The Hebrew verb palach means to split, to pierce, or to cut through. In some contexts it refers to plowing or tilling the earth — splitting the ground open. It can also describe physical piercing in combat or in worship contexts.
In Psalm 141:7, palach is used poetically to describe bones scattered at the mouth of the grave — as one plows and breaks up the earth. In Proverbs 7:23, a related usage describes an arrow piercing the liver. The word paints visceral images of splitting and penetrating.
Theologically, palach can evoke the breaking open that precedes new growth (plowing), the vulnerability of being pierced (wounds of correction), and the dramatic transformation God brings through trials that feel like tearing apart.