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Psalms 60:2 — Word Study

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WLCהִרְעַ֣שְׁתָּה אֶ֣רֶץ פְּצַמְתָּ֑הּ רְפָ֖ה שְׁבָרֶ֣יהָ כִי־ מָֽטָה׃

BSAto strugglenâtsâh Obj.ʼêth Aram-naharaimʼĂram Nahărayim Aram-naharaimʼĂram Nahărayim Obj.ʼêth Aram-zobahʼĂram Tsôwbâh Aram-zobahʼĂram Tsôwbâh to returnshûwb JoabYôwʼâb to smitenâkâh Obj.ʼêth EdomʼĔdôm Valleygayʼ saltmelach twoshᵉnayim tenʻâsâr thousandʼeleph

Word
Listen & take awayPsalms 60
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 2 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (Ma.tah) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Psalms 60:2quick helps
In a sentenceThe psalmist laments the shaking of the earth and pleads for healing from its fractures.
Who is speakingThe psalmist, addressing God directly.
Where we areIn a lament, where the psalmist expresses distress over the state of the land.
The hard wordהִרְעַ֣שְׁתָּה
Take awayThe earth is in turmoil and needs restoration.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause verbבְּ The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

1 of 7 occurs nowhere else in the Old Testament — a word chosen on purpose.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Psalms 60:2

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — A Lament for the Landgenerated

1You have rejected us, O God; You have broken us; You have been angry; restore us!
2You have shaken the land and torn it open. Heal its fractures, for it is quaking.
3You have shown Your people hardship; we are staggered from the wine You made us drink.
4You have raised a banner for those who fear You, that they may flee the bow. Selah

Psalm 60:2 expresses a deep concern for the state of the land, which has been shaken and torn apart. The psalmist acknowledges God's power in causing this upheaval and seeks divine intervention for healing. This lament reflects the broader themes of distress and the need for restoration found throughout the Psalms.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Psalm 104:32He looks on the earth, and it trembles; He touches the mountains, and they smolder.
2Psalm 114:7Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob,
32 Samuel 22:8Then the earth shook and quaked; the foundations of the heavens trembled; they were shaken because He burned with anger.
4Job 9:6He shakes the earth from its place, so that its foundations tremble.
5Isaiah 5:25Therefore the anger of the LORD burns against His people; His hand is raised against them to strike them down. The mountains quake, and the corpses lay like refuse in the streets. Despite all this, His anger is not turned away; His hand is still upraised.

The Key Word הִרְעַ֣שְׁתָּה, hir.'Ash.tahgenerated

The verb הִרְעַשְׁתָּה (hir'ash'tah) is a Hiphil perfect form meaning 'you have made quake.' It is derived from the root רָעַשׁ (ra`ash), which conveys the idea of shaking or trembling, often associated with fear or divine power. Its use here emphasizes God's active role in causing the earth to quake.

This word appears frequently in contexts that describe God's might, particularly in relation to nature. The psalmist's invocation of this term highlights both the physical and spiritual implications of the land's distress.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, so the BSB is the wording every comparison below is made against.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The verse consists of a main clause followed by an imperative and a subordinate clause. The finite verb הִרְעַ֣שְׁתָּה (you have shaken) sets the tone, with the noun phrase אֶ֣רֶץ (the land) as its object. The imperative verb רְפָ֖ה (heal) calls for action, while the subordinate clause כִי־ מָֽטָה׃ (for it is quaking) explains the reason for the plea.

The structure emphasizes the relationship between God's actions and the psalmist's request for healing, highlighting a cause-and-effect dynamic in the lament.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

In the Septuagint, the Hebrew verb הִרְעַ֣שְׁתָּה is rendered with the Greek word σείω (seio), meaning 'to shake' or 'to move.' This choice reflects a direct translation of the action described in the Hebrew, maintaining the sense of upheaval.

