Lexical Summary
pala: To be wonderful, to be extraordinary, to be difficult, to be marvelous
Original Word:פָלָא
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:pala'
Pronunciation:pah-LAH
Phonetic Spelling:(paw-law')
KJV: accomplish, (arisetoo, be too) hard, hidden, things too high, (be, do, do a, shew) marvelous(-ly, -els, things, work), miracles, perform, separate, make singular, (be, great, make) wonderful(-ers, -ly, things, works), wondrous (things, works, -ly)
NASB:wonders, difficult, miracles, wonderful, fulfill a special, wonderful deeds, wondrous deeds
Word Origin:[a primitive root]
1. (properly, literally or figuratively) perhaps to separate, i.e. distinguish
2. (by implication) to be great, difficult, wonderful
3. (causatively) to make great, difficult, wonderful
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
accomplish, arise
A primitive root; properly, perhaps to separate, i.e. Distinguish (literally or figuratively); by implication, to be (causatively, make) great, difficult, wonderful -- accomplish, (arise...too, be too) hard, hidden, things too high, (be, do, do a, shew) marvelous(-ly, -els, things, work), miracles, perform, separate, make singular, (be, great, make) wonderful(-ers, -ly, things, works), wondrous (things, works, -ly).
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origindenominative verb from
peleDefinitionto be surpassing or extraordinary
NASB Translationbring extraordinary (1), deal marvelously (1), difficult (5), extraordinary degree (1), fulfill a special (3), made his wonderful (1), made marvelous (1), makes a difficult (1), makes a special (1), marvelous (1), marvelously (1), miracles (5), monstrous things (1), seemed hard (1), show your power (1), things...difficult (1), things...wonderful (1), too difficult (2), wonderful (4), wonderful acts (1), wonderful deeds (3), wonderful things (2), wonderful works (2), wonders (20), wondrous deeds (3), wondrous works (3), wondrously (2), wondrously marvelous (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
[]
71 etc., (compare Gerber
212); —
Perfect3feminine singularPsalm 118:23 (Ges§ 44f);2 Samuel 1:26 (Köi. 610 f., 614 Ges§ 75oo); 3 pluralProverbs 30:18;ImperfectDeuteronomy 17:8 6t.;Participle masculine pluralPsalm 139:14; feminine singularDeuteronomy 30:11; pluralJoshua 3:5 +; suffixExodus 3:20, etc.; —
be beyond one's power, difficult to do,2 Samuel 13:2;Zechariah 8:6 (twice in verse); with persontoo difficult forDeuteronomy 30:11, forGenesis 18:14 (J)Jeremiah 32:17,27.
be difficult to understand; with persontoo difficult forPsalm 131:1;Proverbs 30:18;Job 42:3, to decideDeuteronomy 17:8. Especially
be extraordinary, wonderful,2 Samuel 1:26;Psalm 119:18; of God's acts,Psalm 118:23, comparePsalm 139:14.
Participle as substantivemarvellous thingsJob 37:14 (acts of God),Daniel 11:36 (presumptuous words); as adverbwondrouslyJob 37:5;Daniel 8:24.
=wonderful acts of in judgment and redemption,Exodus 3:20 (J)Judges 6:13;Jeremiah 21:2;1 Chronicles 16:9,24;Psalm 9:2;Psalm 26:7 15t. Psalms; alsoExodus 34:10;Joshua 3:5 (J)Job 5:9 =Job 9:10, + 9 t. Chronicles, Psalms;Micah 7:15;Psalm 78:11.
Infinitive constructmake a special votive offering,Leviticus 22:21;Numbers 15:3,8 (P).
Hiph`ilPerfect3masculine singularPsalm 31:22; 2Chronicles 26:15;Isaiah 28:29; consecutiveDeuteronomy 28:59 (Ges§ 75oo);ImperfectLeviticus 27:2;Numbers 6:2;Infinitive absoluteIsaiah 29:14; 2Chron 2:8; constructIsaiah 29:14;Joel 2:26;ParticipleJudges 13:19; —
do a hard or difficult thing:make a hard vowLeviticus 27:2;Numbers 6:2 (compare ).
make wonderful, do wondrously: of God,make plagues wonderful (exceptional),Deuteronomy 28:59;Isaiah 28:29make counsel wondrous,Isaiah 29:14do wonderfully with people, + ;Joel 2:26dealt with you doing wondrously;Psalm 31:22; 2Chronicles 26:15did marvelously in receiving help; of the temple 2Chron 2:8 (KöSynt. § 318 e).
,Judges 13:19working wonders in doing.
ImperfectJob 10:16thou dost shew thyself marvellous (act inexplicably)against me.
Topical Lexicon
Semantic Field and Scopeפָּלָא is the Old Testament’s principal verb for what is “extraordinary,” “beyond human capacity,” or “wonderfully accomplished.” When attributed to the Lord it celebrates His miraculous interventions; when applied to people it identifies matters they cannot unravel without divine aid.
