תְּוַהּ (te.vah)
te.vah
be startled
A:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb tevah describes a sudden reaction of being startled or alarmed. It captures that sharp, involuntary jolt when something unexpected breaks your focus. This is not a gradual fear but an immediate physical or mental flinch in response to a shock.
Its usage in Scripture is extremely rare, appearing only once in the book of Daniel (3:24). In that context, King Nebuchadnezzar sees four figures walking unharmed in the fire and is visibly startled by what his eyes cannot immediately explain. The word conveys the king’s momentary confusion and surprise at a sight that defies natural expectation.
Because it appears so infrequently, tevah does not carry a broad theological range. Instead, it serves as a precise descriptor for human reaction to the miraculous or the inexplicable. Translators typically render it as "startled" or "astonished," highlighting the immediate impact of the divine intervention on the observer’s senses.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When King Nebuchadnezzar looked into the fiery furnace, he did not expect to see a fourth figure walking among Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. The text tells us he was tevah—startled or alarmed by what his eyes could not immediately explain. This word captures that sharp, involuntary jolt when something breaks your focus and defies natural expectation. It is not a gradual fear, but an immediate reaction to the miraculous.
We often face moments in life where circumstances shift so suddenly that we feel startled. Perhaps it is news that upends our plans, or a grace we did not see coming. In those instances, this rare Hebrew verb reminds us that God can appear in ways that surprise even the most powerful observers. The king’s astonishment was not just confusion; it was the beginning of a realization that he had underestimated the presence of God with His people.
When you encounter the unexpected, remember that your reaction does not have to be fear alone. It can be the start of a deeper awareness of who is walking with you in the fire. This word invites us to stay open to the ways God might intervene, even when we think we know how the story will end.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- he was alarmed1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- תְּוַ֖הּ1×
Key Verses
-
Daniel 3:24
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished and rose up in haste. He spoke and said to his counselors, “Didn’t we cast three men bound into the middle of the fire?” They answered the king, “True, O king.”
This is the only occurrence of the word, describing Nebuchadnezzar's immediate physical and mental reaction to seeing a fourth figure in the fire who was not previously there.