תָּמַהּ
ta.mah (H8539)
to astounded
AI Word Study
# Analysis of תָּמַהּ (tamah): "To Be Astounded" The Hebrew verb תָּמַהּ (tamah) denotes a state of being astounded or struck with wonder. Based on its nine biblical occurrences, this word captures a moment of cognitive disruption—when something encountered is so unexpected or extraordinary that it overwhelms normal comprehension. The verb describes an internal reaction rather than an external action, making it fundamentally about the experience of astonishment itself. The relative rarity of this term (only nine instances) suggests it was reserved for moments of genuine shock rather than mild surprise. This specificity gives the word particular weight when it appears in biblical narratives; its use signals that something profoundly unusual has occurred—something that breaks ordinary patterns and demands attention. The word's limited frequency indicates that biblical writers employed it selectively to mark genuinely exceptional events or revelations worthy of special notice. Understanding תָּמַהּ as a technical term for astonishment helps readers recognize when biblical narratives emphasize the extraordinary nature of an event. Rather than describing routine reactions, this verb functions as a linguistic marker: when characters or observers are described with this word, the text itself is signaling that what has transpired lies outside normal experience and warrants the reader's particular attention.
AI synthesis uses only provided lexicon data -- never training knowledge.
They sat before him, the firstborn according to his birthright, and the youngest according to his youth, and the men marveled with one another.
The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his rebuke.
They saw it, then they were amazed. They were dismayed. They hurried away.
If you see the oppression of the poor, and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in a district, don’t marvel at the matter, for one official is eyed by a higher one, and there are officials over them.
They will be dismayed. Pangs and sorrows will seize them. They will be in pain like a woman in labor. They will look in amazement one at another. Their faces will be faces of flame.
Pause and wonder! Blind yourselves and be blind! They are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.
“It will happen at that day,” says Yahweh, “that the heart of the king will perish, along with the heart of the princes. The priests will be astonished, and the prophets will wonder.”
“Look among the nations, watch, and wonder marvelously; for I am working a work in your days, which you will not believe though it is told you.