Original Word: פָלָא
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: pala'
Pronunciation: pah-LAH
Phonetic Spelling: (paw-law')
Definition: To be wonderful, to be extraordinary, to be difficult, to be marvelous
Meaning: to separate, distinguish, to be, great, difficult, wonderful

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).

Word Origin
denominative verb from pele
Definition
to be surpassing or extraordinary
NASB Translation
bring 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).

[מָּלָא]₇₁ verb denominative Niph`al etc., be surpassing, extraordinary (compare Gerber²¹²); —

Niph`al Perfect3feminine singular נִפְלָאת Psalm 118:23 (Ges^{§ 44f}); נִפְלְאַ֫תָה 2 Samuel 1:26 (Kö^{i. 610 f.}, 614 Ges^{§ 75oo}); 3 plural נִפְלְאוּ Proverbs 30:18; Imperfect יִמָּלֵא Deuteronomy 17:8 6t.; Participle masculine plural נִפְלָאִים Psalm 139:14; feminine singular נִפְלֵאת Deuteronomy 30:11; plural נִפְלָאוֺת Joshua 3:5 +; suffix נִפְלְאֹתַי Exodus 3:20, etc.; —

1 be beyond one's power, difficult to do, לעשׂות 2 Samuel 13:2; ׳בְּעֵינֵי פ Zechariah 8:6 (twice in verse); with מן person too difficult for Deuteronomy 30:11, for ׳י Genesis 18:14 (J) Jeremiah 32:17,27.

2 be difficult to understand; with מן person too difficult for Psalm 131:1; Proverbs 30:18; Job 42:3, to decide Deuteronomy 17:8. Especially

3. a. be extraordinary, wonderful, 2 Samuel 1:26; Psalm 119:18; of God's acts, בְּעֵנֵינוּ ׳נ Psalm 118:23, compare Psalm 139:14.

2 Participle as substantive marvellous things Job 37:14 (acts of God), Daniel 11:36 (presumptuous words); as adverb wondrously Job 37:5; Daniel 8:24.

4 נִפְלָאוֺת = wonderful acts of ׳י 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; also ׳עשׂה נ Exodus 34:10; Joshua 3:5 (J) Job 5:9 = Job 9:10, + 9 t. Chronicles, Psalms; ׳הראה נ Micah 7:15; Psalm 78:11.

Pi`el Infinitive construct לְפַלֵּא נֶדֶר make a special votive offering, Leviticus 22:21; Numbers 15:3,8 (P).

Hiph`il Hiph`il Perfect3masculine singular הִפְלִיא Psalm 31:22; 2Chronicles 26:15; הִפְלִא Isaiah 28:29; וְהִפְלָא consecutive Deuteronomy 28:59 (Ges^{§ 75oo}); Imperfect יַפְלִא Leviticus 27:2; Numbers 6:2; Infinitive absolute הַפְלֵא Isaiah 29:14; 2Chron 2:8; construct הַפְלִיא Isaiah 29:14; Joel 2:26; Participle מַפְלִא Judges 13:19; —

1 do a hard or difficult thing: (לִנְדֹּר) נֶדֶר ׳הפ make a hard vow Leviticus 27:2; Numbers 6:2 (compare Pi`el).

2 make wonderful, do wondrously: of God, מַכּוֺת ׳הפ make plagues wonderful (exceptional), Deuteronomy 28:59; עֵצָה ׳הפ Isaiah 28:29 make counsel wondrous, Isaiah 29:14 do wonderfully with people, + הַפְלֵא וָפֶלֶא; ׳עשׂה עמכם לה Joel 2:26 dealt with you doing wondrously; חַסְדּוֺ לִי ׳הפ Psalm 31:22; לְהֵעָזֵר ׳הפ2Chronicles 26:15 did marvelously in receiving help; of the temple גָּדוֺל וְהַפְלֵא2Chron 2:8 (Kö^{Synt. § 318 e}).

3 of God, מַפְלִא לעשׂות Judges 13:19 working wonders in doing.

Hithpa`el Imperfect תִּתְמַּלָּא בִי Job 10:16 thou dost shew thyself marvellous (act inexplicably) against me.

Word Origin: A primitive root

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • G101: ἄγνωστος (agnostos) • unknown
• G102: ἄγνωστος (agnostos) • unknown
• G1291: διακρίνω (diakrino) • to distinguish, to judge
• G1316: διαφέρω (diaphero) • to differ, to excel
• G1411: δύναμις (dunamis) • power, miracle
• G1741: ἐνδείκνυμι (endeiknumi) • to show, to demonstrate
• G2172: εὔχομαι (euchomai) • to pray, to wish
• G2297: θαυμάζω (thaumazo) • to marvel, to wonder
• G2298: θαυμαστός (thaumastos) • wonderful, marvelous
• G3170: μεγαλύνω (megaluno) • to magnify, to make great
• G3171: μεγαλωσύνη (megalosune) • majesty, greatness
• G3173: μέγας (megas) • great, large
• G3346: μετατίθημι (metatithemi) • to transfer, to change
• G3539: νοέω (noeo) • to perceive, to understand

The Hebrew root פָלָא (pala') captures the essence of divine wonder and the extraordinary nature of God's works, setting them apart from human endeavors. It is a term that invites reflection on the majesty and incomprehensibility of the divine, as seen through the miraculous and the marvelous acts recorded in Scripture.

Usage: • The verb פָלָא (pala') is used in various contexts in the Hebrew Bible to convey the idea of something being extraordinary, marvelous, or beyond human capability. It often describes acts of God that are miraculous or incomprehensible to human understanding.

Context: • The root פָלָא (pala') appears in several forms throughout the Hebrew Scriptures, often in the context of divine action or intervention. It is used to describe the wondrous works of God, highlighting His power and majesty. For instance, in Exodus 3:20, God promises to perform wonders (נִפְלָאוֹת, nifla'ot) in Egypt. In Psalm 139:14, the psalmist declares, "I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful (נִפְלָאוֹת, nifla'ot), I know that full well." The term also appears in contexts where something is too difficult or incomprehensible for humans, as in Deuteronomy 17:8, where a case is too difficult (פָלָא, pala') to judge. The word underscores the distinction between the divine and the human, emphasizing God's ability to perform acts that are beyond human understanding or capability.

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 yippālêInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts