רָעַל
to reel, i.e. (figuratively) to brandish
Definition
The Hebrew verb רָעַל (râʻal) means to reel, stagger, or shake violently. In its single biblical occurrence, it is used figuratively to describe the brandishing or shaking of weapons, specifically the 'cypress spears' of attacking soldiers. This conveys a sense of threatening, intimidating motion meant to instill fear. The word captures the chaotic, destabilizing force of military aggression as depicted in prophetic judgment.
Biblical Usage
This verb is used only once in the Old Testament, in Nahum 2:3 (Hebrew 2:4). It describes the actions of the shields and spears of the attacking forces against Nineveh: 'The shields of his mighty men are made red, the valiant men are in scarlet: the chariots shall be with flaming torches in the day of his preparation, and the cypress spears shall be terribly shaken (יְרֹעָלוּ, yerōʻālû).' The context is a vivid, poetic depiction of divine judgment executed through warfare.
Etymology
רָעַל is a primitive root. Its core meaning relates to a reeling or staggering motion. Cognates in other Semitic languages suggest meanings connected to trembling or shaking. In Hebrew, it developed a specific figurative application for the brandishing of weapons.
Semantic Range
This word, though used only once, is theologically significant as it appears in a key prophecy of judgment (Nahum). It enriches the reading of Nahum 2:3 by emphasizing the terrifying, divinely orchestrated chaos unleashed against a wicked empire. The violent shaking of weapons symbolizes God's sovereign use of human armies as instruments of His justice, portraying His power to destabilize and overthrow even the greatest human powers.
In ancient Near Eastern warfare, the brandishing of weapons—shaking spears, flashing swords—was a psychological tactic to demoralize the enemy before engagement. Nahum's audience would have immediately understood this action as a prelude to a violent, overwhelming assault, making the prophecy of Nineveh's fall visceral and concrete.
נָעַר (nāʻar, H5287) — to shake, shake out or off; often used for shaking dust or objects, less specific to weaponry. חָרַד (ḥārad, H2729) — to tremble, be afraid; focuses on the emotional response of fear rather than the causative action. רָגַז (rāgaz, H7264) — to be agitated, quake; can refer to emotional rage or physical quaking, including of the earth.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
Full methodology & sources →