The LXX does not fully capture the specific nuances of the Hebrew verbs but conveys the general idea of disturbance, indicating a shared understanding of the earth's instability.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Psalm 60:2 describes how God has shaken and torn the land apart, leading to a plea for healing of its fractures because it is quaking. The psalmist expresses concern for the state of the earth and seeks God's restoration.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that God has shaken the land?

It signifies God's power over creation, causing the earth to tremble, often as a response to sin or the need for divine intervention.

Why does the psalmist ask for healing?

The request for healing indicates a recognition of the land's brokenness and a desire for restoration, both physically and spiritually.

What can we learn from this verse about God's relationship with the earth?

This verse illustrates that God is actively involved in the world, capable of causing upheaval and also providing healing.

How does this lament compare to other psalms?

Similar to other psalms of lament, this verse expresses distress while also affirming faith in God's ability to restore and heal.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. In what areas of my life do I feel shaken or unstable, and how can I seek healing?
  2. How does recognizing God's power over creation affect my understanding of His sovereignty?
  3. What does it mean for me to ask God for healing in my own life or community?
  4. How can I respond to the brokenness I see around me in a way that seeks restoration?

The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it

Early church fathers, including Augustine of Hippo, reflect on the implications of this verse, discussing the disturbance of the earth as a metaphor for the conscience of sinners.

Augustine of HippoExposition on Psalms 60 354–430
"You have moved the earth, and hast troubled it" [Psalms 60:2]. How has the earth been troubled? In the conscience of sinners.
Early Church Fathers on Psalms 60 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Psalms 60:2 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Thou hast made the earth to tremble; thou hast broken it,.... As is frequently done by an earthquake; which, whatever natural causes there may be of it, is always to be ascribed to God.

Read John Gill on Psalms 60 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

Thou hast made the earth to tremble; thou hast broken it: heal the breaches thereof; for it shaketh. Thou hast made the earth to tremble - an image for political convulsion and rending of the nation. Heal the breaches thereof.

Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 60 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Made the earth to tremble; a poetical and hyperbolical expression, signifying great and dreadful changes among the people, as , compared with ,27. See also . Heal the breaches thereof; reconcile all those differences which our civil wars have made among us.

Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 60 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Psalms 60:2 Thou hast made the earth to tremble; thou hast broken it: heal the breaches thereof; for it shaketh.Ver. 2. Thou hast made the earth to tremble] By sundry fearful and dismal fractions and concussions in our state. Thou hast broken it] In allusion to earthquakes. Heal the breaches thereof] Remedy the disorders, and cure the diseases, like a good physician. The Greeks call a king αναξαβακος, Medela from his healing office; God is Jehovah, the physician, the Sun of righteousness hath healing under his wings. For it shaketh] Nutat ac mox ruitura videtur it will surely down if not timely shored up.

Read John Trapp on Psalms 60 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(2) Earth.—Rather, land; since, though the image is drawn from an earthquake, in which the solid ground trembles and buildings totter and fall (comp. Isaiah 30:13), the convulsion described is political, not physical.

Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 60 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

2. Thou hast made &c.] R.V. Thou hast made the land to tremble; thou hast rent it. The disaster is compared to an earthquake, which is often used as a symbol of great catastrophes and especially of divine judgement (Psalms 18:7; Psalms 46:3; Psalms 46:6; Isaiah 24:18 ff). ‘The breaches’ may be the rents and rifts in the solid ground, or by a very natural transition, the state is further compared to the buildings shattered by the earthquake and threatening to fall (Psalms 42:3; Isaiah 30:13; and for heal = repair, see Jeremiah 19:11).

Read Cambridge on Psalms 60 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Thou hast made the earth to tremble - This refers, doubtless, to some calamity that might be compared with an earthquake - some disaster, discomfiture, or defeat that had shaken their hopes, as a city is shaken by an earthquake.

Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 60 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

2. Earth to tremble… broken… breaches… shaketh—Fearful words, descriptive of an earthquake, to which the army and nation, tottering, reeling, breaking, under the shock of disastrous war, are now compared.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 60 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

You have shaken the land and torn it open. Heal its fractures, for it is quaking.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

You have made the land tremble. You have torn it. Mend its fractures, for it quakes.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

You have shaken the land and torn it open. Heal its fractures, for it is quaking.

NETBNew English Translation2006

You made the earth quake; you split it open. Repair its breaches, for it is ready to fall.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

Thou hast made the earth to tremble; thou hast broken it: heal the breaches thereof; for it shaketh.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

Thou hast made the land to tremble; thou hast rent it: Heal the breaches thereof; for it shaketh.

RVARevised Version, American1894

Thou hast made the land to tremble; thou hast rent it: heal the breaches thereof; for it shaketh.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

Thou hast made the earth to tremble; thou hast broken it: heal its breaches; for it shaketh.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

Thou hast made the land to tremble, and hast made it to gape: heale the breaches thereof, for it is shaken.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

Thou hast made the earth to tremble, thou hast rent it: heal the breaches thereof; for it shaketh.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

Thou hast caused the land to tremble, Thou hast broken it, Heal its breaches, for it hath moved.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

You have caused the land to tremble, || You have broken it, || Heal its breaches, for it has moved.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

(60:4) Thou hast caused the earth to quake; thou hast split it: heal her breaches; for she is moved.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

You have made the land tremble; you have torn it apart; heal its fissures, for it is shaking.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

Hear, O God, my supplication: be attentive to my prayer,

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

You have sent earthquakes on our land and split it apart. Now heal the cracks, for the land is still having tremors.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

By the power of your hand the earth is shaking and broken; make it strong again, for it is moved.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

clauseverbהִרְעַ֣שְׁתָּהyou.have.made.quakeobjectאֶ֣רֶץ[the].landclauseverbפְּצַמְתָּ֑youobjectהּhave.split.it.openclauseverb phrase · verbרְפָ֖repairהnoun phrase · objectשְׁבָרֶ֣יfracturesהָitsכִי(dm)clauseverbמָֽטָהit.is.shaking

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint show some alignment, but only one of the seven words matches directly. The Hebrew text emphasizes the actions taken by God, while the Greek translation conveys the same sense of disturbance without a direct word-for-word correspondence.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

הִרְעַ֣שְׁתָּה אֶ֣רֶץ פְּצַמְתָּ֑הּ רְפָ֖ה שְׁבָרֶ֣יהָ כִי־ מָֽטָה׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
שְׁבָרֶ֣יהָκαὶ

1 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Psalms 60:2רָעַשׁyou have mayou have made qרָעַשׁאֶ֫רֶץ[the] earth[the] earthאֶ֫רֶץפָּצַםyou have spyou have split פָּצַםרָפָאrepair !repair !רָפָאשֶׁ֫בֶרfractures ifractures itsשֶׁ֫בֶרכִּיforforכִּימוֹטit is shakiit is shakingמוֹטשָׁבַרto breakto breakשָׁבַררָפָהto slackento slackenרָפָהמַכָּהwoundwoundמַכָּהזְעָקָהoutcryoutcryזְעָקָהרָגַזto trembleto trembleרָגַזכְּנַ֫עַןCanaanCanaanכְּנַ֫עַןמִצְרַ֫יִם(Sea of) E(Sea of) Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםחָבַשׁto saddle/to saddle/tieחָבַשׁיָדַעto knowto knowיָדַעבַּלnotnotבַּלפָּרַרto breakto breakפָּרַר
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Psalms 60:2

