מְזָרֶה
properly, a scatterer, i.e. the north wind (as dispersing clouds; only in plural)
Definition
The Hebrew noun מְזָרֶה (mᵉzâreh) literally means 'a scatterer' or 'one who scatters.' In its sole biblical occurrence, it is used in the plural form (מְזָרִים, mᵉzārîm) to poetically describe the north wind, specifically as a wind that disperses clouds. This imagery is found in Job 37:9, where it contrasts with the 'south wind' (תֵימָן, têymān). The word captures the action of the wind scattering or driving away atmospheric conditions, painting a vivid picture of God's sovereign control over weather.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in the poetic book of Job. In Job 37:9, Elihu uses it in his discourse on God's majesty displayed in nature: 'From its chamber comes the whirlwind, and cold from the scattering winds (מְזָרִים).' Here, it functions as a poetic synonym for a specific, powerful wind from the north, employed to illustrate God's awesome and sometimes fearsome power over creation.
Etymology
מְזָרֶה is a masculine noun derived from the root זָרָה (zārâ, H2219), which means 'to scatter, winnow, or disperse.' The noun form is a participial or agent noun, meaning 'scatterer.' This root is used elsewhere for scattering people (Jeremiah 15:7), winnowing grain (Ruth 3:2), and dispersing enemies (Psalm 68:1). The development from the concrete action of scattering to a name for a wind that scatters clouds is a clear example of Hebrew poetic imagery.
Semantic Range
Though used only once, this word contributes to the rich theology of creation and God's sovereignty in the book of Job. It personifies a natural force as an agent performing God's will, emphasizing that even the weather is under His direct command. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading of Job 37 by highlighting the intentional, powerful action behind the 'north wind,' moving it from a mere meteorological note to an illustration of God's active, sometimes unsettling, governance of the world.
In the ancient Near Eastern context, winds were often personified and seen as manifestations of divine activity. The 'scattering winds' from the north were likely associated with cold, stormy, or clearing weather patterns familiar in the region. The poetic identification of a wind by its function (scattering clouds) rather than merely a cardinal direction reflects a concrete, observational understanding of nature common in Hebrew wisdom literature.
צָפוֹן (tsāphôn, H6828) — The common Hebrew word for 'north' as a direction or region. רוּחַ (rûach, H7307) — The general word for 'wind,' 'breath,' or 'spirit.'
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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