H7540 H7540
To skip, leap, dance — expressing joy, divine power, or vigorous motion in both literal and celebratory contexts
A vivid verb of exuberant movement found across psalms, prophecy, and wisdom literature. In Psalm 114:4, the mountains themselves 'skipped like rams' at God's presence — a breathtaking image of creation leaping in response to divine power. David dances before the ark with such abandon that Michal despises him (1 Chr 15:29). The same word describes children leaping in carefree play (Job 21:11) and locusts bounding across mountaintops like chariots (Joel 2:5). Spanish 'saltaron/danzan' and French 'bondir' capture this full range from joyful dance to powerful leaping.
Senses
1. dance, leap about (Piel intensive) — Vigorous dancing or leaping in the Piel intensive stem. David's ecstatic worship dance before the ark (1 Chr 15:29), children frolicking in merriment (Job 21:11), wild goats bounding in ruins (Isa 13:21), locusts leaping on mountains (Joel 2:5), and chariots rattling (Nah 3:2). Spanish 'danzan/danzarán/saltan' and English 'leaping/bounding/dance' reflect the energetic intensity of the Piel form. 5×
AR["تَقْفِزُ","يَرْقُصُ","يَرْقُصُونَ","يَرْقُصُونَ-","يَقْفِزونَ"]·ben["তারা-লাফায়","নাচছিলেন","নাচছে","নাচবে","নাচে"]·DE["[ירקדו]","[ירקדון]","[מרקד]","[מרקדה]"]·EN["bounding","dance","leaping","they-leap","will-dance-"]·FR["[ירקדו]","[מרקד]","danser","ירקדון"]·heb["ירקדו","ירקדוּן","ירקדון","מרקד","מרקדה"]·HI["कूदता-हुआ","कूदते-हैं","नाचता","नाचते-हैं","नाचेंगे-"]·ID["melompat-lompat","melompat-lompat-","melompat-lompat.","menari","mereka-melompat-lompat,"]·IT["[ירקדו]","[ירקדון]","[מרקד]","[מרקדה]","dance"]·jav["badhé-mlumpat-mlumpat-","joged","jogèd","kang-mlumpat-mlumpat","piyambakipun-mlumpat"]·KO["뛰는","뛰니라","뛰어다니리라","춤추는-자","춤추리라-"]·PT["dançam","dançando","saltam","saltando","saltarão-"]·RU["будут-скакать-","пляшущего","подпрыгивающая","скачут","скачут-они"]·ES["danzan.","danzarán-","saltan","saltando","saltando!"]·SW["akicheza","linaloruka","wanacheza","wanaruka","watarukaruka"]·TR["dans-eden","sıçrarlar","sıçrayan","ziplayacak-","zıplar"]·urd["اُچھلتا","ناچتے","کودتے ہیں","کودتے-ہیں","کودیں-گے"]
2. skip, leap (Qal) — Simple skipping or leaping in the Qal stem. Mountains personified as skipping like rams at the Exodus (Ps 114:4, 6) and the proverbial 'time to dance' balancing 'a time to mourn' (Eccl 3:4). Spanish 'saltaron/para danzar' and French 'bondir' preserve the lighter, more basic movement sense distinct from the Piel's intensity. 3×
AR["تَقفِزون","قَفَزَت","لِلرَّقْصِ"]·ben["তোমরা-নাচো","নাচতে","নাচল"]·DE["[רקוד]","du-skip","skipped"]·EN["skipped","to-dance","you-skip"]·FR["bondir","רקוד"]·heb["רקדו","רקוד","תרקדו"]·HI["नाचते-हो","नाचने-का","नाचे"]·ID["kamu-melompat","melompat","untuk-menari"]·IT["a-dance","salto'"]·jav["njoged","sami-njoged","sampéyan-njoged"]·KO["뛰느냐","뛰었도다","춤추기-위한"]·PT["para-dançar","que-saltais","saltaram"]·RU["скакали","скачете","танцевать."]·ES["para-danzar","que-saltáis","saltaron"]·SW["iliruka","mnaruka","wa-kucheza"]·TR["dans-etmek-icin","sıçradı","sıçradınız"]·urd["ناچنے-کا","کودتے-ہو","کودے"]
3. cause to skip (Hifil causative) — Causative skipping in the Hifil stem — making something leap. Used once in Ps 29:6 where the LORD's thunderous voice makes Lebanon and Sirion skip like a young wild ox. Spanish 'y los hace saltar' and French 'et bondir' both capture the causative force: it is God who compels even mountains to leap. 1×
AR["وَيُرْقِصُهَا"]·ben["এবং-তিনি-লাফান"]·DE["und-er-macht-ihnen-skip"]·EN["and-he-makes-them-skip"]·FR["et-bondir"]·heb["ו-ירקיד-ם"]·HI["और-कुदाता-है-उन्हें-वह"]·IT["e-salto'"]·jav["Lan-Panjenengan-ndadosaken-mlumpat-mlumpat"]·KO["그리고-뛰게-하시도다"]·PT["E-fá-los-saltar"]·RU["и-заставляет-скакать-их"]·ES["y-los-hace-saltar"]·SW["Na-anawafanya-kuruka"]·TR["ve-zıplatır-onları"]·urd["اور-نچاتا-ہے-اُنہیں"]
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
† רָקַד vb. skip about (NH Pi. Hiph. = BH; so Aramaic רְקַד Pa., ܪܩܰܕ Pa.; Assyrian raḳâdu, skip, dance; Arabic رَقَدَ ix. run with leaps and bounds, رَقَدَانٌ leaping up briskly);— Qal skip about, Pf. 3 mpl. רָֽקְדוּ ψ 114:4 (of mts., כְּאֵילִים); Impf. 2 mpl. תִּרְקְדוּ v 6 (id.; both of Sinai quaking at law-giving); Inf. cstr. עֵת רְקוֹד Ec 3:4 a time to mourn (סְפֹד), and a time to skip about…