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גָּעַשׁ

𐤂𐤏𐤔

gâʻash

H1607 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To shake with force, to quake or tremble; used of violent physical movement or agitation, typically concerning the earth (earthquake), but can also extend metaphorically to intense agitation or upheaval. The verb can describe literal physical shaking (such as that of the ground), or more figurative forms of turmoil.

Semantic Range

to shake violently (earthquake), to agitate with force, to tremble, to cause upheaval or turbulent disturbance (literal or figurative)

Root / Etymology

Root: געש. The root conveys the sense of strong and forceful movement, particularly shaking or quaking. The verb גָּעַשׁ is derived directly from this root and represents the act of vigorous shaking or agitation, most often applied to the earth but can be applied to other contexts of disturbance.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, גָּעַשׁ primarily appears in poetic and prophetic texts to denote the earth shaking, often as a manifestation of divine power, wrath, or cosmic disturbance (e.g., Judges 5:4; 2 Samuel 22:8; Psalms 18:7). Though occasionally used in non-literal contexts to describe turmoil or agitation among peoples (cf. Isaiah 24:19), it is overwhelmingly associated with seismic, natural events. The term is part of a word family that also includes nouns for 'quake' or 'earthquake.' Modern English translations usually render it as 'quake' or 'shake,' which adequately covers the semantic field when physical movement is intended, but may underrepresent its metaphorical richness in some contexts. It is distinct from similar roots such as רָעַשׁ (ra'ash), which can also mean 'to quake' but more often emphasizes noise or tumult.

Translation Consistency

primary "shake" 1 occurrence

'Shake' is the most natural and versatile English verb covering the full SILEX range — literal violent shaking (earthquakes) and figurative agitation or upheaval. It reads naturally in varied contexts and avoids overly formal or narrowly seismic wording like 'quake.'

Alternatives (9 occurrences):
"shook themselves violently" (3x) "quaked violently" (2x) "shook violently" (1x) "stagger" (1x) "quake violently" (1x) "shaken" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to agitate violently; move, shake, toss, trouble.

Bantu Hebrew

Language Bantu Word Transliteration Meaning
Northern Sotho (Sepedi) gagitša to shake, agitate
Sotho (Sesotho) kakitša to shake, agitate
Tswana gagitsha to shake, agitate, stir violently

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Root Family

געש (Gaash) — to shake, to quake, to agitate violently

Root געש to shake, to quake, to agitate violently
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1608 גַּעַשׁ Quaking Hill

Word Forms

8 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H1607-03 וַ/יִּֽתְגָּעֲשׁ֖וּ vayitegaashu HC/Vtw3mp and they quaked and they shook themselves violently and they shook themselves violently 3
H1607-01 וַ/תִּגְעַ֬שׁ vatigeash HC/Vqw3fs and it quaked and she quaked violently and it quaked violently 1
H1607-02 וַ/יִּתְגָּעַ֤שׁ vayitegaash HC/Vtw3ms and it shook and he violently shook himself and it shook violently 1
H1607-04 וְ/הִֽתְגֹּֽעֲשׁ֖וּ vehitegoashu HC/Vrq3cp and they shall stagger and they shook themselves violently and they shall stagger 1
H1607-05 ו/תגעש vtgsh HC/Vqw3fs and it quaked and she quaked violently and it quaked violently 1
H1607-06 יְגֹעֲשׁ֣וּ yegoashu HVPi3mp they are shaken they will be violently shaken they are shaken 1
H1607-07 יִֽתְגָּעֲשׁ֖וּ yitegaashu HVti3mp churn they will shake themselves violently they will shake themselves violently 1
H1607-08 יִתְגֹּ֣עֲשׁוּ yitegoashu HVri3mp churn they will quake violently they will quake violently 1

Occurrences in Scripture

10 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H1607-05 2 Samuel 22:8 ו/תגעש vtgsh HC/Vqw3fs and it quaked and she quaked violently and it quaked violently
H1607-02 2 Samuel 22:8 וַ/יִּתְגָּעַ֤שׁ vayitegaash HC/Vtw3ms and it shook and he violently shook himself and it shook violently
H1607-03 2 Samuel 22:8 וַ/יִּֽתְגָּעֲשׁ֖וּ vayitegaashu HC/Vtw3mp and they quaked and they shook themselves violently and they shook themselves violently
H1607-03 Jeremiah 5:22 וַ/יִּֽתְגָּעֲשׁוּ֙ vayitegaashu HC/Vtw3mp and-they-toss and they shook themselves violently and they shook themselves violently
H1607-04 Jeremiah 25:16 וְ/הִֽתְגֹּֽעֲשׁ֖וּ vehitegoashu HC/Vrq3cp and they shall stagger and they shook themselves violently and they shall stagger
H1607-07 Jeremiah 46:7 יִֽתְגָּעֲשׁ֖וּ yitegaashu HVti3mp churn they will shake themselves violently they will shake themselves violently
H1607-08 Jeremiah 46:8 יִתְגֹּ֣עֲשׁוּ yitegoashu HVri3mp churn they will quake violently they will quake violently
H1607-01 Psalms 18:8 וַ/תִּגְעַ֬שׁ vatigeash HC/Vqw3fs and it quaked and she quaked violently and it quaked violently
H1607-03 Psalms 18:8 וַ֝/יִּתְגָּֽעֲשׁ֗וּ vayitegaashu HC/Vtw3mp and they quaked and they shook themselves violently and they shook themselves violently
H1607-06 Job 34:20 יְגֹעֲשׁ֣וּ yegoashu HVPi3mp they are shaken they will be violently shaken they are shaken
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