Original Word: פָלַשׁ
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: palash
Pronunciation: pah-lash'
Phonetic Spelling: (paw-lash')
KJV: roll (wallow) self
NASB: roll, wallow
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to roll (in dust)

roll wallow self

A primitive root; to roll (in dust) -- roll (wallow) self.

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
(act of mourning) perhaps to roll in
NASB Translation
roll (2), wallow (2).

[מָּלַשׁ] verb Hithpa`el act of mourning, possibly roll in (dust, etc.; weakened from burrow into) (Late Hebrew Pi`el break open, or through; Assyrian palâšu, dig a hole; Syriac dig or break through; but connection dubious, Vrss mostly be-sprinkle oneself, Aq roll oneself); — Perfect1singular עָפָר הִתְמַּלָּ֑שְׁתִּי Micah 1:10 Kt (Qr Imperative מַּלָּ֑שִׁי-), others masculine plural מַּלָּ֑שׁוּ-); Imperfect3masculine plural בָּאֵפֶר יִתְמַּלָּ֑שׁוּ Ezekiel 27:30, so Imperative feminine singular הִתֵמַּלֵּשִׁי בָאֵפֶר Jeremiah 6:26 (compare Micah 1:10 Qr); absolute, masculine plural הִתֵמַּלְּשׁוּ Mic 25:34.

Biblical Usage

The verb denotes the physical act of rolling in dust or ashes as a public sign of extreme grief. In the four Old Testament occurrences, it is always paired with mourning vocabulary—sackcloth, wailing, and lamentation—and is never used in a casual or merely ceremonial sense.

• Jeremiah 6:26 frames the call to “roll in ashes” within the imminent invasion of Jerusalem: “O daughter of my people, dress yourselves in sackcloth and roll in ashes; mourn with bitter wailing as for an only son, for suddenly the destroyer will come upon us.”
• Jeremiah 25:34 extends the image to Israel’s leaders, urging, “Wail, you shepherds, and cry out; roll in the dust, you leaders of the flock.”
• Ezekiel 27:30 applies the same gesture to foreign sailors mourning Tyre’s downfall: “They will throw dust on their heads and roll in ashes.”
• Micah 1:10 commands the inhabitants of Beth Ophrah, “Roll in the dust,” as Samaria and Jerusalem face judgment.

Across these texts, the act accompanies divine warning or fulfillment of judgment, highlighting its close relationship to prophetic proclamation.

Historical Setting

Rolling in dust or ashes was a recognized Near Eastern mourning practice. By physically lowering themselves to the ground and covering the body with the earth’s residue, mourners dramatized helplessness before God’s sovereign hand. Prophets harnessed this familiar symbol to drive home the seriousness of covenant violation. Jeremiah addressed a besieged Judah; Ezekiel spoke from exile about Tyre’s commercial hub; Micah preached to the divided kingdoms. The shared action transcended geographic and ethnic boundaries, underlining that all nations stand accountable to the Lord.

Theological Significance

1. Recognition of Divine Judgment: The gesture admits that calamity is not random but the righteous response of a holy God to sin (Jeremiah 6:11–15).
2. Identification with the Community: Leaders and commoners alike are summoned to the ground, erasing social hierarchies when confronted by God’s verdict (Jeremiah 25:34).
3. Foreshadowing Repentance: Although primarily expressive of grief, the posture anticipates true contrition that turns from sin to covenant faithfulness (cf. Jonah 3:6, where similar imagery signals repentance).
4. Eschatological Echo: The final judgment imagery of Revelation 18:19—merchants throwing dust on their heads over Babylon—mirrors Ezekiel 27, showing prophetic consistency across the canon.

Practical and Ministry Reflections

• Corporate Lament: Congregational worship may profit from seasons that acknowledge communal sin and its consequences, fostering humility before seeking renewal.
• Leadership Example: Jeremiah addresses shepherds first; ministry leaders ought to model brokenness rather than distance themselves from the flock’s failings.
• Cultural Translation: While modern believers do not literally roll in dust, the heart posture remains vital—public confession, fasting, and solemn assemblies can embody the same urgency.
• Gospel Hope: Each scene of rolling in dust sets the stage for God’s mercy. Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Micah all proceed to promises of restoration (Jeremiah 30:17; Ezekiel 37:12; Micah 7:18–20), reminding readers that mourning is not the final word.

Related Concepts

Sackcloth (Genesis 37:34), Ashes (Job 42:6), Wailing (Amos 5:16), Dust as Humiliation (Psalm 22:15). Together these motifs form a biblical vocabulary of lament that both acknowledges sin’s gravity and invites the sinner to the only One who can lift him from the dust (Psalm 113:7).

הִתְפַּלָּֽשִׁי׃ התפלשי׃ וְהִֽתְפַּלְּשׁוּ֙ וְהִתְפַּלְּשִׁ֣י והתפלשו והתפלשי יִתְפַּלָּֽשׁוּ׃ יתפלשו׃ hiṯ·pal·lā·šî hitpalLashi hiṯpallāšî vehitpalleShi vehitpalleShu wə·hiṯ·pal·lə·šî wə·hiṯ·pal·lə·šū wəhiṯpalləšî wəhiṯpalləšū yiṯ·pal·lā·šū yitpalLashu yiṯpallāšūInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts