זְעִק
to make an outcry
Definition
The verb זְעִק (zᵉʻiq) means to cry out, shout, or make a loud, urgent outcry. It is an Aramaic word used in the Old Testament to express a vocal plea, often in a context of distress or desperate appeal for help. In its single biblical occurrence in Daniel 6:20, it describes King Darius calling out to Daniel in the lions' den with a voice marked by anguish and hope. This parallels the meaning of its Hebrew counterpart, זָעַק (zāʻaq, H2199), which is used for cries of oppression, distress, or supplication to both people and God.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in the Aramaic portion of the book of Daniel. It appears in Daniel 6:20, where King Darius, deeply distressed, approaches the lions' den at dawn and 'cried with a lamentable voice' to Daniel. The usage depicts a formal, royal, yet emotionally charged outcry from a position of authority to someone perceived to be in mortal peril, blending personal concern with a test of divine deliverance.
Etymology
זְעִק is the Aramaic cognate of the Hebrew verb זָעַק (zāʻaq, H2199), meaning 'to cry out, call, summon.' Both derive from a common Semitic root (Z-ʻ-Q) associated with vocal proclamation, often loud and impassioned. The Aramaic form appears in biblical texts influenced by or set in Babylonian and Persian contexts, maintaining the core sense of its Hebrew equivalent but within the Imperial Aramaic language framework of the time.
Semantic Range
Though used only once, this word connects to the broader biblical theme of crying out in distress, a fundamental human and theological action. In Daniel 6, Darius's cry contrasts with Daniel's silent faith; it becomes a vehicle for testing God's power to save. It reminds readers that cries—whether from kings or commoners—can precede divine intervention, echoing the pattern in Exodus where God hears Israel's outcry (Exodus 2:23). Understanding this Aramaic term enriches seeing how prayer and desperate appeal transcend language and culture in Scripture.
In the ancient Near East, a loud, public cry from a monarch was significant. Darius's outcry in Daniel 6:20 would have been understood as a profound breach of royal composure, revealing intense personal investment and vulnerability. In Aramaic legal and narrative contexts, such a cry could signal alarm, summons, or lament, often formal yet emotionally weighty. The setting—a sealed den and a decree that even the king could not reverse—heightens the cultural gravity of his vocal appeal.
זָעַק (zāʻaq, H2199) — The primary Hebrew verb for crying out, used extensively for cries of distress, oppression, or supplication to God (e.g., Exodus 2:23). שָׁוַע (shāwaʻ, H7768) — To cry for help, often in a context of dire need or calamity (e.g., Psalm 72:12). קָרָא (qārāʼ, H7121) — A broader term meaning to call, proclaim, or summon, not necessarily implying distress (e.g., Genesis 1:5).
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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