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

you have made quake [the] earth you have split open it repair ! fractures its for it is shaking
הִרְעַ֣שְׁתָּהhir.'Ash.tah you have made quake H7493 Verb · Hiphil · perfect second person masculine singular
30× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means to shake or quake, often describing the earth or sky trembling with fear. It's used in the books of Psalms and Isaiah, describing God's power and majesty.
Tyndale gloss
to shake
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָעַשׁ (ra`ash) is a Hebrew verb meaning to quake or shake. It describes actions such as trembling or moving, often due to fear, and can also refer to the springing of a horse. The verb appears in different forms, including Qal (to shake), Niphal (to be made to quake), and Hiphil (to cause to quake or leap).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[רָעַשׁ] vb. quake, shake

Qal quake, shake

Niph. is made to quake

Hiph.

cause to quake

cause (horse) to spring, leap (like locust)

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7493 [רָעַשׁ] quake, shake

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7493 ra`ash raw-ash

a primitive root; to undulate (as the earth, the sky, etc.;

also a field of grain), partic. through fear; specifically, to

spring (as a locust):--make afraid, (re-)move, quake, (make

to) shake, (make to) tremble.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָעַשׁ (ra.ash) — to shake.

1) to quake, shake

1a) (Qal) to quake, shake

1b) (Niphal) to be made to quake

1c)(Hiphil)

1c1) to cause to quake

1c2) to cause to spring or leap (of horse)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVhp2ms — Verb · Hiphil · perfect second person masculine singular
HVhp2ms
you have made quake [the] earth you have split open it repair ! fractures its for it is shaking
אֶ֣רֶץ'E.retz [the] earth H776 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
2,504× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
The land or earth refers to the soil or ground, and can also mean a country, territory, or region. In the Bible, it is used to describe the earth and its inhabitants, and is often translated as 'land' or 'country'.
Tyndale gloss
land: soil
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֶ֫רֶץ (erets) is a feminine noun meaning 'earth' or 'land.' It encompasses various meanings, including the whole earth, specific territories like Canaan, and even inhabitants of the land. It can refer to soil, ground, or regions, and is used in phrases related to distance and the living. There is a note on the plural form אֲרָצוֹת, which mainly appears in later texts to denote multiple lands.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land

earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

earth, opp. to heaven, sky

earth = inhabitants of earth

land =

country, territory

district, region

trial territory

piece of ground

specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

= inhabitants of land

used even of Shᵉʼôl

ground, surface of ground

soil, as productive

אֶרֶץ in phrases

people of the land

in measurements of distance

the country of the plain, level or plain country

land of the living

end(s) of the earth

pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H776 אֶ֫רֶץ n. f. & (seld.) m. earth, land . . earth, whole earth (opp. to a part)

. earth, opp. to heaven, sky

. earth = inhabitants of earth

. land = . country, territory

. district, region

. trial territory

. piece of ground

. specif. land of Canaan, or Israel

. = inhabitants of land

. used even of Shᵉʼôl

. . ground, surface of ground

. soil, as productive

. אֶרֶץ in phrases . people of the land

. in measurements of distance

. the country of the plain, level or plain country

. land of the living

. end(s) of the earth

. pl. אֲרָצוֹת is almost wholly late; it denotes lands, countries, often in contrast to Canaan, lands of the nations, etc.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

776 'erets eh'-rets

from an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth

(at large, or partitively a land):--X common, country, earth,

field, ground, land, X natins, way, + wilderness, world.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: country/planet.

: country/field

1) land, earth

1a) earth

1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

1b2) district, region

1b3) tribal territory

1b4) piece of ground

1b5) land of Canaan, Israel

1b6) inhabitants of land

1b7) Sheol, land without return, (under) world

1b8) city (-state)

1c) ground, surface of the earth

1c1) ground

1c2) soil

1d) (in phrases)

1d1) people of the land

1d2) space or distance of country (in measurements of distance)

1d3) level or plain country

1d4) land of the living

1d5) end(s) of the earth

1e) (almost wholly late in usage)

1e1) lands, countries

1e1a) often in contrast to Canaan

אֶ֫רֶץ (e.rets) — land: soil.

