Lexical Definition

‎פָּלָא‎ pâlâʼ (paw-law') to wonder ^H:V
a primitive root

accomplish, (arise...too, be too) hard, hidden, things too high, (be, do, do a, shew) marvelous(-ly, -els, things, work), miracles, perform, separate, make singular, (be, great, make) wonderful(-ers, -ly, things, works), wondrous (things, works, -ly).

• properly, perhaps to separate, i.e. distinguish (literally or figuratively)
• by implication, to be (causatively, make) great, difficult, wonderful

1) to be marvellous, be wonderful, be surpassing, be extraordinary, separate by distinguishing action
1a) (Niphal)
1a1) to be beyond one's power, be difficult to do
1a2) to be difficult to understand
1a3) to be wonderful, be extraordinary
1a3a) marvellous (participle)
1b) (Piel) to separate (an offering)
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to do extraordinary or hard or difficult thing
1c2) to make wonderful, do wondrously
1d) (Hithpael) to show oneself wonderful or marvellous

See Greek: ἀδυνατέω · ἀδύνατος · διαστέλλομαι · διαχωρίζομαι · δύναμις · ἔνδοξος · εὔχομαι · θαυμάσιος · θαυμαστός · μεγαλύνω · μεγάλως · μέγας · μετατίθημι · νοιέω

Brown-Driver-Briggs

[‎פָּלָא‎]₇₁ verb denominative Niph`al etc., be surpassing, extraordinary (compare Gerber²¹²); —

Niph`al Perfect 3 feminine singular ‎נִפְלָאת‎ Ps 118:23 (Ges^{«GKC:44f»§ 44f}); ‎נִפְלְאַ֫תָה‎ 2Sam 1:26 (Kö^{i. 610 f.}, 614 Ges^{«GKC:75oo»§ 75oo}); 3 plural ‎נִפְלְאוּ‎ Prov 30:18 Imperfect ‎יִפָּלֵא‎ Deut 17:8 + 6 t.; Participle masculine plural ‎נִפְלָאִים‎ Ps 139:14 feminine singular ‎נִפְלֵאת‎ Deut 30:11 plural ‎נִפְלָאוֺת‎ Josh 3:5 +; suffix ‎נִפְלְאֹתַי‎ Exod 3:20, etc.; —

1. be beyond one's power, difficult to do, ‎לעשׂות‎ 2Sam 13:2 ‎׳‎‎בְּעֵינֵי פ‎ Zech 8:6 (twice in verse); with ‎מן‎ person too difficult for Deut 30:11, for ‎׳‎‎י‎ Gen 18:14 (J) Jer 32:17; Jer 32:27.

2. be difficult to understand; with ‎מן‎ person too difficult for Ps 131:1; Prov 30:18; Job 42:3, to decide Deut 17:8. Especially

3. a. be extraordinary, wonderful, 2Sam 1:26; Ps 119:18 of God's acts, ‎בְּעֵנֵינוּ‎ ‎׳‎‎נ‎ Ps 118:23, compare Ps 139:14.

2. Participle as substantive marvellous things Job 37:14 (acts of God), Dan 11:36 (presumptuous words); as adverb wondrously Job 37:5; Dan 8:24.

4. ‎נִפְלָאוֺת‎ = wonderful acts of ‎׳‎‎י‎ in judgment and redemption, Exod 3:20 (J) Judg 6:13; Jer 21:2; 1Chr 16:9; 1Chr 16:24; Ps 9:2*; Ps 26:7 + 15 t. Psalms; also ‎׳‎‎עשׂה נ‎ Exod 34:10; Josh 3:5 (J) Job 5:9 = Job 9:10, + 9 t. Chronicles, Psalms; ‎׳‎‎הראה נ‎ Mic 7:15; Ps 78:11. Pi`el Infinitive construct ‎לְפַלֵּא נֶדֶר‎ make a special votive offering, Lev 22:21; Num 15:3; Num 15:8 (P). Hiph`il Hiph`il Perfect 3 masculine singular ‎הִפְלִיא‎ Ps 31:22*; 2Chr 26:15 ‎הִפְלִא‎ Isa 28:29 ‎וְהִפְלָא‎ consecutive Deut 28:59 (Ges^{«GKC:75oo»§ 75oo}); Imperfect ‎יַפְלִא‎ Lev 27:2; Num 6:2 Infinitive absolute ‎הַפְלֵא‎ Isa 29:14; 2Chr 2:8* construct ‎הַפְלִיא‎ Isa 29:14; Joel 2:26 Participle ‎מַפְלִא‎ Judg 13:19 —

1. do a hard or difficult thing: ‎(לִנְדֹּר) נֶדֶר‎ ‎׳‎‎הפ‎ make a hard vow Lev 27:2; Num 6:2 (compare Pi`el).

2. make wonderful, do wondrously: of God, ‎מַכּוֺת‎ ‎׳‎‎הפ‎ make plagues wonderful (exceptional), Deut 28:59 ‎עֵצָה‎ ‎׳‎‎הפ‎ Isa 28:29 make counsel wondrous, Isa 29:14 do wonderfully with people, + ‎הַפְלֵא וָפֶלֶא‎; ‎׳‎‎עשׂה עמכם לה‎ Joel 2:26 dealt with you doing wondrously; ‎חַסְדּוֺ לִי‎ ‎׳‎‎הפ‎ Ps 31:22* ‎לְהֵעָזֵר‎ ‎׳‎‎הפ‎ 2Chr 26:15 did marvelously in receiving help; of the temple ‎גָּדוֺל וְהַפְלֵא‎ 2Chr 2:8* (Kö^{Synt. § 318 e}).

3. of God, ‎מַפְלִא לעשׂות‎ Judg 13:19 working wonders in doing. Hithpa`el Imperfect ‎תִּתְפַּלָּא בִי‎ Job 10:16 thou dost shew thyself marvellous (act inexplicably) against me.

Brown-Driver-Briggs References