The Hebrew word rogzâh, represented by H7269, is a term for trepidation or trembling. As a very specific term, it appears only 1 time in 1 unique verse in scripture. Its singular use highlights a moment of profound, commanded anxiety.
The sole appearance of H7269 is in Ezekiel, where God instructs the prophet to perform a symbolic act. He is told, "Son of man, eat thy bread with quaking, and drink thy water with trembling and with carefulness" Ezekiel 12:18. In this context, the word portrays a physical manifestation of deep-seated fear and distress, not as a natural reaction, but as a prophetic demonstration of the anxiety that will soon grip the people of Israel.
Several related words appear alongside H7269 in Ezekiel 12:18, creating a vivid picture of fear:
- H7494 raʻash (quaking): Defined as "vibration, bounding, uproar; commotion, confused noise, earthquake, fierceness, quaking, rattling, rushing, shaking." Its use alongside "trembling" emphasizes a violent, physical shaking that accompanies the internal dread. Elsewhere it describes literal events like an earthquake Amos 1:1 and the "great rushing" sound of a spiritual presence Ezekiel 3:12.
- H1674 dᵉʼâgâh (carefulness): This word means "anxiety; care(-fulness), fear, heaviness, sorrow." Paired with "trembling," it signifies that the physical act is rooted in a state of mental and emotional anguish. It is used to describe the sorrow of fainthearted people Jeremiah 49:23 and the heaviness in a man's heart Proverbs 12:25.
The theological weight of H7269 is tied directly to its role in Ezekiel's prophetic ministry.
- A Prophetic Sign: The act of eating and drinking with "trembling" is not a personal experience for Ezekiel but a sign to the people. It is a divine command to embody the coming judgment.
- The Experience of Judgment: The term illustrates the future state of the inhabitants of Jerusalem. As explained in the following verse, they will "eat their bread with carefulness H1674, and drink their water with astonishment, that her land may be desolate" Ezekiel 12:19. The trembling is a preview of the terror of living under God's judgment.
- A Consequence of Violence: The prophecy explicitly connects this state of fear to its cause, stating it is "because of the violence of all them that dwell therein" Ezekiel 12:19. The trepidation is a direct result of sin.
In summary, H7269 is a highly specific and rare term whose meaning is fully realized within its singular, prophetic context. It describes a deep, physical trembling born from anxiety. Used by Ezekiel, it serves as a powerful symbol of the fear and insecurity that will befall a people facing the consequences of their own violence, demonstrating how God uses physical manifestations to communicate spiritual truths.
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