Lexical Summary palats: To tremble, to shudder, to be in dread Original Word: פָלַץ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance tremble A primitive root; properly, perhaps to rend, i.e. (by implication) to quiver -- tremble. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to shudder NASB Translation tremble (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [מָּלַץ] verb Hithpa`el shudder; — Imperfect3masculine plural יִתְמַּלָּצוּן Job 9:6 its (earth's) pillars shudder. Topical Lexicon Scope and Nuance of the Term The verb denotes a violent shaking or quaking that unsettles what had appeared immovable. It is not the ordinary Hebrew word for an earthquake but a rarer term that underscores the terror and surprise of a cosmic upheaval. The sole biblical occurrence (Job 9:6) places the action in the mouth of Job as he speaks of God’s incomprehensible power. Literary Context in Job Job 9 is a poetic response to Bildad. Seeking to illustrate the breadth of divine sovereignty, Job piles image upon image: “He shakes the earth from its place, so that its foundations tremble” (Job 9:6). The verb here intensifies the argument. Job is not merely claiming that God allows natural disasters; he says God can wrench the very planet from its moorings. In a book that wrestles with suffering, the picture is fitting: if the earth itself may be uprooted, how much more the life of an individual human being. Theological Implications 1. Divine Sovereignty over Creation The verse anchors a recurring biblical theme—nothing in the created order is beyond the Lord’s direct control (Psalm 104:32; Isaiah 13:13; Haggai 2:6). Job’s choice of this uncommon verb heightens the force: even what seems most secure may be displaced at God’s command. 2. Insecurity of the Created Order Human beings rely on the stability of the ground beneath their feet, yet Scripture repeatedly reminds us that such stability is conditional. The shaking of the earth becomes a metaphor for any circumstance that exposes human frailty (Psalm 46:2–3). 3. Eschatological Resonance Prophets and apostles echo the imagery of cosmic shaking to point ahead to the day when God will once more intervene decisively (Joel 3:16; Hebrews 12:26–27). Job’s usage therefore contributes to a canonical trajectory: past acts of shaking anticipate a future, ultimate shaking that removes what is temporary and reveals what is eternal. Historical and Cultural Background Ancient Near-Eastern literature occasionally depicts deities disturbing the earth; however, those accounts often involve capricious gods in conflict. The Book of Job, by contrast, attributes the shaking to the one righteous Creator. This distinction magnifies holiness rather than chaos—God’s shaking serves purposeful ends, whether judgment, deliverance, or revelation. Intertextual Echoes • Psalm 18:7: “Then the earth shook and quaked, and the foundations of the mountains trembled.” While these passages employ different Hebrew verbs, they develop the same theological motif initiated by Job’s statement: the stability of the universe depends on divine upholding. Ministry and Devotional Application • Awe and Humility. Meditating on Job 9:6 fosters reverent fear. If the Lord can displace the earth, it is folly to approach Him with casual presumption. Summary The lone appearance of this vivid verb in Job 9:6 captures an aspect of divine majesty that reverberates through Scripture. God alone can wrench the earth from its place; He alone can steady the hearts of those who trust Him. Recognizing both truths equips the church to worship with trembling joy and to serve with confident hope. Forms and Transliterations יִתְפַלָּצֽוּן׃ יתפלצון yiṯ·p̄al·lā·ṣūn yitfallaTzun yiṯp̄allāṣūnLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Job 9:6 HEB: מִמְּקוֹמָ֑הּ וְ֝עַמּוּדֶ֗יהָ יִתְפַלָּצֽוּן׃ NAS: And its pillars tremble; KJV: and the pillars thereof tremble. INT: place pillars tremble 1 Occurrence |
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