נוּעַ (nu.a)
nu.a
to shake
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 32 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb nuʿa describes a physical motion that is unsteady, shaking, or wavering. It captures the image of something losing its balance, whether it is a person staggering from intoxication, leaves trembling in the wind, or objects swinging precariously in a mine shaft. The word conveys instability and lack of firm footing, applying to both literal movement and figurative states of being unsettled.
Scripture uses this vivid imagery to describe human vulnerability. In Psalm 107:27, sailors are said to stagger like drunkards because of their fear on the stormy sea. Similarly, Isaiah 6:4 records the temple doors shaking at the sound of God’s voice, while Judges 9 applies the term metaphorically to olive trees waving their branches in a political contest for power.
Its theological weight lies in its contrast with divine stability. When Genesis 4:12 calls Cain a fugitive and a vagabond, it emphasizes his removal from the secure ground of community and land. The word reminds readers that human plans and positions are often as movable as shaking leaves, highlighting the need for a foundation that does not totter.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word nuʿa paints a vivid picture of instability. It describes things shaking, staggering, or wavering under pressure. In ancient Israel, this imagery was common. Sailors on stormy seas staggered like drunkards (Psalm 107:27). Mountains shook at God’s voice (Isaiah 6:4). Even the earth itself swayed like a hammock when judgment came (Isaiah 24:20). These scenes remind us that human strength and security are often fragile.
Yet this word carries a gentle hope. By showing how easily things can shake, Scripture points to the need for a firm foundation. When we feel our own lives wobbling with fear or uncertainty, we remember that God remains steady. He does not stagger. His promises do not sway. This truth invites us to rest in His unchanging character rather than our own shifting circumstances.
Perhaps you are facing a season where your footing feels uncertain. Like the olive tree refusing to wave its branches for power (Judges 9:9), you might be called to stay rooted in your purpose. Or like Cain, who became a wanderer after losing his place (Genesis 4:12), you may know what it is to feel displaced. In these moments, look to the One who holds all things together. His stability becomes yours.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 32 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- to/ sway3×
- they wandered2×
- she has shaken2×
- and/ I will shake2×
- a wanderer2×
- will I make wander?/ you1×
- wildly <stagger>1×
- to/ wander1×
- they wander1×
- they swing1×
- they shake/ !1×
- people have staggered1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- לָ/נ֖וּעַ3×
- הֵנִ֔יעָה2×
- תָּנ֤וּעַ1×
- נָּע֔וֹת1×
- נָע֥וּ1×
- נָע֤וּ1×
- נָע֖וּ1×
- נָֽעוּ\׃1×
- נָ֥ע1×
- נָ֤ע1×
- נָ֑עוּ1×
- נ֣וֹעַ1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 6:4
The foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke.
Here the word describes the temple thresholds shaking at God’s voice, showing His power to move even the most stable structures.
-
Judges 9:9
“But the olive tree said to them, ‘Should I stop producing my oil, with which they honor God and man by me, and go to wave back and forth over the trees?’
The olive tree refuses to 'wave back and forth' for political power, using nuʿa metaphorically to reject instability in favor of faithful service.
-
Genesis 4:12
From now on, when you till the ground, it won’t yield its strength to you. You will be a fugitive and a wanderer in the earth.”
God declares Cain a wanderer, using nuʿa to signify his loss of secure footing and connection to the land after his sin.
-
Isaiah 24:20
The earth will stagger like a drunken man, and will sway back and forth like a hammock. Its disobedience will be heavy on it, and it will fall and not rise again.
The earth itself is said to stagger like a drunken man, emphasizing the total upheaval that comes under divine judgment.