: soil

1) land, earth

1a) earth

1a1) whole earth (as opposed to a part)

1a2) earth (as opposed to heaven)

1a3) earth (inhabitants)

1b) land

1b1) country, territory

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcfsa — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

urth ('adhamah, 'erets, 'aphar; ge, oikoumene):

In a hilly limestone country like Palestine, the small amount of iron oxide in the rocks tends to be oxidized, and thereby to give a prevailing reddish color to the soil. This is especially the case on relatively barren hills where there is little organic matter present to prevent reddening and give a more blackish tinge.

'Adhamah (compare 'adham, "a man," and Adam) is from 'adham, "to be red," and is used in the senses: "earth" (Ex 20:24), "land" (Ps 105:35), a "land" or country (Isa 14:2), "ground" (Ge 4:11), "the earth" (Ge 7:4).

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Earth

(1.) In the sense of soil or ground, the translation of the word adamah’. In Gen. 9:20 “husbandman” is literally “man of the ground or earth.” Altars were to be built of earth (Ex. 20:24). Naaman asked for two mules’ burden of earth (2 Kings 5:17), under the superstitious notion that Jehovah, like the gods of the heathen, could be acceptably worshipped only on his own soil.

(2). As the rendering of ’erets, it means the whole world (Gen. 1:2); the land as opposed to the sea (1:10). Erets also denotes a country (21:32); a plot of ground (23:15); the ground on which a man stands (33:3); the inhabitants of the earth (6:1; 11:1); all the world except Israel (

Smith's Bible Dictionary

The term is used in two widely-different senses: (1) for the material of which the earth’s surface is composed; (2) as the name of the planet on which man dwells. The Hebrew language discriminates between these two by the use of separate terms, adamah for the former, erets for the latter. Adamah is the earth in the sense of soil or ground, particularly as being susceptible of cultivation. (Genesis 2:7) Erets is applied in a more or less extended sense-- (1) to the whole world, (Genesis 1:1) (2) to land as opposed to sea, (Genesis 1:10) (3) to a country, (Genesis 21:32) (4) to a plot of ground, (Genesis 23:15) and (5) to…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

In both Hebrew and Greek the same word is used to denote the earth as a whole, and a particular land. Only the context can enable us to decide in which of these senses it is to be taken in a given passage.

Thus in Mt 27:45 we might, so far as the original word is concerned, render either "there was darkness over all the land," or over all the earth. The expression "all the earth" is sometimes used hyperbolically for a large portion of it, Ezr 1:2. The word is used of the whole world, etc. In a moral sense, earthly is opposed to what is heavenly, spiritual and holy, Joh 3:31 1Co 15:47 Col 3:2

you have made quake [the] earth you have split open it repair ! fractures its for it is shaking
פְּצַמְתָּ֑הּpe.tzam.Tah you have split open it H6480 Verb qal perfect second person masculine singular · suffix
1× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word describes a violent splitting or breaking, often caused by a powerful force like an earthquake. It is used to describe dramatic events and natural disasters in the Old Testament.
Tyndale gloss
to split open
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

פָּצַם (patsam) is a primitive Hebrew root meaning to split or break open, often associated with the action of cracking. It appears in the Old Testament in Psalm 60:4, where it conveys the idea of something being rent apart, possibly by a force like an earthquake.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[פָּצַם] vb. split open;—Qal ψ 60:4

ref

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6480 פָּצַם

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6480 patsam paw-tsam'

a primitive root; to rend (by earthquake):--break.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

פָּצַם (pa.tsam) — to split open.

