H5128 H5128
To quiver, sway, stagger, wander, or shake; of unsteady motion, fugitive roaming, fear-induced trembling, and deliberate shaking.
Nua paints a vivid picture of instability in every direction. Trees sway rather than abandon their roots (Judg 9:9); drunkards stagger under judgment (Isa 24:20); Cain wanders the earth as a marked fugitive (Gen 4:12, 14); the whole land trembles at God's approach (Isa 19:1). The word's genius lies in how a single root captures both the involuntary — the quaking of fear, the tottering of exhaustion — and the deliberate: shaking the head in scorn (Ps 22:7) or sifting grain through a sieve (Amos 9:9). Spanish reveals the semantic spread beautifully: vagar for wandering, temblar for trembling, menear for head-shaking, and sacudir for sifting. The Hifil causative adds an agent who forces the motion — God scattering wanderers (Num 32:13) or sifting Israel among the nations (Amos 9:9).
3. shake, wag transitive — Hifil transitive: to shake or wag something deliberately — 9 occurrences where the subject is an active agent causing the motion. Shaking the head in mockery or derision is the dominant image: passersby 'wag their heads' at the suffering psalmist (Ps 22:7; 109:25), the daughter of Zion 'shakes her head' at the retreating Assyrians (2 Kgs 19:21), and the man at the tomb says 'let his bones not be moved' (2 Kgs 23:18). Job 16:4 imagines 'shaking my head at you' in false comfort. Spanish menear ('to shake/wag') is used with striking consistency, while Korean 흔들다 confirms the deliberate, scornful gesture. This is not involuntary trembling but a calculated physical insult. 9×
AR["هَزَّتْ","وَ-أَقَامَتْنِي","وَ-أُهَزُّ","وَهَزُّوا","يَهُزّونَ","يُحَرِّكْ","يُلَوِّحُ","يُنَغْنِغُونَ"]·ben["এবং-আমি-নাড়াতাম","এবং-নাড়াল-আমাকে","এবং-মাথা-নাড়িয়েছে","তারা-নাড়ায়","তারা-মাথা-নাড়ে","নড়াউক","নাড়াবে","নাড়িয়েছে","নাড়ে"]·DE["[ותניעני]","bewegen","move","sie-shakes","und-wankt","wankt","wankte"]·EN["and-I-would-shake","and-it-set-me-trembling","and-shake","move","of-Yerushalayim","shakes","she-shakes","they-shake"]·FR["chanceler","elle-shakes","errer","et-chanceler","et-errer","et-ואניעה","move","vaciller"]·heb["הניעה","ו-אניעה","ו-הניעתני","ו-יניעו","יניע","יניעו","יניעון","ינע"]·HI["और-मैं-हिलाता","और-सिर-हिलाते-हैं","और-हिलाया-मुझे","हिलाए","हिलाएंगे","हिलाते-हैं","हिलाया"]·ID["dan-aku-menggelengkan","dan-menggelengkan","dan-menggerakkanku","dia-menggelengkan","menggeleng-gelengkan","menggerakkan","mengibas","mereka-menggelengkan"]·IT["e-vacillare","ella-shakes","move","vacillare","vacillo'"]·jav["Yerusalem","dipun-goyangaken","geter-geter","lan-kawula-goyang","lan-mbangunaken-kula","lan-piyambakipun-sami-goyang","ngobahaken","piyambakipun-ngobyahaken","sami-goyangaken"]·KO["그리고-그들-이-흔든네","그리고-떨게-하였느니라-나를","그리고-흔들리라","움직이라","흔드나이다","흔들나이다","흔들리라","흔들었다"]·PT["acenará","e-me