שְׁרוּקָה
a whistling (in scorn); by analogy, a piping
Definition
The Hebrew noun שְׁרוּקָה (shᵉrûwqâh) refers to a sharp, shrill sound, most often understood as a whistling or hissing. In its biblical usage, it primarily denotes a sound of scorn or derision, as seen in Jeremiah 18:16, where it describes the horrified reaction of people to a desolated land. By analogy, it can also refer to the sound of a shepherd's pipe or flute, as suggested by its use in Judges 5:16 in the context of shepherds and flocks. Thus, the word spans meanings from a sound of mockery to a pastoral signal, depending on the context.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only twice in the Old Testament. In Judges 5:16, it appears in Deborah's song, likely referring to the 'piping' or whistling calls of shepherds among the sheepfolds, highlighting a pastoral scene of hesitation. In Jeremiah 18:16, it is used metaphorically as a 'hissing' or 'whistling' of astonishment and scorn from onlookers at a nation made desolate by God's judgment. The usage thus contrasts a neutral/musical sound in a narrative poem with a negative, scornful sound in a prophetic oracle of judgment.
Etymology
The word שְׁרוּקָה is a feminine noun derived from the root שָׁרַק (shâraq, H8319), which means 'to hiss, whistle, or pipe.' It is a passive participle form, suggesting something that is whistled or hissed. A variant spelling, שְׁרִיקָה (shᵉrîyqâh), is noted. The root is onomatopoeic, imitating the sharp sound it describes, and is related to words for serpent hissing and flute playing in Semitic languages.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it appears in a key prophetic text on divine judgment. In Jeremiah 18:16, the 'hissing' (שְׁרוּקָה) is not merely random mockery but a direct consequence of covenant disobedience, serving as a public spectacle of God's wrath that leads others to recoil in horror. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading of God's warnings, emphasizing how sin results in a loss of dignity and becomes a byword (a thing whistled at) among the nations, highlighting themes of justice, shame, and the seriousness of turning from God.
In ancient Near Eastern culture, whistling or hissing could convey a range of messages. As a shepherd's pipe (Judges 5:16), it was a practical tool for gathering flocks. As a sound of scorn (Jeremiah 18:16), it reflected a common gesture of derision and amazement, similar to modern booing or shocked gasping, often directed at defeated enemies or desolate places. This dual use shows how everyday sounds were powerfully repurposed in prophetic literature to symbolize societal rejection and divine judgment.
שָׁרַק (shâraq, H8319) — the root verb meaning 'to hiss, whistle'; שְׁרִיקָה (shᵉrîyqâh) — a variant noun form with the same meaning; שְׁרֵקָה (shᵉrêqâh, H8322) — another noun for a hissing or whistling, often in contexts of derision.
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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