Distribution across Canonical Sections
• Torah – 12 occurrences (Genesis 18:14;Exodus 3:20;Deuteronomy 17:8; 28:59; 30:11, etc.)
• Historical Books – 12 (Joshua 3:5;Judges 6:13; 13:19;2 Samuel 1:26;1 Chronicles 16:12, etc.)
• Wisdom Literature – 14 (Job 5:9; 9:10;Psalm 31:21; 71:17; 139:6;Proverbs 30:18, etc.)
• Major Prophets – 14 (Isaiah 25:1; 28:29; 29:14;Jeremiah 32:17, 27, etc.)
• Minor Prophets – 7 (Joel 2:26;Micah 7:15;Habakkuk 1:5;Zechariah 8:6, etc.)
• Chronicles–Ezra–Nehemiah and later writings – 12 (Nehemiah 9:17;Psalm 98:1; 111:4, etc.)
Key Theological Themes
1.Nothing Is Too Difficult for the Lord
Genesis 18:14 voices the principle at the birth-announcement to Sarah: “Is anything too difficult for the LORD?” Jeremiah echoes, “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too difficult for Me?” (Jeremiah 32:27). The verb underscores both passages, tying patriarchal promise to prophetic assurance and forming a biblical axiom of divine omnipotence.
2.God’s Wondrous Acts in Redemptive History
Joshua 3:5 links פָּלָא with Israel’s entry into the land: “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.”Judges 13:19 records a “wonderful thing” at the angelic revelation to Manoah and his wife. These events shape Israel’s collective memory and ground later calls to worship—“Sing to Him… tell of all His wondrous works” (1 Chronicles 16:9).
3.Revelatory Difficulty and Human Limitation
Deuteronomy 17:8 instructs judges to appeal to the central sanctuary when a matter “is too difficult” (pala) for local courts.Proverbs 30:18–19 lists enigmas “too wonderful” for human explanation.Psalm 139:6 confesses, “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,” acknowledging the limits of human intellect before divine omniscience.
4.Prophetic Foretelling of Marvelous Deliverance
Isaiah 29:14 announces that God will “again do marvelous work… a wonder,” signaling judgment and salvation interwoven.Habakkuk 1:5 anticipates an astonishing work “that you would not believe if told,” ultimately fulfilled in the Babylonian era yet echoed by Paul inActs 13:41 regarding the resurrection narrative.
5.Covenant Instruction Not Beyond Reach
Deuteronomy 30:11 encourages obedience: “This commandment… is not too difficult for you.” The same verb that magnifies God’s power also reassures Israel that His word, though sublime, is accessible—foreshadowing Paul’s exposition of the Word made near inRomans 10:6–8.
Historical Significance
•Exodus and Conquest – The term frames the plagues (Exodus 3:20) and Jordan crossing (Joshua 3:5), establishing a pattern of salvific wonders.
•Monarchy and Exile – In Davidic worship, the psalmists repeatedly recount “wondrous deeds” (Psalm 40:5; 98:1), sustaining faith during national upheaval. Isaiah’s and Jeremiah’s uses assure the remnant that exile cannot thwart God’s marvelous counsel.
•Post-exilic Hope –Zechariah 8:6 applies פָּלָא to the improbable restoration of Jerusalem: if it seems impossible to the people, it is not so for the Lord of Hosts.
Christological Trajectory
Although the verb appears only in the Hebrew Scriptures, its essence finds culmination in the person and work of Jesus Christ—“the Child… shall be called Wonderful” (Isaiah 9:6; noun form). The New Testament repeatedly attributes to Christ deeds described by the Greek cognate θαυμάζω, mirroring the Hebrew concept.Acts 2:22 presents Jesus as “a man attested to you by God with miracles, wonders, and signs,” echoing פָּלָא vocabulary and demonstrating continuity of God’s redemptive marvels.
Practical Ministry Applications
1.Worship and Testimony – Believers are summoned to declare God’s wondrous works publicly (Psalm 71:17). Corporate liturgy can intentionally incorporate testimonies of providence that mirror biblical themes of פָּלָא.
2.Intercessory Confidence – Pastors and prayer leaders draw on passages likeJeremiah 32:17 to inspire bold petitions for situations that seem “too difficult,” trusting the God of פָּלָא to act.
3.Counseling Perspective –Deuteronomy 30:11 informs pastoral care: obedience is attainable by grace; God’s commands are not impossibly lofty.
4.Apologetic Engagement –Isaiah 29:14 andHabakkuk 1:5 encourage proclamation of divine interventions as evidence for faith, countering skepticism with historical and experiential testimonies of the extraordinary.
Representative Passages
Genesis 18:14
Jeremiah 32:17–27
Joshua 3:5
Psalm 139:6
Isaiah 25:1; 29:14
Zechariah 8:6
Summary
פָּלָא threads through Scripture as the verb of wonder, impossibility overcome, and covenant faithfulness displayed. It magnifies the Lord’s unparalleled power, exposes human limitation, and compels the community of faith to worship, trust, and obey the God who continually does what is “too difficult” for man but never for Himself.