-fez-estremecer","e-menearam","e-menearia","e-meneiam","meneiam","meneou","mova"]·RU["и-качали","и-кивал-бы","и-подняла-меня","качает","качают","кивают","помашет","трогает"]·ES["agitará","menean","meneó","mueva","mueven","y-me-hizo-temblar","y-menean","y-menearía"]·SW["amekitikisa","ametikisa","atatikisa","ayumbishe","na-kutikisa","na-ningetikisa","na-ukanisogeza","wanatikisa"]·TR["kımıldatsın","salar","salladi","salladı","sallarlar","sallıyorlar","ve-salladı-beni","ve-salladılar","ve-sallardım"]·urd["اور-ہلاتا","اور-ہلاتے","اور-ہلایا-مجھے","وہ-سر-ہلاتے-ہیں","ہلائے","ہلائے-گا","ہلاتی-ہے","ہلاتے-ہیں"]
▼ 5 more senses below
Senses
1. sway, stagger, totter — To sway, stagger, or totter — unsteady back-and-forth motion, the core physical sense with 13 occurrences. The trees of Jotham's fable refuse to 'sway' over the bramble (Judg 9:9, 11, 13); Hannah's lips move as she prays and Eli thinks her drunk (1 Sam 1:13); the earth 'sways like a drunkard' under divine judgment (Isa 24:20); Job 28:4 describes miners dangling and swaying. Spanish mecer ('to rock/sway') and vacilar ('to wobble') consistently appear, while German bewegen ('to move') and French chanceler ('to totter') confirm the oscillating, unsteady quality. The simile of drunken staggering in Isaiah 24:20 is the iconic image for this sense. 13×
AR["اهْتَزَّتْ","تَأَرجَحوا","تَتَأَرْجَحُ","تَتَحَرَّكَانِ","تَتَرَنَّحُ","تَرَنَّحُوا","تَرَنُّحًا","لِـ-أَتَمَايَلَ","وَ-ارتَجَّت","وَ-تَتَرَنَّحُ","وَ-يَتَمايَلونَ"]·ben["এবং-তারা-ডোলত","এবং-নড়বড়-করবে","ও-কাঁপল","তারা-দোলে","তারা-নাড়ানো-হয়","দুলতে","দোলবে","দোলা","নড়ছিল","নড়েছিলে","বিচলিত-হয়েছে"]·DE["bewegen","moving","und-bewegen","und-wankt","und-wankte","wankt","zu-sway"]·EN["Staggering","and-shook","and-staggered","moving","staggers","they-are-shaken","they-stagger","they-swing","to-sway","wander"]·FR["bougeant","chanceler","errer","et-chanceler","et-errer","et-vaciller","à-sway","נעו"]·heb["ו-ינועו","ו-נעוּ","יינועו","ל-נוע","נוע","נעו","נעות","תנוע"]·HI["और-डगमगाते-हैं","और-भटकती-रहीं","और-हिले","डगमगाओ","भटकते-हैं","वे-हिलते-हैं","वे-हिलाए-जाएँ","हिलते-थे","हिलना","हिलने","हिलेगी"]·ID["Dan-bergetar","Dan-terhuyung-huyung","Terhuyung-huyung","berayun","bergerak","bergerak-gerak","dan-mereka-sempoyongan","mereka-diguncang,","mereka-terhuyung-huyung","terhuyung-huyung","untuk-bergoyang"]·IT["a-sway","e-vacillare","e-vacilleranno","e-vacillo'","essi-vacillarono","moving","vacillare"]·jav["Lan-geter","ebah","kagoyangaken","kangge-ngombang-ambing","lan-sempoyongan","oyag","sempoyongan"]·KO["그리고-비틀거렸느니라","그리고-흔들렸으니","떠돈다","매달렸다","비틀거렸다","움직이고있었다","움직이다-","흔들렸도다","흔들리리니","흔들리며","흔들리면"]·PT["Cambalear","E-tremeram","E-vagavam","balançam.","cambaleai","cambaleou","e-titubeavam","moviam-se","para-oscilar","são-sacudidas","vacilam"]·RU["И-бродили","блуждают","двигались","и-поколебались","и-шатаются","качаться","