Lexical Summary puq: Bring forth, bring out, furnish, supply Original Word: פוּק Strong's Exhaustive Concordance stumble, move A primitive root; to waver -- stumble, move. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to reel, totter NASB Translation totter (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs I. [מּוּק] verb reel, totter; — Qal Perfect3plural מָּק֫וּ מְּלִילִיָּה Isaiah 28:7 they reel (drunken, in giving) judgement ("" שָׁגוּ, תָּעוּ, etc.); read probably also Imperfect3feminine singular תָּפוּק Amos 2:13 tottereth (see עוק). Hiph`il Imperfect 1 totter:3masculine singular יָפִיק Jeremiah 10:4 (of idol). 2 read probably also Participle מֵפִיק Amos 2:13 cause tottering (see עוק). Topical Lexicon Overview The verb behind Strong’s Hebrew 6328 expresses the idea of reeling, tottering, or being caused to sway. Although it appears only twice in the Old Testament, each occurrence shines a penetrating light on human instability apart from the LORD and underscores the decisive contrast between faltering creatures and an unshakable Creator. Occurrences in Scripture Isaiah 28:7 – Faltering Leadership Addressed to the northern kingdom but echoing southward to Judah, Isaiah pictures priests and prophets incapacitated by drink: “And these also stagger with wine and reel from beer; priest and prophet stagger with strong drink; they are confused by wine; they reel from beer; they stagger while seeing visions and stumble in their judgments”. The verb conveys more than physical drunkenness; it symbolizes spiritual unsteadiness in those charged with guiding the nation. When a people’s shepherds sway, the flock is imperiled (compare Matthew 15:14). The verse thus warns against trusting leaders whose hearts are not anchored in the fear of the LORD. Jeremiah 10:4 – The Futility of Idolatry Jeremiah mocks handmade idols: “They adorn it with silver and gold. They secure it with hammer and nails so that it will not totter”. Ironically, worshipers must nail their gods in place to prevent them from doing what the verb denotes—swaying. The image exposes idolatry as a reversal of roles: the creator upholds what he calls “god,” while the true God upholds the universe (Hebrews 1:3). Here the verb underscores the impotence of idols and the folly of those who rely on them. Historical Setting Isaiah ministered during tumultuous decades marked by Assyrian aggression and internal decay; Jeremiah preached on the eve of Babylonian conquest. In both contexts, cultural pressures and foreign threats drove many to seek security in sensual indulgence or syncretistic worship. The appearance of this rare verb within those historical crises highlights how easily people, including spiritual leaders, lose balance when they abandon covenant faithfulness. Theological Themes 1. Human Instability without God – Whether moral (Isaiah) or physical (Jeremiah), the wobbling described is symptomatic of hearts unmoored from divine truth. Ministry Implications • Pastoral sobriety—literal and figurative—is essential. Shepherds must remain alert (1 Thessalonians 5:6–8). Devotional Reflection Believers are invited to examine areas of life that stagger under the influence of worldly “wine” or that must be “nailed down” to keep from toppling. The antidote is a renewed fixation on the unshakeable cornerstone: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). Related Concepts • Rock/Stone imagery (Psalm 18:2) Conclusion Strong’s 6328 may occur only twice, yet its message reverberates through Scripture: anything not rooted in the Lord totters. By contrast, those who trust in Him “shall never be shaken” (Psalm 112:6). Forms and Transliterations יָפִֽיק׃ יפיק׃ פָּק֖וּ פקו pā·qū paKu pāqū yā·p̄îq yaFik yāp̄îqLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Isaiah 28:7 HEB: שָׁגוּ֙ בָּֽרֹאֶ֔ה פָּק֖וּ פְּלִילִיָּֽה׃ NAS: while having visions, They totter [when rendering] judgment. KJV: in vision, they stumble [in] judgment. INT: reel visions totter judgment Jeremiah 10:4 2 Occurrences |
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