Original Word: צָלַל
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: tsalal
Pronunciation: tsaw-lal'
Phonetic Spelling: (tsaw-lal')
KJV: quiver, tingle
NASB: tingle, quivered
Word Origin: [a primitive root (identical with H6749 (צָּלַל - sank) through the idea of vibration)]

1. to tinkle, i.e. rattle together (as the ears in reddening with shame, or the teeth in chattering with fear)

quiver, tingle

A primitive root (identical with tsalal through the idea of vibration); to tinkle, i.e. Rattle together (as the ears in reddening with shame, or the teeth in chattering with fear) -- quiver, tingle.

see HEBREW tsalal

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to tingle, quiver
NASB Translation
quivered (1), tingle (3).

I. [צָלַל] verb tingle, quiver (Late Hebrew צִלְצֵל whirr (rare); Arabic , ; ᵑ7 צְלַל; Syriac ); — Perfect3plural צָֽלְלוּ Habakkuk 3:16; Imperfect3feminine plural תְּצִלֶּינָה 1 Samuel 3:11, תִּצַּלְנָה (Ges^{§ 67g}) 2 Kings 21:12; Jeremiah 19:3; — tingle, of ears, at horrid sound 1 Samuel 3:11; 2 Kings 21:12; Jeremiah 19:3 (all of dreadful news); of lips, quiver in terror Habakkuk 3:16.

Semantic Nuance and Imagery

The verb צָלַל portrays a sudden, penetrating vibration—whether in the ears or throughout the body—that accompanies awe, terror, or divine visitation. In every Old Testament setting the word marks the moment when God’s word or work breaks into human complacency, producing an involuntary physical reaction. The tingling of ears or quivering of lips becomes the Spirit-given sign that what is being heard or seen is utterly weighty and irrevocable.

Canonical Occurrences

1. 1 Samuel 3:11 – The first prophetic word delivered through the boy Samuel begins: “Behold, I am about to do something in Israel at which the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle.” The announcement introduces a season of judgment on the house of Eli and signals the transition from the era of the judges to the rise of the prophets and monarchy.

2. 2 Kings 21:12 – The Lord warns of calamity under Manasseh: “I will bring such disaster on Jerusalem and Judah that the ears of all who hear of it will tingle.” Here צָלַל underscores the shocking reversal awaiting a city confident in its temple but now ripe for exile.

3. Jeremiah 19:3 – At the Valley of Hinnom the prophet repeats the refrain: “Behold, I am going to bring such calamity on this place that the ears of all who hear of it will tingle.” The verb links Jeremiah’s generation to the earlier oracle against Eli’s house, showing that God’s justice is consistent across centuries.

4. Habakkuk 3:16 – In Habakkuk’s theophanic prayer, the prophet confesses, “I heard, and my body trembled; my lips quivered at the sound.” The same root now describes the prophet’s own physical response to the coming Chaldean invasion and the eventual triumph of the Lord. Whereas earlier usages threaten hearers with dread, here the faithful prophet himself quivers in reverent submission.

Historical Framework

Each occurrence arises at a turning point in Israel’s story:

• Shiloh’s fall (1 Samuel): priestly corruption gives way to prophetic leadership.

• Jerusalem’s doom foreseen (2 Kings): royal apostasy outweighs temple privilege.

• Imminent exile (Jeremiah): the pottery jar is smashed as a sign of irreversible judgment.

• International upheaval (Habakkuk): the righteous live by faith while empires rise and fall.

צָלַל functions as a literary thread binding these epochs together, reminding every generation that God’s covenant dealings are neither casual nor negotiable.

Theological Themes

Revelation and Response — The verb stresses that divine revelation demands a visceral response. God’s words are never merely informational; they penetrate soul and body.

Holiness and Judgment — Tingling ears herald judgment. The shocking nature of sin’s consequences pierces the senses, compelling hearers to repentance before events unfold.

Fear of the Lord — Habakkuk shows that even the righteous quake. Holy fear is not antithetical to faith but integral to it, preparing the heart for rejoicing in the God of salvation (Habakkuk 3:18).

Continuity of God’s Character — From Shiloh to Babylon, the same expression and the same outcome display the unchanging righteousness of the Lord.

Ministry Implications

Preaching and Teaching — Prophetic warnings should retain their capacity to make ears tingle. Expositors are called to communicate the gravity of divine judgment with clarity and compassion, trusting the Spirit to awaken holy fear (Acts 24:25).

Pastoral Care — Habakkuk’s trembling invites believers to acknowledge physical manifestations of anxiety when facing God’s purposes. Shepherds can guide saints to move from shaking lips to singing faith.

Corporate Worship — Liturgies that include confession and lament allow the congregation to feel, not merely recite, the weight of God’s holiness, mirroring the pattern of Habakkuk 3.

Intercession — Knowing that God’s interventions may shake nations, the church intercedes for mercy, echoing Habakkuk’s plea, “In wrath remember mercy” (Habakkuk 3:2).

Prophetic Echoes

The New Testament carries forward the motif without the Hebrew term. Acts 2 describes a sound “like a mighty rushing wind,” and Hebrews 12:26–27 foretells a final shaking of creation. Both scenes recall צָלַל’s effect: human senses overwhelmed by the inbreaking kingdom. Ultimately, the consummation in Revelation 6:15–17 envisions a global quivering before “the wrath of the Lamb,” pressing every heart toward repentance or rebellion.

Summary

צָלַל is the biblical verb for the jolt produced when holy reality confronts human sin and frailty. Whether heard in prophetic courtroom scenes or felt in the trembling prayer closet, it summons God’s people to reverent fear, swift repentance, and steadfast faith, assuring them that the Judge of all the earth will do right.

צָלֲל֣וּ צללו תְּצִלֶּ֖ינָה תִּצַּ֖לְנָה תִּצַּ֥לְנָה תצלינה תצלנה tə·ṣil·le·nāh təṣillenāh tetzilLeinah tiṣ·ṣal·nāh tiṣṣalnāh titzTzalnah tzalaLuInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts