רָעַשׁ (ra.ash)
ra.ash
to shake
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 18 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb raash describes a violent shaking or quaking, capturing both physical tremors and profound emotional upheaval. It appears eighteen times in the Old Testament, with significant usage in Jeremiah, Isaiah, and Haggai. The word conveys a sense of instability, whether it is the ground trembling under divine presence or hearts unsettled by fear.
Its range extends beyond simple movement to include the springing or leaping of animals, particularly horses, as seen in descriptions of war preparations. This dynamic usage highlights power and sudden motion. In prophetic contexts, it often signals God’s intervention, where the earth itself reacts to His coming, emphasizing the weight and authority of the divine message.
Translators typically render raash as "shake" or "quake," preserving the visceral impact of the original term. The word serves as a literary marker for moments of crisis or revelation, grounding abstract theological concepts in tangible physical experience. Its recurrence in major prophetic books underscores its role in depicting the intersection of human history and divine action.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word raash describes a violent shaking, whether it is the ground trembling under divine presence or hearts unsettled by fear. This term appears eighteen times in the Old Testament, often marking moments where God’s authority intersects with human history. It captures both physical tremors and profound emotional upheaval, grounding abstract theological concepts in tangible experience.
When you read passages like Haggai 2:6, where God promises to shake the heavens and the earth, it reminds us that His power is active and real. This shaking is not random chaos but a deliberate act of intervention. It signals that no earthly kingdom or human structure stands above His control.
For your faith, this word offers comfort in times of instability. Knowing that God can shake the foundations of the world assures you that He is also able to steady your life when it feels unsteady. His power brings both judgment and restoration, inviting trust rather than fear.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 18 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ it quaked2×
- [am] about to shake2×
- ¿/ do you make leap/ it1×
- they shake1×
- so/ they may shake1×
- may it wave1×
- it will shake1×
- it will quake1×
- it shook1×
- it shakes1×
- it has shaken1×
- and/ they have shaken1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- רָעֲשָׁ֖ה2×
- תִּרְעַ֣שׁ1×
- רֹעֲשִׁ֑ים1×
- רָעָ֔שָׁה1×
- רָעֲשׁ֖וּ1×
- נִרְעֲשָׁ֖ה1×
- מַרְעִישׁ֙1×
- מַרְעִ֖ישׁ1×
- מַרְעִ֔ישׁ1×
- יִרְעַ֣שׁ1×
- וַֽ/יִּרְעֲשׁ֖וּ1×
- וַ/תִּרְעַשׁ֙1×
Key Verses
-
Haggai 2:6
For this is what Yahweh of Armies says: ‘Yet once more, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, the earth, the sea, and the dry land;
This verse highlights God’s promise to shake the heavens and earth as a decisive act of intervention against earthly powers.
-
Isaiah 13:13
Therefore I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will be shaken out of its place in Yahweh of Armies’ wrath, and in the day of his fierce anger.
Here the shaking is directly linked to Yahweh’s wrath, showing the cosmic scale of His judgment on Babylon.
-
Jeremiah 10:10
But Yahweh is the true God. He is the living God, and an everlasting King. At his wrath, the earth trembles. The nations aren’t able to withstand his indignation.
The earth trembling at His wrath underscores His identity as the living God who cannot be ignored or withstand.
-
Judges 5:4
“Yahweh, when you went out of Seir, when you marched out of the field of Edom, the earth trembled, the sky also dropped. Yes, the clouds dropped water.
This early usage connects the shaking of the earth with God’s mighty march to deliver His people through victory.