×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [מוֹט] vb. totter, shake, slip (usually poet.) (NH id., der. species; Aramaic ܡܳܛ, מוּט; Arabic مَاطَ (med. י) remove, retire; deviate from right course; repel, push, thrust; Ethiopic ሜጠ turn; Assyrian maṭû is dwindle, diminish, grow weak DlHWB 405; > denom. from מוט pole, bar DlProl. 184 GerberVerb. denom. 195 f., cf. Buhl);— Qal Pf. 3 fs. מָ֫טָה ψ 60:4 + 2 times; 3 pl. מָ֫טוּ ψ 46:7; Impf. 3…