יָעָה
to brush aside
Definition
The Hebrew verb יָעָה (yâʻâh) means 'to brush aside' or 'to sweep away.' It appears only once in the Old Testament, in Isaiah 28:17, where it describes God's judgment as a sweeping away of false security. In this context, it conveys a decisive, forceful removal, like a storm washing away a flimsy shelter. The action is sudden and complete, leaving nothing behind of what was displaced.
Biblical Usage
This verb is used only in Isaiah 28:17. It occurs in a prophetic oracle of judgment against the corrupt leaders of Jerusalem. The context is metaphorical, describing how God's justice and righteousness will 'sweep away' the refuge of lies and the hiding place they have fabricated. The usage is singular and dramatic, emphasizing the totality of divine judgment against human arrogance and falsehood.
Etymology
יָעָה is a primitive root in biblical Hebrew. Its exact derivation is uncertain, but it appears related to the idea of a sudden, brushing motion. Cognates in other Semitic languages suggest meanings like 'to wipe off' or 'to clear away.' As a rare verb, its meaning is primarily defined by its sole biblical usage in Isaiah.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it vividly portrays God's judgment. In Isaiah 28:17, it underscores that human schemes and false securities cannot withstand the measuring line of God's justice and the plumb line of His righteousness. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading by highlighting the forceful, comprehensive nature of divine judgment against hypocrisy, contrasting man's fragile 'covenant with death' (Isaiah 28:15) with God's unstoppable moral order.
In its ancient Near Eastern setting, the imagery of 'sweeping away' would resonate with experiences of sudden, destructive flash floods or violent storms that could obliterate poorly built shelters. This made the metaphor in Isaiah 28:17 immediately understandable to the original audience—their political alliances and false religious confidence were as vulnerable as a hut in a hailstorm.
סָחָה (sâchâh, H5500) — to sweep or scrape away, often used for physical cleansing or removal. גָּרַף (gâraph, H1640) — to sweep away, specifically to wash away by a torrent or flood.
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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