H5120 H5120
shake, quake, tremble — the earth responding in upheaval to divine presence
This verb appears in a psalm celebrating God's universal kingship, commanding the earth to shake before the enthroned Lord. The root suggests dangling or swaying motion, different from other Hebrew words for trembling. Paired with 'be agitated,' it creates an image of cosmic response to divine majesty. Some scholars have questioned the text, but the manuscript tradition supports this rare verb.
Senses
1. sense 1 — The Qal imperfect jussive 'let it shake' in Psalm 99:1, describing the earth's reaction to YHWH's reign. The verb (from a root meaning 'dangle, sway') conveys oscillating or unstable movement, paralleled by רָגַז (quake, be agitated). This is theophanic language—creation itself responds physically to divine presence. Arabic cognates support the sense of suspended swaying motion, though some medieval scholars proposed emendations to more common verbs for 'melt' or 'quake.' 1×
AR["تَتَزَلْزَلُ"]·ben["কাঁপুক"]·DE["lass-quake"]·EN["let-quake"]·FR["être-agité"]·heb["תנוט"]·HI["काँपे"]·ID["bergoncang"]·IT["[תנוט]"]·jav["mugi-goyah"]·KO["흔들리라"]·PT["estremeça"]·RU["да-содрогается"]·ES["se-estremezca"]·SW["na-itikisike"]·TR["sarsılsın"]·urd["لرزے"]
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
† [נוּט] vb. dangle, shake (𝔗 [נוט] Aph. scare, sld., Levy ChWB ii. 97 Jastr Dict. 896; Arabic نَوْطٌ a bag hanging down, نَاطَ suspend, hang);— Qal Impf. 3 fs. תָּנוּט ψ 99:1 let (the earth) shake (‖ רָגַז).—Ol We proposes תָּמוּג.