Lexical Summary zua: tremble, collect Original Word: זוּעַ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance move, tremble, vex A primitive root; properly, to shake off, i.e. (figuratively) to agitate (as with fear) -- move, tremble, vex. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to tremble, quake NASB Translation collect (1), tremble (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs זוּעַ verb tremble, quake (Aramaic (including Biblical Aramaic) id.,  ; compare also Arabic  impel,  move, agitate, shake (on these see NöZMG 1886, 725), Assyrian zû, storm-wind (= Aramaic זוֺעָא) ZimBP 94 — Qal (late) Perfect3masculine singular זָע Esther 5:9; Imperfect3masculine plural with rel. שֶׁיָּזֻעזּ Ecclesiastes 12:3; — tremble, quake, in presence of powerful superior Esther 5:9 (followed by מִמֶּנּוּ); said of שֹׁמְרֵי הַבַּיִת in description of infirm old man Ecclesiastes 12:3 Pilpel Participle suffix מְזַעְזְעֶיךָ Habakkuk 2:7; causative and intensive they that shall violently shake thee, figurative of foes of Babylon, instruments of Yahweh's judgment. [זוּע] verb tremble (ᵑ7 Syriac: compare Biblical Hebrew); — Pe`al Participle plural זָָֽאֲעִין Kt, Qr זָָֽיְנִין; מִןקֳֿדָם person, Daniel 5:19; Daniel 6:27. Topical Lexicon Meaning and Imagery The Hebrew verb behind Strong’s 2111 evokes a sudden shaking, quivering, or inner agitation. Scripture employs the word for both a literal trembling of limbs and a figurative disturbance of the heart or of nations. The imagery suggests instability that exposes human fragility when confronted by power, judgment, or fear. Occurrences and Literary Settings 1. Esther 5:9 – Courtly Pride Exposed “Haman went out that day joyful and glad of heart. But when Haman saw Mordecai at the king’s gate and observed that he neither rose nor trembled before him, Haman was filled with rage against Mordecai.” Haman’s expectation that others would visibly shake before him highlights the arrogance of human power. Mordecai’s refusal to yield unmasks the emptiness of Haman’s self-exaltation, preparing the reader for the dramatic reversal God will achieve in subsequent chapters. The absence of trembling in the righteous stands in bold relief against the agitation soon to overtake the wicked. 2. Ecclesiastes 12:3 – The Frailty of Old Age “On the day the keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men stoop, the grinders cease because they are few, and those watching through the windows see dimly.” Here the term draws a vivid picture of hands shaking with age. The Teacher’s portrayal of decaying bodily strength deepens his call to remember the Creator “in the days of your youth” (Ecclesiastes 12:1). Physical trembling becomes an emblem of life’s brevity, pressing the reader toward present obedience under the fear of God (Ecclesiastes 12:13). 3. Habakkuk 2:7 – Divine Reversal upon Oppressors “Will not your creditors suddenly arise, and those who disturb you awaken? Then you will become their prey.” The same verb translated “disturb” foretells a jolting wake-up for the Babylonian oppressor. The prophet’s oracle portrays nations God will rouse to shake the one who had shaken others. The passage anchors the certainty that divine justice reaches beyond Israel to every empire: the shaker will be shaken. Theological Reflections • Human Pride versus God’s Sovereign Stability – Haman demands trembling; God orders circumstances so that Haman himself is overthrown, demonstrating that reverence belongs to the Lord alone. Ministry and Pastoral Application • Confronting Arrogance – When counseling or preaching from Esther, the motif of demanded trembling cautions leaders against manipulating fear. Christological Trajectory The Gospels reveal Christ who, though infinitely worthy of homage, allowed His own body to shake under scourging and crucifixion. Yet in the resurrection He emerged as the unshakable cornerstone (Acts 4:11), securing a kingdom that “cannot be shaken” (Hebrews 12:28). The trembling that once signified judgment is absorbed in Him, granting steadfast peace to all who believe. Homiletical Suggestions • “When the Shaker Is Shaken” – A sermon from Habakkuk 2 exposing the fate of unrepentant oppressors. Key Takeaways The verb behind Strong’s 2111 serves as a narrative thread connecting the courtroom, the sickroom, and the throne-room of nations. Whether describing literal trembling or societal upheaval, Scripture wields the term to spotlight God’s power to humble pride, to remind mortals of their limits, and to assure the faithful that He alone governs every quake of history and every quiver of the human frame. Forms and Transliterations זָ֣ע זע מְזַעְזְעֶ֑יךָ מזעזעיך שֶׁיָּזֻ֙עוּ֙ שיזעו mə·za‘·zə·‘e·ḵā məza‘zə‘eḵā mezazeEicha še·yā·zu·‘ū šeyāzu‘ū sheiyaZuu za zā‘Links Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Esther 5:9 HEB: קָם֙ וְלֹא־ זָ֣ע מִמֶּ֔נּוּ וַיִּמָּלֵ֥א NAS: and that he did not stand up or tremble before KJV: that he stood not up, nor moved for him, he INT: stand or tremble before was filled Ecclesiastes 12:3 Habakkuk 2:7 3 Occurrences |
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