פָּלָא

From the study of Psalm 105:2

Range of meaning

From pl', "to be extraordinary, beyond reach, too difficult." The form here is a passive participle used as a noun, roughly "things made extraordinary." It marks what goes beyond normal human ability or understanding. Applied to God, it means deeds only he could do, especially acts of rescue and judgment.

Against the English

BSB "wonders"; KJV and ESV "wondrous works"; WEB "marvelous works"; NIV "wonderful acts"; NLT "wonderful deeds." The renderings are accurate, but modern "wonderful" has weakened to "very nice." The Hebrew means "beyond human power," not "delightful."

How it drifted

Over centuries English "wonderful" shifted from "causing astonishment" to general approval, which makes NIV's and NLT's wording sound milder than the original.

Used elsewhere in the period

Gen 18:14: "Is anything too extraordinary (yippālē') for the LORD?" Exod 3:20: "I will strike Egypt with all my wonders (niflə'ôtay)", the plagues. Exod 34:10 and Josh 3:5 use it for exodus and conquest acts. Ps 78:4, 11, 12 and Ps 106:7, 22 tie the word to Egypt and the Red Sea. Verse 5 of this psalm pairs it with "miracles" (môftîm) and "judgments of his mouth."

From the study of Psalm 119:18

Range of meaning

To be extraordinary, beyond, separated from the ordinary. The Niphal means to be too difficult or too wonderful, beyond someone's capacity. The feminine plural participle niflaʾot is used as a noun: 'wonders', the marvellous acts of God. The related noun peleʾ means 'a wonder' (Isa 9:6 [Heb 9:5] 'Wonderful Counsellor' = peleʾ yoʿets).

Against the English

English 'wonderful' has weakened to 'very nice'. NIV's 'wonderful things' is therefore lighter than the Hebrew. 'Wondrous things' (KJV, ESV, BSB, WEB) and YLT's 'wonders' keep more of the sense of the extraordinary. NLT's 'wonderful truths' adds a word, 'truths', that the Hebrew does not have.

How it drifted

'Wonderful' has faded in modern English from 'full of wonder, astonishing' to 'very good, pleasant'.

Used elsewhere in the period

God's saving acts: Exod 3:20 'I will strike Egypt with all my wonders (niflʾotay)'; Ps 78:4, 11; 105:2, 5; 106:7, 22; 136:4 'who alone does great wonders'. 'Too hard': Gen 18:14 'Is anything too wonderful/hard (hayippaleʾ) for YHWH?'; Deut 17:8 a legal case 'too hard' for local judges; Deut 30:11 'this commandment is not too hard (niflēʾt) for you'. Elsewhere in Ps 119: v27 'I will meditate on your wonders (niflʾotekha)'; v129 'your testimonies are wonders (pelaʾot)'.

From the study of Isaiah 29:14

Range of meaning

The root describes what is beyond human ability to do or understand: too hard, extraordinary, astonishing. The verb is used almost only with God as the doer of the wonder. Humans can find a thing "too wonderful" (Psalm 139:6; Proverbs 30:18) or "too hard" (Genesis 18:14, "Is anything too hard [yippālēʾ] for the LORD?"; Deuteronomy 17:8 of legal cases too hard for local judges). The noun peleʾ is used of God's acts at the Exodus (Exodus 15:11; Psalm 77:11, 14; 78:12).

Against the English

KJV "marvellous work" and "wonder" were accurate in 1611, when "marvellous" meant "causing amazement". Today "marvelous" mostly means delightful or excellent, which tilts the phrase toward good news. NIV's "astound" and BSB's "confound" catch the bewildering side better.

How it drifted

English "marvellous" has weakened over time from "astonishing" to "very good". The Hebrew word has no built-in positive or negative sense; whether it is good or bad depends on who receives it.

Used elsewhere in the period

Exodus 3:20 ("I will strike Egypt with all my wonders") and 34:10 ("I will do wonders... it is an awesome thing") show the same root covering terrifying acts of power. Deuteronomy 28:59 uses the verb for God making Israel's plagues "extraordinary" as covenant curse, a close parallel to its use against Israel here. Isaiah 28:29 says the LORD "is wonderful [hiplîʾ] in counsel", and 9:6 gives the coming king the title peleʾ yôʿēṣ, "Wonder-Counselor". In the Dead Sea Scrolls the root is common for God's hidden, wondrous mysteries (e.g. the Thanksgiving Hymns).