Lexical Definition

‎זָחַל‎ zâchal (zaw-khal') to crawl ^H:V
a primitive root

be afraid, serpent, worm.

• to crawl
• by implication, to fear

1) to shrink back, crawl away
1a) (Qal) crawling, creeping (participle) (meton)
2) to fear, be afraid

See Greek: ἡσυχάζω · σύρω

Brown-Driver-Briggs

I. [‎זָחַל‎] verb shrink back, crawl away (Aramaic ‎זְחַל‎ crawl (also drop, drip, of water: so Late Hebrew ‎זָחַל‎), ‎זָחֵיל‎ worm; Syriac locust (as crawling); Arabic withdraw, retire to a distance (see Lane, Wetzst in De^{Hiob 2, 428}), and Sabean ‎זחֿל‎ withdraw, humble oneself DHM^{ZMG 1875, 610}) —

Qal only Participle plural construct ‎זֹחֲלֵי‎ Deut 32:24; Mic 7:17 — crawl, of reptiles (participle) ‎זֹחֲלֵי עָפָר‎ Deut 32:24 i.e. serpents (as poisonous), instruments of Yahweh's judgment on Israel; ‎ארץ‎ ‎׳‎‎ז‎ Mic 7:17 id. (as crawling into the earth to hide), simile of nations in fear of ‎׳‎‎י‎.

II. [‎זָחַל‎] verb fear, be afraid (Aramaic ‎דְּחַל‎, ; compare Arabic rancour, malevolence; Nö^{ZMG. 1886, 741}) — only Qal Perfect 1 singular ‎זָחַלְתִּי‎ Job 32:6 therefore I feared (|| ‎וָאִירָא‎); > most, who derive from I. ‎זָחַל‎ = shrink away in fear, hold back (RV), compare ᵑ7 ‎אִסְתְּפִּיתִי‎ Fl ChWB^{ii. 571}.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References