שְׁרֵקָה
a derision
Definition
The Hebrew noun שְׁרֵקָה (shᵉrêqâh) refers to a 'hissing' or 'whistling' sound, but in its biblical usage, it primarily signifies a sound of derision, scorn, or desolation. It describes the reaction of onlookers—often nations—to a city or people that has been utterly ruined, becoming a shocking spectacle. In Jeremiah 25:9 and 29:18, it is a sound of scorn made by others at Judah's destruction, while in Jeremiah 19:8 and 51:37, it is part of a curse of total desolation, where the ruined city itself becomes a 'hissing' (an object of horror and amazement). The term conveys both the audible reaction of mockery and the state of being a byword for catastrophe.
Biblical Usage
This word is used exclusively in prophetic contexts of judgment, primarily in Jeremiah (5x), and once each in 2 Chronicles and Micah. It consistently describes the consequence of national sin and covenant rebellion, where God's judgment renders a place an object of scorn. For example, in 2 Chronicles 29:8, it is part of Hezekiah's warning about the past judgment on Judah. In Micah 6:16, it is the promised result for following the statutes of Omri. The pattern is clear: שְׁרֵקָה is the audible symbol of a complete and visible ruin that provokes shock and mockery from others.
Etymology
Derived from the root שָׁרַק (H8319), which means 'to hiss' or 'to whistle.' This root can denote summoning (e.g., whistling for bees in Isaiah 7:18) but more commonly expresses derision or astonishment. שְׁרֵקָה is the noun form capturing the result—the state or sound of hissing. Cognates in other Semitic languages also relate to whistling or piping.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as a covenant curse. It embodies the fulfillment of the warnings in Deuteronomy 28:37, where Israel would become a 'hissing' (שָׁמֵץ, a synonym) among the nations for disobedience. It underscores the seriousness of God's judgment, which is not hidden but publicly displayed as a warning. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches reading by connecting specific prophecies of desolation (e.g., in Jeremiah) to the broader biblical theme of covenant faithfulness and the tangible consequences of abandoning God.
In the ancient Near East, a public, audible hiss or whistle was a potent gesture of contempt, mockery, or horrified amazement. For a city to become a 'hissing' meant it had fallen so completely that passersby could not help but react with this visceral sound. It signified a loss of all honor, dignity, and power, reducing a once-great place to a cautionary tale. This cultural understanding of audible scorn is more intense than the modern concept of mere 'derision.'
שָׁמֵץ (shāmēts, H8148) — a very close synonym also meaning 'hissing' or 'object of horror,' used in parallel in Jeremiah 19:8. קְלָלָה (qᵉlālâh, H7045) — a broader term for 'curse.' חֶרְפָּה (ḥerpâh, H2781) — 'reproach' or 'disgrace,' focusing more on the state of shame than the audible reaction.
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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