עֲקַלָּתוֹן (a.qal.la.ton)
a.qal.la.ton
crooked
H:AQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:A
Word Overview
The Hebrew word aqallaton describes something that is crooked or twisted, appearing only once in the entire Old Testament at Isaiah 27:1. In this specific context, it serves as a descriptive name for Leviathan, the chaotic sea monster representing hostile forces opposing God’s order.
Its rarity makes its usage particularly striking. By applying a term meaning "twisted" or "bent" to this mythical serpent, the text emphasizes the distortion and disorder that evil introduces into creation. The imagery suggests a being that is not merely large or dangerous, but fundamentally misaligned with the straight path of divine justice.
Translators typically render this as "crooked" or "twisted," preserving the sense of physical and moral deviation. This single occurrence highlights how biblical poetry uses concrete adjectives to characterize abstract spiritual conflicts, portraying the defeat of chaos as a restoration of rightness.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word aqallaton appears just once in Scripture, describing Leviathan as a "twisted serpent" in Isaiah 27:1. This rare term paints a vivid picture of chaos and distortion. It is not simply about physical shape but represents the moral and spiritual disorder that opposes God's perfect order. When evil enters the world, it twists what was originally straight and good.
For your faith, this image offers profound comfort. You do not face chaos alone. Isaiah tells us that Yahweh wields a "hard and great and strong sword" to punish this twisted force. God’s power is sufficient to cut through confusion and restore rightness. The defeat of Leviathan assures us that disorder is temporary and that God’s justice will ultimately prevail.
Knowing that God defeats the crooked forces of evil allows you to trust His sovereignty even when life feels tangled. You can rest in the certainty that He brings clarity from confusion and peace from turmoil. His strength is greater than any distortion or fear that seeks to overwhelm your heart.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- twisting1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- עֲקַלָּת֑וֹן1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 27:1
In that day, Yahweh with his hard and great and strong sword will punish leviathan, the fleeing serpent, and leviathan, the twisted serpent; and he will kill the dragon that is in the sea.
This verse uniquely applies the term "twisted" to Leviathan, highlighting the moral distortion of chaos that God’s strong sword will punish.