Lexical Summary ruph: To heal, to restore Original Word: רוּף Strong's Exhaustive Concordance tremble A primitive root; properly, to triturate (in a mortar), i.e. (figuratively) to agitate (by concussion) -- tremble. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originsee raphaph. Brown-Driver-Briggs [רָפַף] verb Po`el shake, rock (Aramaic רְפַף,  move Gently; Arabic  quiver, flash, throb; also Late Hebrew רִפְרֵף flutter, Arabic  flutter, flap wings); — Imperfect3masculine plural עַמּוּדֵי שָׁמַיִם יְרוֺפָ֑פוּ Job 26:11. Topical Lexicon רוּףBiblical Setting רוּף appears a single time in Scripture, in Job 26:11: “The pillars of heaven quake, astonished at His rebuke” (Berean Standard Bible). In this climactic section of Job’s discourse (Job 26:5-14), the patriarch surveys creation to magnify the incomprehensible power of God. The verb paints a scene in which even the most stable elements of the cosmos—poetically called “pillars of heaven”—are jarred into convulsion when confronted by divine admonition. Job’s choice of term is deliberate: the solitary use makes the image unforgettable and caps a catalogue of natural wonders that include the confinement of the sea (26:10) and the piercing of the fleeing serpent (26:13). Ancient Near Eastern Imagery The “pillars” motif reflects common cosmological language of the ancient Near East, where the heavens were envisioned as resting upon unseen supports. Far from endorsing a primitive worldview, Job employs familiar poetic conventions to testify that what surrounding cultures revered as fixed is, in truth, subject to YHWH. Whereas pagan texts often deify the cosmic columns, Job demotes them to trembling servants under God’s word, reinforcing monotheistic supremacy. Theological Emphasis 1. Divine Sovereignty. רוּף underscores that nothing in creation is self-sustaining. God’s mere rebuke is sufficient to unsettle heaven’s foundations (compare Psalm 18:7; Haggai 2:6). Intercanonical Resonance Although unique in form, the concept of cosmic shaking reverberates through Scripture: רוּף thus contributes to a canonical pattern whereby physical convulsion symbolizes both judgment and redemptive transition. Literary Function in Job Within the structure of Job, chapter 26 transitions from dialogue to monologue, setting the stage for Elihu and ultimately the divine speeches. The quaking of the pillars foreshadows that even Job’s questions will soon be silenced by God’s own voice out of the whirlwind (Job 38:1). The verb prepares readers for the theophany by reminding them that the created order is responsive to its Creator. Pastoral and Homiletical Application 1. Cultivating Awe. Modern hearers tempted to domesticate God are confronted with His unapproachable majesty; sermons on Job 26:11 invite renewed fear of the LORD (Proverbs 1:7). Historical Reception Early Jewish commentators read the verse as a metaphor for angelic hosts trembling at God’s command, while church fathers such as Gregory the Great saw in it an allegory of proud hearts brought low. Reformation expositors stressed literal cosmic disturbance, using the text to affirm the Creator-creature distinction. Eschatological Outlook Prophetic passages foresee a final cosmic shaking preceding the new heavens and new earth (Isaiah 65:17; 2 Peter 3:10-13). רוּף anticipates that climactic moment, assuring believers that present instability heralds God’s purifying purpose. Conclusion Though occurring only once, רוּף powerfully encapsulates the biblical theme of creation’s absolute dependence on its Maker. The trembling pillars of heaven stand as both testimony and warning: God’s word sustains all things, and at His rebuke every foundation—cosmic or human—must yield. Forms and Transliterations יְרוֹפָ֑פוּ ירופפו yə·rō·w·p̄ā·p̄ū yeroFafu yərōwp̄āp̄ūLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Job 26:11 HEB: עַמּוּדֵ֣י שָׁמַ֣יִם יְרוֹפָ֑פוּ וְ֝יִתְמְה֗וּ מִגַּעֲרָתֽוֹ׃ KJV: of heaven tremble and are astonished INT: the pillars of heaven tremble amazed his rebuke 1 Occurrence |
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