קְרִיאָה
a proclamation
Definition
The noun קְרִיאָה (qᵉrîyʼâh) refers to a formal, public proclamation or announcement, often with an official or urgent character. It derives from the root meaning 'to call out' and carries the sense of a message being declared aloud for an audience to hear. In its sole biblical occurrence in Jonah 3:2, it specifically denotes the prophetic preaching or proclamation that Jonah is commanded to deliver to the city of Nineveh. This is not a private conversation but a public declaration of God's message.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in Jonah 3:2. The context is God's direct command to the prophet Jonah: 'Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach (קְרָא) unto it the preaching (הַקְּרִיאָה) that I bid thee.' Here, it describes the specific, divinely authorized message of judgment that Jonah is to publicly announce. The usage is singular and mission-focused, tied directly to a prophetic call to a foreign nation.
Etymology
קְרִיאָה is a feminine noun derived from the root קָרָא (qārāʼ, H7121), which means 'to call, call out, proclaim, read aloud.' The root conveys vocal projection and summoning. This noun form indicates the thing proclaimed—the content or act of the proclamation itself. Cognate words include קוֹל (qôl, H6963) meaning 'voice' and מִקְרָא (miqrāʼ, H4744) meaning 'a convocation' or 'called assembly,' showing the root's connection to public, vocal communication.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it encapsulates the concept of prophetic proclamation. In Jonah 3:2, הַקְּרִיאָה ('the proclamation') is the very word of God entrusted to a messenger for a specific people. It highlights God's initiative in reaching out to nations, even a hostile one like Assyria, with a message that demands a response. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading of Jonah by emphasizing that the prophet's task was not merely to speak but to deliver an official, divine edict, which ultimately leads to the repentance of Nineveh.
In the ancient Near East, a formal proclamation (qᵉrîyʼâh) by a king or a herald was a powerful, binding announcement—often of law, victory, or judgment—made in a public square to be heard by all. When applied to a prophet like Jonah, it borrows this cultural concept of authoritative declaration. Jonah was acting as God's herald, delivering an edict from the ultimate King. This differs from a modern, more conversational idea of 'preaching'; it was an official pronouncement with immediate public consequences.
קוֹל (qôl, H6963) — A more general term for 'voice' or 'sound,' not necessarily a formal message. מִקְרָא (miqrāʼ, H4744) — Refers to a 'convocation' or assembly called together, focusing on the gathering itself rather than the message proclaimed. כְּרוּז (kᵉrûz, H5674) — A 'proclamation' or 'herald's cry,' used in Esther for royal decrees, similar in sense but from a different root.
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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