The Hebrew verb nuwph describes a deliberate gesture of waving or swinging before the LORD. It is most commonly used in the instructions for the tenuwphah (wave offering) in Leviticus and Numbers, where portions of sacrifices were waved before God to consecrate them. The priest would present the offering in a horizontal waving motion — toward the altar and back — as a gesture of dedication to YHWH.
The wave offering (tenuwphah) was a physical act of presenting what belongs to God back to God. Nuwph captures the intentionality of that gesture: nothing is snatched away or casually tossed; it is presented deliberately before the divine presence. Isaiah uses nuwph for God 'brandishing' his hand over the sea (Isaiah 10:32; 11:15) — an image of divine authority and saving power. The wave becomes a declaration: 'This is Yours, LORD.'