Forms and Transliterations
בְּנִפְלְאוֹתֶֽיךָ׃ בְּנִפְלְאוֹתָֽיו׃ בנפלאותיו׃ בנפלאותיך׃ הֲיִפָּלֵ֥א הִפְלִ֘יא הִפְלִ֣יא הִפְלִ֥יא הַפְלֵ֣א היפלא הפלא הפליא וְ֝נִפְלְאוֹתָ֗יו וְהִפְלָ֤א וְהַפְלֵֽא׃ וְנִפְלָא֗וֹת וְנִפְלָא֥וֹת וַיִּפָּלֵא֙ וּבְנִפְלָא֣וֹת וּמַפְלִ֣א ובנפלאות והפלא והפלא׃ ויפלא ומפלא ונפלאות ונפלאותיו יִפָּלֵ֔א יִפָּלֵ֖א יִפָּלֵ֗א יִפָּלֵ֥א יִפָּלֵא֩ יַפְלִ֖א יַפְלִא֙ יפלא לְהַפְלִ֑יא לְהַפְלִ֥יא לְנִפְלְאֹתָ֑יו לְפַלֵּא־ להפליא לנפלאתיו לפלא־ נִ֝פְלָא֗וֹת נִ֭פְלָאוֹת נִֽפְלְאֹתֶ֥יךָ נִפְלְא֣וּ נִפְלְא֬וֹת נִפְלְאַ֤תָה נִפְלְאֹתֶ֙יךָ֙ נִפְלְאֹתַ֔י נִפְלְאֹתָ֔יו נִפְלְאֹתָ֡יו נִפְלְאֹתָֽיו׃ נִפְלְאֹתָיו֙ נִפְלְאוֹתֶ֗יךָ נִפְלְאוֹתֶ֣יךָ נִפְלְאוֹתֶֽיךָ׃ נִפְלְאוֹתָ֥יו נִפְלְאוֹתָֽיו׃ נִפְלֵ֥את נִפְלָ֣את נִפְלָא֑וֹת נִפְלָא֣וֹת נִפְלָא֥וֹת נִפְלָאִ֥ים נִפְלָאֹ֔ת נִפְלָאֽוֹת׃ נפלאו נפלאות נפלאות׃ נפלאותיו נפלאותיו׃ נפלאותיך נפלאותיך׃ נפלאים נפלאת נפלאתה נפלאתי נפלאתיו נפלאתיו׃ נפלאתיך תִּתְפַּלָּא־ תתפלא־ bə·nip̄·lə·’ō·w·ṯāw bə·nip̄·lə·’ō·w·ṯe·ḵā benifleoTav benifleoTeicha bənip̄lə’ōwṯāw bənip̄lə’ōwṯeḵā hă·yip·pā·lê hafLe hap̄·lê hap̄lê hayippaLe hăyippālê hifLi hip̄·lî hip̄lî lə·hap̄·lî lə·nip̄·lə·’ō·ṯāw lə·p̄al·lê- lefalle lehafLi ləhap̄lî lenifleoTav lənip̄lə’ōṯāw ləp̄allê- niflaIm niflaOt nifLat nifleAtah nifleot nifleoTai nifleoTav nifleoTeicha nifLet nifleU nip̄·lā·’îm nip̄·lā·’ō·wṯ nip̄·lā·’ōṯ nip̄·lāṯ nip̄·lə·’a·ṯāh nip̄·lə·’ō·ṯāw nip̄·lə·’ō·ṯay nip̄·lə·’ō·ṯe·ḵā nip̄·lə·’ō·w·ṯāw nip̄·lə·’ō·w·ṯe·ḵā nip̄·lə·’ō·wṯ nip̄·lə·’ū nip̄·lêṯ nip̄lā’îm nip̄lā’ōṯ nip̄lā’ōwṯ nip̄lāṯ nip̄lə’aṯāh nip̄lə’ōṯāw nip̄lə’ōṯay nip̄lə’ōṯeḵā nip̄lə’ōwṯ nip̄lə’ōwṯāw nip̄lə’ōwṯeḵā nip̄lə’ū nip̄lêṯ tiṯ·pal·lā- titpalla tiṯpallā- ū·ḇə·nip̄·lā·’ō·wṯ ū·map̄·li ūḇənip̄lā’ōwṯ umafLi ūmap̄li uveniflaot vaiyippaLe vehafLe vehifLa veniflaot venifleoTav way·yip·pā·lê wayyippālê wə·hap̄·lê wə·hip̄·lā wə·nip̄·lā·’ō·wṯ wə·nip̄·lə·’ō·w·ṯāw wəhap̄lê wəhip̄lā wənip̄lā’ōwṯ wənip̄lə’ōwṯāw yafLi yap̄·li yap̄li yip·pā·lê yippaLe yippālê
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