שְׂעָרָה
a hurricane
Definition
The Hebrew noun שְׂעָרָה (sᵉʻârâh) refers to a violent, destructive storm, specifically a hurricane or tempest. It describes a sudden, overwhelming meteorological force characterized by powerful winds and chaotic conditions. In its two biblical occurrences, it consistently conveys a sense of divine power and judgment. In Job 9:17, Job laments that God 'breaks me with a tempest (שְׂעָרָה),' using the storm as a metaphor for God's overwhelming and seemingly unjust affliction. In Nahum 1:3, the prophet declares that 'the LORD has his way in the whirlwind and in the storm (שְׂעָרָה),' directly associating the hurricane with God's majestic and terrifying path of judgment against Nineveh.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only twice in the Old Testament, both times in poetic or prophetic literature to describe a storm as an instrument of divine action. In Job 9:17, it is used metaphorically for personal suffering inflicted by God. In Nahum 1:3, it is part of a theophanic description, portraying God's wrathful power in nature as he comes to execute judgment. The usage pattern shows it is not a generic weather term but a specific, intense storm connected to God's sovereign and often fearsome intervention.
Etymology
שְׂעָרָה is the feminine form of the noun שַׂעַר (sa'ar, H8178), which means 'a tempest' or 'storm-wind.' The root שׂער (s-'-r) carries the core idea of shuddering, bristling, or being horribly afraid, which naturally extends to the terrifying, hair-raising force of a hurricane. This etymological link connects the physical storm to the emotional response of terror it provokes.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it portrays God's power and judgment in nature. It contributes to the biblical theme of theophany, where God reveals himself through storm imagery (cf. Exodus 19:16, Psalm 18:7-15). Understanding שְׂעָרָה enriches reading by highlighting that these storms are not mere background weather but active symbols of God's overwhelming sovereignty, his capacity to bring sudden destruction to the wicked (Nahum 1:3), and the terrifying, incomprehensible aspect of his dealings with humanity (Job 9:17).
In the ancient Near Eastern context, major storms were often associated with the power and wrath of deities (e.g., the Canaanite god Baal as a storm god). The biblical use of שְׂעָרָה reclaims this imagery for Yahweh, asserting his supreme control over the most violent forces of nature. Unlike a modern meteorological term, its primary connotation is theological—it signifies a storm sent by God with purposeful intent, not a random natural event.
סוּפָה (sûphâh, H5492) — a whirlwind or storm-wind, often used in prophetic visions (e.g., Isaiah 5:28). רוּחַ (rûach, H7307) — wind, breath, or spirit; can refer to a destructive wind in context (e.g., Exodus 10:13). סַעַר (sa'ar, H5591) — a tempest or storm, very close in meaning and from the same root family (e.g., Psalm 55:8).
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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