Properly, perhaps to separate , i.e. distinguish (literally or figuratively); by implication, to be (causatively, make ) great , difficult , wonderful
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H6381 describes what is extraordinary, wonderful, difficult, or beyond ordinary capacity, with the active sense determined by whether the passage concerns divine deeds, human experience, judgment, or a hard case. The verb does not always signal a miracle; it can name something remarkable, incomprehensible, unusually severe, precious, or too difficult for a local decision-maker.
Reader summary
Full entry for פָּלָא (H6381) · Open the biblical lexicon
H6381 describes what is extraordinary, wonderful, difficult, or beyond ordinary capacity, with the active sense determined by whether the passage concerns divine deeds, human experience, judgment, or a hard case. The verb does not always signal a miracle; it can name something remarkable, incomprehensible, unusually severe, precious, or too difficult for a.
The BSB source-word alignment has 71 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include wonders (7), His wonders (6), the wonders (6), and His wonders (5), too difficult (3).
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 18:14. Its strongest book concentrations include Psalms (30), Job (6), 1 Chronicles (3), Deuteronomy (3).
H6381 describes what is extraordinary, wonderful, difficult, or beyond ordinary capacity, with the active sense determined by whether the passage concerns divine deeds, human experience, judgment, or a hard case. The verb does not always signal a miracle; it can name something remarkable, incomprehensible, unusually severe, precious, or too difficult for a local decision-maker.
In 1Chr. 16. 12, the worshiping community is commanded to remember the wonders, marvels, and judgments the Lord has performed. In Deut. 17. 8, a legal case too difficult for local judgment must be brought to the appointed covenant tribunal for decision. H6381 opens teaching on wonder that remembers Gods deeds, humility before difficult matters, and gratitude for what exceeds ordinary expectation without chasing spectacle.
It corrects sensational claims that label every unusual event miraculous and dismissive rationalism that refuses the texts testimony to Gods genuinely wondrous acts. H6381 joins remembrance, limits, and affection: worshipers remember the LORDs wonders, local judges refer a case that is too difficult, and David calls Jonathans love extraordinary in a lament shaped by grief.
For H6381, responsible teaching keeps lexical meaning, passage context, canonical synthesis, and present application distinguishable. The verb does not identify the mechanism of every event, prove a private omen, promise constant spectacle, or make difficult questions unfit for careful investigation.
H6381 appears across passages that develop divine wonders, difficult judgment, extraordinary love, creaturely limits, remembrance, and truthful amazement. For H6381, the immediate setting decides which part of the range is active, so the witnesses must remain distinct rather than being merged into one formula.
Remember the wonders He has done, His marvels, and the judgments He has pronounced,
The worshiping community is commanded to remember the wonders, marvels, and judgments the Lord has performed.
If a case is too difficult for you to judge, whether the controversy within your gates is regarding bloodshed, lawsuits, or assaults, you must go up to the place the Lord your God will choose.
A legal case too difficult for local judgment must be brought to the appointed covenant tribunal for decision.
I grieve for you, Jonathan, my brother. You were delightful to me; your love to me was extraordinary, surpassing the love of women.
David laments Jonathan and describes his friends love as extraordinary within a poem of grief and honor.
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders ItA compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
Hebrew word. To separate or distinguish, hence God's miraculous acts that transcend ordinary human capacity and comprehension.
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Showing 3 selected witnesses from 71 lexical occurrence verses.
פָּלָא is a primitive root - no further derivation.
It connects future deliverance with the miraculous pattern of the Exodus.Isaiah 25:1-5
The term highlights the extraordinary nature of God’s fulfilled purposes.Micah 7:14-17
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
H6381 joins remembrance, limits, and affection: worshipers remember the LORDs wonders, local judges refer a case that is too difficult, and David calls Jonathans love extraordinary in a lament shaped by grief. H6381 describes what is extraordinary, wonderful, difficult, or beyond ordinary capacity, with the active sense determined by whether the passage concerns divine deeds, human experience, judgment, or a hard case.
The selected witnesses keep the teaching concrete: 1Chr. 16. 12 shows that the worshiping community is commanded to remember the wonders, marvels, and judgments the Lord has performed. , while Deut. 17. 8 shows that a legal case too difficult for local judgment must be brought to the appointed covenant tribunal for decision.. 2Sam. 1. 26 adds that david laments Jonathan and describes his friends love as extraordinary within a poem of grief and honor..
H6381 opens teaching on wonder that remembers Gods deeds, humility before difficult matters, and gratitude for what exceeds ordinary expectation without chasing spectacle. It corrects sensational claims that label every unusual event miraculous and dismissive rationalism that refuses the texts testimony to Gods genuinely wondrous acts. A church teaching H6381 faithfully will name both the promise and the boundary carried by these contexts, attend to vulnerable hearers, and refuse to make the lexical item prove more than its passages support.
The verb does not identify the mechanism of every event, prove a private omen, promise constant spectacle, or make difficult questions unfit for careful investigation.
1Chr.16.12
H6381 is a Hebrew verb whose stems can describe being extraordinary or difficult and doing something wonderful; surrounding objects and complements decide whether wonder, difficulty, or surpassing quality is emphasized.
Israel remembers the LORDs wonders in creation, exodus, judgment, and provision. The New Testament proclaims signs and the resurrection while also testing claims and centering faith on Christ rather than on an appetite for extraordinary experiences.