потрясены-будут","раскачиваются","шатается","шатанием","шатаются"]·ES["Mecer","Y-se-estremecieron","Y-vagaron","andan-errantes","para-mecer","se-balancean","se-mece","se-movían","son-sacudidas","tambalean","y-se-tambaleaban"]·SW["Na-walitangatanga","Na-zilitetemeka","ikitikisika","inayumba","kuyumba","kuyumba-yumba","na-kupepesuka","wanayumba","yatatikiswa","zi-na-yumba"]·TR["Sallanarak","Ve-salladı","kıpırdıyordu","sallanir","sallanmak-için","sallanır","sallanırlarsa","sendelediler","uzakta-sallandılar","ve-sarsildı","ve-sendelediler"]·urd["اور-لڑکھڑاتے-تھے","اور-ہلیں","جھومنے","جھومنے-سے","جھومے-گی","لڑکھڑاؤ","ڈولتے ہیں","ڈولتے-ہیں","ہل-رہے-تھے","ہلائے-جائیں"]
2. wander, roam as fugitive — To wander or roam as a fugitive or homeless person — 10 occurrences capturing aimless, displaced movement. The primal instance is God's curse on Cain: na vanad, 'a wanderer and a vagabond' (Gen 4:12, 14), where the doubling with nad intensifies the rootlessness. Psalm 109:10 prays that the wicked's children 'wander about and beg'; Psalm 59:15 pictures enemies 'wandering about for food.' Spanish vagar ('to wander/roam') and German umherirren ('to wander about') are the consistent choices. The theological weight is significant: enforced wandering is a form of divine judgment, exile from the stability of land and community that Israelite theology so deeply values. 10×
AR["[يَتَجَوَّلونَ]","أَنْ-يَهِيمُوا","تَائِهًا","تَاهُوا","وَ-تَائِهين","وَ-يَتِيهُونَ","يَتيه","يَتَجَوَّلونَ"]·ben["এবং-ভবঘুরে","ও-তারা-বিচরণ-করবে","ঘুরে-বেড়াতে","ঘুরে-বেড়িয়েছে-তারা","তারা-ঘুরে-বেড়ায়","ভবঘুরে","ভবঘুরে-বেড়াউক"]·DE["bewegen","lass-wander","und-wankt","und-wankte","unstet","wankt","wankte"]·EN["And-they-will-wander","They-wandered","[ketiv:they-will-wander]","and-wandering","let-wander","they-wandered","they-will-wander","to-wander","wanderer"]·FR["errer","et-chanceler","et-vaciller","vaciller","wanderer"]·heb["ו-נוע","ו-נעוּ","ינועו","יניעון","ל-נוע","נע","נעו"]·HI["और-भटकते","और-भटकेंगे","भटकता","भटकते-थे","भटकते-हैं","भटकने-को","भटकाते-हैं","भटके","भटकें"]·ID["Mereka-mengembara","biarlah-mengembara","dan-mengembara","mengembara","pengembara","untuk-mengembara"]·IT["e-vacilleranno","e-vacillo'","essi-vacillarono","vacillare","vacillo'","wanderer"]·jav["Lan-ngumbara","Sami-ngumbara","ing-sonten","kanggé-kluyuran","lan-sami-sempoyongan","mlayu","mugi-ngumbara","sami-ngumbara","sami-wangsul"]·KO["그들-이-헤맸네","그리고-방황하며","그리고-헤매리라","방황하게-하소서","방황하기를","방황하라","유리하는"]·PT["E-vagando","E-vagarão","Vaguearam","errante","para-vaguear,","vaguearam","vaguearão","vagueiam","vaguem"]·RU["Бродили","И-будут-скитаться","И-скитаясь","кетив","пусть-скитаются","скитались","скитальцем","скитаться","скитаются"]·ES["Vagaban","Y-vagando","Y-vagarán","[ketiv]","errante","vagan","vagar","vagaron","vaguen"]·SW["(wanatangatanga)","Na-watatangatanga","Walitangatanga","[wanatangatanga]","kutangatanga","mtu-asiye-na-makazi","na-kutangatanga","wametangatanga","watangatange"]·TR["(dolaşırlar)","Dolaştılar","[dolaşırlar]","dolaşmayı-","dolaştılar","serseri","serseri-gibi-gezsinler","ve-dolaşacaklar","ve-dolaşsınlar"]·urd["اور-بھٹکتے-رہیں","اور-بھٹکیں-گے","بَھٹکیں","بھٹکتے-تھے","بھٹکنا","بھٹکنے-والا","بھٹکیں","بھٹکے"]