1) to split or break open

1a) (Qal) to crack

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVqp2ms/Sp3fs — Verb qal perfect second person masculine singular · suffix
HVqp2ms/Sp3fs
you have made quake [the] earth you have split open it repair ! fractures its for it is shaking
רְפָ֖הre.Fah repair ! H7495 Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular · suffix
67× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to heal or mend, often referring to God's power to cure physical or emotional hurts, as seen in Psalm 103:3.
Tyndale gloss
to heal
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

רָפָא (rapha') is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to heal' or 'to mend.' It covers various forms, including healing by God, physicians, and figurative healing of nations or individuals. The verb has different stems indicating active healing, being healed, and healing in order to be healed. The entries do not present any significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

רָפָא vb. heal

Qal heal

Niph. be healed

Pi. have healed, heal

Hithp. in order to get healed

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7495 רָפָא heal

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7495 rapha' raw-faw'

or raphah {raw-faw'}; a primitive root; properly, to mend (by

stitching), i.e. (figuratively) to cure:--cure, (cause to)

heal, physician, repair, X thoroughly, make whole. See 7503.

see HEBREW for 07503

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

רָפָא (ra.pah) — to heal.

1) to heal, make healthful

1a) (Qal) to heal

1a1) of God

1a2) healer, physician (of men)

1a3) of hurts of nations involving restored favour (fig)

1a4) of individual distresses (fig)

1b) (Niphal) to be healed

1b1) literal (of persons)

1b2) of water, pottery

1b3) of national hurts (fig)

1b4) of personal distress (fig)

1c) (Piel) to heal

1c1) literal

1c2) of national defects or hurts (fig)

1d) (Hithpael) in order to get healed (infinitive)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVqv2ms/Sh — Verb qal imperative second person masculine singular · suffix
HVqv2ms/Sh
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

re-par' (machceh, "refuge"): In Joe 3:16, for the King James Version The Lord will be the hope of his people" the King James Version margin renders "place of repair," or, "harbour" = haven of repair. the Revised Version (British and American) gives "refuge." Other words are chazaq, "to strengthen," "harden," "fix" (2Ki 12:5 and often; Ne 3); rapha' "to heal" (1Ki 18:30); `amadh, "to cause to stand still" (Ezr 9:9); chayah, "to revive" (1Ch 11:8); caghar, "to close up" (1Ki 11:27).

you have made quake [the] earth you have split open it repair ! fractures its for it is shaking
שְׁבָרֶ֣יהָshe.va.Rei.ha fractures its H7667 Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
45× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word describes a breaking or shattering, like a physical injury or a dream being interpreted, and is used to convey ruin or destruction in the Bible.
Tyndale gloss
breaking
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שֶׁ֫בֶר (sheber) refers to breaking or fracturing, encompassing meanings like crash, ruin, and destruction. It can also denote the breaking of a dream and its interpretation. The term appears in various contexts, including physical damage and emotional distress.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שֶׁ֫בֶר, שֵׁ֫בֶר n.m. breaking, fracture, crushing, breach, crash

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7667 שֶׁ֫בֶר, שֵׁ֫בֶר breaking, fracture, crushing, breach, crash

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7667 sheber sheh'-ber

or sheber {shay'-ber}; from 7665; a fracture, figuratively,

ruin; specifically, a solution (of a dream):--affliction,

breach, breaking, broken(-footed, -handed), bruise, crashing,

destruction, hurt, interpretation, vexation.

see HEBREW for 07665

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שֶׁ֫בֶר (she.ver) — breaking.

1) breaking, fracture, crushing, breach, crash, ruin, shattering

1a) breaking, fracture, shattering, crushing

1b) crashing

1c) breaking (of a dream), interpretation

1d) quarries

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmpc/Sp3fs — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffix
HNcmpc/Sp3fs
you have made quake [the] earth you have split open it repair ! fractures its for it is shaking
כִי־khi- for H3588 Particle
4,483× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
A conjunction used to show cause or connection, as in Genesis 2:23 where Adam says the woman is bone of his bone because she was taken out of him. It is often translated as 'for', 'because', or 'since'.
Tyndale gloss
for
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

כִּי (ki) is a conjunction primarily meaning 'that,' 'for,' or 'when.' It indicates causal relationships and can express conditions like 'if' or 'though.' The word is versatile, appearing in various contexts to convey certainty, exception, or concession. Notably, it can combine with other particles to modify its meaning, such as in the phrase כִּי אם־ (ki im), meaning 'that if.'

