פָּלַץ
𐤐𐤋𐤑
pâlats
H6426 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To quiver or tremble, typically as a result of intense emotion or physical agitation; to be moved or shaken, often in fear or distress. The verb describes a physical or emotional response characterized by involuntary shaking or shuddering.
Semantic Range
to quiver; to tremble; to shudder; to collapse from fear or anguish; to be convulsed by emotion
Root / Etymology
Root פּ־ל־ץ (פָּלַץ), which in Northwest Semitic context is rare and likely onomatopoeic, imitating the sound or sensation of trembling or quivering. The root is not well-represented outside Hebrew; it may be related to other Hebrew verbs expressing agitation or splitting, but its precise derivation is uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
פָּלַץ occurs only rarely in the Hebrew Bible (notably in Nahum 2:11 [English 2:10]) and is considered hapax legomenon in the Masoretic Text. In its biblical context, it portrays an intense internal reaction—such as fear, horror, or anguish—that causes physical trembling or collapse. The nuance is intensely physical, emphasizing the body's involuntary response to overwhelming emotion, rather than a simple intellectual state of fear. Later Jewish interpretive traditions (for example, the Targumim and rabbinic literature) occasionally interpret the term more broadly as dismay or terror. "Tremble" or "quiver" usually best captures the sense, but the physicality of the response should not be lost, as in some traditional translations. Unlike related roots such as רגז (ragaz, "to be agitated, disturbed") or חרד (charad, "to tremble, be afraid"), פָּלַץ focuses more on the bodily effect rather than the cause. In modern Hebrew, the word is not in active usage. English translations such as "tremble" or "totter" reflect the sense but may miss the root's evocative, almost onomatopoetic character.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; properly, perhaps to rend, i.e. (by implication) to quiver; tremble.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
פּלץ (p-l-ṣ) — quivering, trembling, shuddering
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H6427 | פַּלָּצוּת | trembling terror |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6426-01 |
יִתְפַלָּצֽוּ/ן | yitefalatsun | HVti3mp/Sn |
tremble | they will shudder | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6426-01 |
Job 9:6 | יִתְפַלָּצֽוּ/ן | yitefalatsun | HVti3mp/Sn |
tremble | they will shudder |