What Does Deuteronomy 28:65 Mean in the King James?
And among these nations shalt thou find no ease, neither shall the sole of thy foot have rest: but the LORD shall give thee there a trembling heart, and failing of eyes, and sorrow of mind:
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The verse makes lost rest audible: “ease” (מַרְגּוֹעַ, margoaʿ) nearly echoes “trembling” (רָגַז, ragaz), so inner agitation sounds like the denial of repose.
THE MEANING
This names a condition in which there is no settled ground beneath the feet, and the heart remains agitated. Sight dims and grief reaches the living self; the distress is physical, inward, and whole.
THE ROOT
מַרְגּוֹעַ
margoaʿ
GROWS FROM
רָגַע
To settle, become quiet, or come to rest.
The verse uses מַרְגּוֹעַ (margoaʿ, ease or repose) for what cannot be found. Nearby, רָגַז (ragaz, tremble or become agitated) describes the heart; the roots differ, but their near-sounding forms make lost rest and inner upheaval ring together.
ALSO GROWS
margoaʿ: Ease, repose, or a resting place.
מַרְגּוֹעַ
This is the word in the verse, naming the settledness that cannot be found.
lehargīʿô: To cause him to rest.
לְהַרְגִּיעוֹ
This form shows the same root describing rest being brought about, making its absence here especially stark.
רָגַז
ragaz
GROWS FROM
רָגַז
To tremble, quake, or become agitated.
“trembling” in this verse is ragaz. The heart is marked by upheaval, not merely by a passing thought. Set beside מַרְגּוֹעַ (margoaʿ, ease), this word makes the loss of inward settling audible.
ALSO GROWS
ragaz: To tremble or become agitated.
רָגַז
The word describes the heart’s instability in this verse.
rogez: Agitation, turmoil, or trembling.
רֹגֶז
This noun extends the root’s sense from a trembling heart to a state of turmoil.
נֶפֶשׁ
nefesh
GROWS FROM
נפש
The living self, the person as a living soul.
“mind” in this verse is nefesh. The Hebrew phrase דְּאָבוֹן נֶפֶשׁ (de’avon nefesh, anguish of the living soul) places grief in the living self, not only in thought. The related verb נָפַשׁ (naphash, be refreshed) sharpens the contrast with the verse’s denied repose.
ALSO GROWS
nefesh: Living soul or person.
נֶפֶשׁ
It shows that the sorrow reaches the whole living person.
naphash: To be refreshed or recover.
נָפַשׁ
This related form places the soul’s anguish against the possibility of refreshment that the verse says is absent.
THE PATTERN
Confinement shows itself as lost rest, failing perception, and turmoil within.
I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet; yet trouble came.My heart panteth, my strength faileth me: as for the light of mine eyes, it also is gone from me.For, when we were come into Macedonia, our flesh had no rest, but we were troubled on every side; without were fightings, within were fears.THE THREAD
Return unto thy rest, O my soul; for the LORD hath dealt bountifully with thee.Deuteronomy’s מָנוֹחַ (manoach, rest) and Psalm 116’s מְנוּחָה (menuchah, rest) come from נוּחַ (nuach, settle or rest). The same root names the foot’s denied resting place and the rest addressed to the living soul.
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