4. cause to wander, scatter — Hifil causative: to cause someone to wander or to scatter them — 4 occurrences where God or an authority drives people into displacement. God made Israel 'wander' forty years in the wilderness (Num 32:13); David tells Ittai 'shall I make you wander with us?' (2 Sam 15:20); the psalmist prays 'make them wander' (Ps 59:11). Spanish hacer vagar ('to cause to wander') and the French and German causative constructions all mark the agent-patient distinction. This sense is theologically charged: forced wandering is both a punishment (the wilderness generation) and a mercy (David's concern for Ittai the foreigner). The Hifil morphology grammaticalizes what is already implicit in sense 2 — someone causes the wandering. 4×
AR["(أُنيعُكَ)","[أُنيعُكَ]","بَعثِرهُم","فَأَتَاهَهُمْ"]·ben["(ঘুরিয়ে-বেড়াব-তোমাকে)","[ঘুরিয়ে-বেড়াব-তোমাকে]","এবং-ভ্রমণ-করালেন","তাদের-নড়বড়ে-কর"]·DE["[shall-ich-mache-du-wander]","und-machte-ihnen-umherirren","wankte"]·EN["[shall-I-make-you-wander]","and-made-them-wander","make-them-wander","shall-I-make-you-wander"]·FR["[shall-je-fais-tu-wander]","devra-je-fais-tu-wander","et-fit-eux-wander","le-vaciller"]·heb["(אניע-ך)","[אנועך]","הניע-מו","ו-ינעם"]·HI["[मैं-भटकाऊँ]","और-भटकाया","भटका-उन्हें","मैं-भटकाऊँ"]·ID["[aku-menggerakkanmu]","aku-menggerakkanmu","dan-mengembara-mereka"]·IT["[shall-io-fa-tu-wander]","dovrà-io-fa-tu-wander","e-fece-loro-wander","vacillo'"]·jav["(kula-obahaken-panjenengan)","Gusti Allah","[kula-obahaken-panjenengan]","lan-nglèmbara"]·KO["그리고-방황하게-하셨다","방황하게-하리라-너를","헤매게-하리라-너를","흔들소서"]·PT["[te-farei-vagar]","e-os-fez-vaguear","faze-os-vaguear","te-farei-vagar"]·RU["[кетив]","заставлю-скитаться-тебя","и-скитать-заставил-их","рассей-их"]·ES["(te-haré-vagar)","[te-haré-vagar]","haz-tambalear","y-los-hizo-vagar"]·SW["na-akawazungusha","nitakutingisha","wafanye-watangatange"]·TR["dolaştırayım-seni","sersemlet-onları","ve-dolaştırdı-onları"]·urd["[بھٹکاؤں]","اور-بھٹکایا-انہیں","بَھٹکا-اُنہیں","بھٹکاؤں-تجھے"]
5. tremble, quake from fear — To tremble, quake, or shudder from fear or awe — 4 occurrences where the motion is involuntary and emotional rather than locomotory. At Sinai the people 'trembled' and stood at a distance (Exod 20:18); the trees of the forest — standing in for the house of David — 'shook as trees shake before the wind' at the approach of the Syro-Ephraimite alliance (Isa 7:2); Egypt's idols 'tremble' before the LORD (Isa 19:1). Spanish temblar ('to tremble') and German zittern ('to shudder') replace the usual movement vocabulary, confirming a distinct emotional-somatic register. The Isaiah 7:2 passage is doubly effective because nua captures both the physical trembling and the psychological panic in a single image. 4×
AR["كَارتِعَاشِ","وَ-ارتَعَشَ","وَ-ارْتَعَدُوا","وَتَتَزَعْزَعُ"]·ben["-কাঁপার-মতো","এবং-সরে-গেল","ও-কাঁপবে","ও-কাঁপল"]·DE["bewegen","und-bewegen","und-zitterte"]·EN["and-tremble","and-trembled","as-shaking-of"]·FR["errer","et-errer","et-trembla"]·heb["ו-ינע","ו-נעו","כ-נוע"]·HI["और-काँपेंगे","और-कांपा","और-कांपे","जैसे-कांपते-हैं"]·ID["Dan-bergetar","dan-bergetar","dan-bergoncang","seperti-bergoyangnya"]·IT["e-essi-vacillarono","e-tremò","e-vacillare","vacillare"]·jav["Lan-geter","kados-geteripun","lan-gumeter"]·KO["그리고-떨었다","그리고-흔들리리니","떨렸도다","떨림-같이"]·PT["como-tremem","e-estremecerão","e-tremeram","e-tremeu"]·RU["и-задрожали","и-затрепетало","и-затрясутся","как-трепещут"]·ES["Y-tembló","como-tiemblan","y-temblaron","y-temblarán"]·SW["Na-ukatetemeka","kama-kutetemeka","na-wakatetemeka","na-yatatetemeka"]·TR["titreyisi-gibi","ve-sallandi","ve-titredi"]·urd["اور-کانپ-اُٹھا","اور-کانپیں-گے","اور-کانپے","جیسے-ہلتے-ہیں"]
6. sift, shake out as sieve — To sift or shake out as through a sieve — 2 occurrences, both in Amos 9:9, where God declares 'I will shake the house of Israel among all the nations, as grain is shaken in a sieve.' The Hifil causative here extends beyond human wandering into an agricultural metaphor: God sifts Israel the way a farmer sifts wheat, and 'not a pebble shall fall to the ground.' Spanish sacudir ('to shake out/sift') is the precise term, distinct from the staggering, wandering, and trembling vocabulary used elsewhere. The double occurrence in a single verse — once for the divine action, once for the simile — shows the prophet exploiting nua's physical-motion core for a new metaphorical application: sorting and purifying through shaking. 2×
AR["وَ-أُغَرْبِلُ","يُغَرْبَلُ"]·ben["ও-আমি-নাড়ব","নাড়া-হয়"]·DE["und-wankt","wankt"]·EN["and-I-will-shake","is-shaken"]·FR["chanceler","et-chanceler"]·heb["ו-הנעוֹתי","ינוֹע"]·HI["और-छानूँगा","छाना-जाता-है"]·IT["e-vacillare","vacillare"]·jav["ing-sadaya","lan-boten"]·KO["그리고-흔들리라","흔들린다"]·PT["e-sacudirei","se-sacode"]·RU["и-трясу","трясут"]·ES["se-sacude","y-sacudiré"]·SW["inavyopepetwa","na-nitaipepeta"]·TR["sallanır","ve-sallayacağım"]·urd["اور-ہلاؤں-گا","ہلایا-جاتا-ہے"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† נוּעַ vb. quiver, wave, waver, tremble, totter (NH Pilp. נִעְנַע shake, Aramaic נוּעַ waver, stagger (rare); Arabic نوع, نَاعَ bend (of boughs), v. commotus fuit (of id.), so Kam. Frey also change, نَوْعٌ kind, species, variety; Di cp. Ethiopic ነዐወ hunt);— Qal Pf. נָ֫עוּ Jb 28:4 +; וְנָע֫וּ Am 4:8 + 2 times; Impf. וַיָּ֫נַע Is 7:2; 3 fs. תָּנוּעַ Is 24:20; אֲנוּעֲךָ 2 S 15:20 Kt (but read Qr…