Lexical Summary raggaz: To tremble, to quake, to be agitated, to be excited Original Word: רַגֶּז Strong's Exhaustive Concordance trembling Intensive from ragaz; timid -- trembling. see HEBREW ragaz NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom ragaz Definition quivering, quaking NASB Translation trembling (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs רַגָּז adjective quivering, quaking; — ׳לֵב ר Deuteronomy 28:65 a quaking heart. Topical Lexicon Canonical Contextרַגֶּז appears once in the Hebrew canon, in the catalogue of covenant curses pronounced in Deuteronomy 28. The singularity of its occurrence heightens its rhetorical weight, locating it at the climactic moment when Moses foretells the psychological toll of exile: “Among those nations you will find no repose, no resting place for the sole of your foot. There the LORD will give you a trembling heart, failing eyes, and despairing soul” (Deuteronomy 28:65). Within the Deuteronomic structure, the word serves as an inner commentary on Israel’s destiny should the people break covenant—restlessness replacing rest, anguish supplanting assurance. Covenant Theology and the Deuteronomic Curses Re-stated blessings and curses in Deuteronomy 27–30 draw on earlier covenant language (Exodus 19; Leviticus 26). In that framework, רַגֶּז intensifies the threat of divine discipline. The heart that trembles is not merely afraid; it is perpetually unsettled, stripped of the shalom that the covenant intends for an obedient people (Numbers 6:24-26). Thus the term functions as a negative foil to covenant rest, highlighting: 1. Loss of land-linked security (contrast Joshua 21:44). Psychological and Spiritual Dimensions The imagery of a “trembling heart” in Deuteronomy 28:65 anticipates prophetic lament. Isaiah 33:14, Jeremiah 24:9-10, and Ezekiel 36:16-21 echo the same anxiety of displacement. Psalms later capture the subjective experience (“Fear and trembling grip me”—Psalm 55:5), turning covenant curse into prayerful confession. רַגֶּז therefore becomes a lens through which Scripture connects inner turmoil with outward judgment. Intertextual Echoes Although the exact term occurs once, the theological motif reverberates: • Judges 2:15 portrays Israel in distress when the LORD’s hand is against them. Theological Implications 1. Divine Sovereignty: The LORD “gives” the trembling heart; judgment is actively administered, not merely permitted. Practical Ministry Applications • Pastoral diagnosis: Chronic spiritual unrest may reveal deeper covenant rupture; counseling must address repentance, not merely symptom relief. Typological Fulfillment in Christ Christ embodies the antithesis of רַגֶּז. At the cross He absorbs covenant curses, including the loss of rest (“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Matthew 27:46), that believers might receive “rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29). His resurrection vindicates the promise of ultimate security, displacing trembling hearts with Spirit-wrought assurance (Romans 5:5). Homiletical Insights 1. Sermon on Rest—Contrast Deuteronomy 28:65 with Hebrews 4:9: unbelief breeds restlessness; faith enters Sabbath. Summary רַגֶּז stands as a solemn witness that covenant unfaithfulness produces spiritual and emotional upheaval. The one occurrence in Deuteronomy 28:65 anchors a biblical theology of divine discipline, anticipates prophetic warnings, and ultimately magnifies the restful victory secured in Jesus Christ. Forms and Transliterations רַגָּ֔ז רגז rag·gāz ragGaz raggāzLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Deuteronomy 28:65 HEB: שָׁם֙ לֵ֣ב רַגָּ֔ז וְכִלְי֥וֹן עֵינַ֖יִם NAS: will give you a trembling heart, KJV: shall give thee there a trembling heart, INT: there heart A trembling failing of eyes 1 Occurrence |
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