מִפְלָאָה

a miracle

Definition

The noun מִפְלָאָה (miphlâʼâh) refers to a wondrous or miraculous work, specifically an act that inspires awe and wonder because it surpasses ordinary human understanding or ability. It denotes a divine act that reveals God's extraordinary power and wisdom. In its sole biblical occurrence in Job 37:16, it describes God's 'perfect knowledge' of the 'wondrous works' of nature, highlighting His sovereign control over creation. While closely related to the more common term for 'wonder' (פֶּלֶא, pele'), this form emphasizes the concrete manifestation or product of that wondrous power.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in the poetic book of Job. In Job 37:16, Elihu uses it in the context of God's mastery over meteorological phenomena—the clouds, lightning, and wind—to argue for God's inscrutable wisdom and power. The usage is in a rhetorical question challenging Job's understanding, placing the 'wondrous work' firmly within the realm of God's sovereign acts in the natural world.

Etymology

Derived from the root פָּלָא (pālā', H6381), which means 'to be wonderful, to be surpassing, to be extraordinary.' This root is the source for key biblical words for miracles and wonders (e.g., פֶּלֶא, pele'). The specific noun form מִפְלָאָה is a feminine noun that typically indicates the concrete result or instance of the wondrous action, hence 'a wondrous work' or 'a miracle.'

Semantic Range

This word, though rare, is theologically significant as it points directly to God's miraculous activity, particularly in the natural order. It reinforces the biblical theme that creation itself is a continuous theater of God's wondrous works (Psalm 139:14). Understanding this Hebrew term enriches reading by connecting specific, awe-inspiring acts to God's character as the transcendent and active Creator, whose works are meant to elicit human wonder and humble acknowledgment of His supremacy, as seen in the context of Job.

In the ancient Near Eastern context, control over weather and natural phenomena was often attributed to deities. The use of this word in Job 37:16 directly asserts Yahweh's unique and perfect command over these forces, countering any polytheistic or magical understandings of nature. The 'wondrous work' is not a random anomaly but a deliberate display of the one true God's power.

פֶּלֶא (pele', H6382) — A more general and frequent term for a 'wonder' or 'marvel,' often used in the plural for God's great acts (Exodus 15:11). נֵס (nes, H5251) — A 'sign' or 'banner,' often a miraculous sign given as a token or standard (Exodus 4:8). אוֹת (ʾôth, H226) — A 'sign' or 'token,' frequently used for miracles that serve as confirming evidence (Deuteronomy 4:34).

Word Details

Scripture References