שׁוּעַ
a halloo
Definition
The noun שׁוּעַ (shûwaʻ) primarily denotes a 'cry for help' or a 'shout,' often in a context of distress. In Job 30:24, it clearly refers to a desperate cry for aid, as Job laments that God does not respond to his plea. However, in Job 36:19, the word is used in the phrase 'the abundance of your riches' (KJV), presenting a significant interpretive challenge. This second usage suggests a possible, though debated, meaning of 'wealth' or 'abundance,' perhaps derived from the idea of a 'cry' for help being answered with provision. The dual sense highlights the word's semantic range from a vocal plea to its potential outcome.
Biblical Usage
This word occurs only twice in the Old Testament, both in the poetic book of Job. Its usage shows a stark contrast between two contexts. In Job 30:24, it is used in a straightforward manner for a cry of distress ('Will he hear my cry?'). In Job 36:19, Elihu uses it metaphorically, asking if Job's 'cry' (or, as often translated, 'riches') can secure deliverance, creating a complex wordplay that ties wealth to a false sense of security. The pattern is one of intense personal lament and theological debate about suffering and justice.
Etymology
שׁוּעַ (shûwaʻ) is a noun derived from the root שָׁוַע (shāwaʻ, H7768), which means 'to cry out (for help).' This root is common in Psalms for cries to God. The noun form שׁוּעַ likely developed from the act of crying out itself. The connection to 'riches' in Job 36:19 is linguistically difficult; some scholars propose it may be a homonym (a different word that sounds the same) or a unique metaphorical extension where a 'cry' for help is answered with abundance, thus linking plea and provision.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant because it appears at the heart of Job's dialogue about suffering and divine response. In Job 30:24, it underscores the theme of the sufferer's perceived silence from God, a core existential cry in theodicy. In Job 36:19, its ambiguous use challenges the idea that wealth ('riches') or loud protest can buy deliverance from God's justice. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches reading by highlighting the profound connection between human desperation, the ethics of wealth, and the nature of true salvation that comes not from human resource but divine grace.
In ancient Israelite culture, a public 'cry' (shûwaʻ) was a recognized form of appealing for justice or mercy, especially from a superior or king (see 1 Kings 20:39 for a similar root). The conceptual link to 'riches' in Job 36:19 may reflect a cultural understanding that a powerful cry could be a resource or tool, much like wealth, to influence one's circumstances. This differs from a modern view that strictly separates vocal appeal from material resource.
שַׁוְעָה (shavʻâ, H7775) — A more common synonym also meaning 'cry for help,' used frequently in the Psalms. שָׁוַע (shāwaʻ, H7768) — The verbal root, meaning 'to cry out.' צְעָקָה (tsĕʻāqâ, H6818) — A 'cry' or 'outcry,' often with a sense of loud lament or protest (e.g., Genesis 18:20).
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.
Full methodology & sources →