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי conj. that, for, when

that

Of time, when, of the past

elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

Because, since

base

כִּי אם־

each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:

that if

for if

(About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—

limiting the prec. clause, except

the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

after an oath, surely

base

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3588a כִּי that, for, when . that

. . Of time, when, of the past

. elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם

. when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though

. Because, since

H3588b כִּי אם־ . each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause: . that if

. for if

. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause— . limiting the prec. clause, except

. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but

. after an oath, surely

H3588c כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3588 kiy kee

a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional

prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent

or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative

conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by

other particles annexed:--and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch,

where-)as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else,

even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, +

nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then,

therefore, + (al- )though, + till, truly, + until, when,

whether, while, whom, yea, yet.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

כִּי (ki) — for.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if

1f) but rather, but

1g) except that

1h) only, nevertheless

1i) surely

1j) that is

1k) but if

1l) for though

1m) forasmuch as, for therefore

כִּי [אם] (ki im) — that if: except.

1) except if

1a) but if

1b) even though

כִּי [עַל כֵּן] (ki [al ken]) — for as that: since.

1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since

1a) that

1a1) yea, indeed

1b) when (of time)

1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force)

1c) because, since (causal connection)

1d) but (after negative)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HTc — Particle
HTc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

for (ki (conjunction), le, from 'el (preposition), and various other words. In the New Testament also the words are various, chiefly gar, kai gar, hoti (conjunctions); anti apo eis dia (accusative), epi (dative and accusative), peri (genitive), pros (genitive and accusative), huper (genitive) (prepositions)): the English Revised Version and the American Standard Revised Version give in many cases more literal or more accurate renderings than those in the King James Version.

In the New Testament the most important preps. from a doctrinal point of view are anti, "face to face," "over against," "instead," "on behalf of," peri, "around," "about," "concerning," huper, "over," "on behalf of." The first has been claimed as stating the substitutionary nature of Christ's sacrifice as contrasted with huper and peri, more frequently used of it. But, although anti in the New Testament often means…

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
you have made quake [the] earth you have split open it repair ! fractures its for it is shaking
מָֽטָה׃Ma.tah it is shaking H4131 Verb · Qal · perfect third person feminine singular
38× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means to shake or waver, like something that's unstable. It appears in books like Psalms and Proverbs, to describe things that are falling apart or unstable. The KJV translates it as 'be carried' or 'fall'.
Tyndale gloss
to shake
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מוֹט (mot) is a Hebrew verb meaning to totter, shake, or slip. It has various forms, including Qal (to totter), Niphal (to be shaken), Hiphil (to dislodge), and Hithpael (to be greatly shaken). The entries indicate a range of meanings related to instability and movement, but do not specify any particular Old Testament verses.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

[מוֹט] vb. totter, shake, slip

Qal totter, slip

Niph. be shaken, moved, overthrown

Hiph. dislodge, let fall, drop

Hithpo‛l. be greatly shaken

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4131 [מוֹט] totter, shake, slip

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4131 mowt mote

a primitive root; to waver; by implication , to slip, shake,

fall:--be carried, cast, be out of course, be fallen in

decay, X exceedingly, fall(-ing down), be (re-)moved, be

ready, shake, slide, slip.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מוֹט (mot) — to shake.

1) to totter, shake, slip

1a) (Qal) to totter, shake, slip

1b) (Niphal) to be shaken, be moved, be overthrown

1c) (Hiphil) to dislodge, let fall, drop

1d) (Hithpael) to be greatly shaken

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HVqp3fs — Verb · Qal · perfect third person feminine singular
HVqp3fs
Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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