Lexical Summary retet: trembling, quaking Original Word: רֶטֶט Strong's Exhaustive Concordance fear From an unused root meaning to tremble; terror -- fear. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition a trembling, panic NASB Translation panic (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs רֶ֫טֶט noun [masculine] trembling, panic (BaNB § 20 a Köii. 1, 42); — absolute הֶהֱזִיקָה ׳ר Jeremiah 49:24 she hath seized panic, but < הֶחֱזִיקָהּ (Gie), panic hath seized her. Topical Lexicon Overview רֶטֶט (retet) denotes a sudden shaking of heart and limbs—the inward quaking that accompanies stark terror. Its single canonical appearance captures a city’s collapse under the weight of divine judgment, yet its theological ripples extend throughout Scripture’s testimony about the fear of the LORD, the dread of His enemies, and the confidence of His people. Occurrence in Jeremiah 49:24 Jeremiah’s oracle against Damascus employs the term to portray the city’s paralysis in the face of Babylon: “Damascus has become feeble; she has turned to flee, and panic has gripped her; anguish and sorrows have seized her like a woman in labor” (Jeremiah 49:24). Here retet (“panic”) is paired with “anguish and sorrows,” intensifying the portrayal of national disintegration. The prophet likens the dread to birth pains, an image frequently used for unavoidable, escalating judgment (Isaiah 13:8; 1 Thessalonians 5:3). Historical Background Damascus, ancient capital of Aram, had long resisted Assyrian and Babylonian pressures. By Jeremiah’s era (late seventh to early sixth century B.C.), its political strength waned. Nebuchadnezzar’s western campaigns (circa 605–572 B.C.) fulfilled Jeremiah’s pronouncement. Retet thus records a historical moment when a prominent city, once a threat to Israel, trembled before a greater power set in motion by God’s sovereign plan. Themes of Divine Judgment 1. Certainty: Retet testifies that when God’s word of judgment arrives, even fortified cities melt (Nahum 2:10). Human Response to Divine Activity While the ungodly experience retet, the righteous are called to fear the LORD instead of circumstances (Proverbs 29:25; Isaiah 8:12–13). Retet exposes false securities and contrasts with the believer’s commanded courage (Joshua 1:9; John 14:27). Prophetic Imagery and Literary Function • Intensification: The rare term punctuates the oracle, arresting the listener’s imagination. Related Biblical Passages Psalm 48:5–6 – Kings panic when they behold Zion’s God, echoing retet’s terror. Isaiah 21:3–4 – The prophet’s own trembling mirrors the message he conveys. Luke 21:25–26 – “Men will faint from fear” before the Son of Man’s return, an eschatological parallel to Jeremiah’s historical scene. Ministry Application • Preaching: Retet warns congregations against relying on cultural or military might; refuge lies only in Christ (Hebrews 6:18). Redemptive Horizon The trembling of Damascus foreshadows the final shaking of the nations (Hebrews 12:26–27). Yet for those in the new covenant, the unshakable kingdom replaces retet with reverent awe and enduring peace (Philippians 4:7). Forms and Transliterations וְרֶ֣טֶט ׀ ורטט veRetet wə·re·ṭeṭ wəreṭeṭLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Jeremiah 49:24 HEB: הִפְנְתָ֥ה לָנ֖וּס וְרֶ֣טֶט ׀ הֶחֱזִ֑יקָה צָרָ֧ה NAS: away to flee, And panic has gripped KJV: herself to flee, and fear hath seized INT: has turned to flee and panic has gripped her Distress 1 Occurrence |
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