זָרַר (za.rar)
za.rar
to sneeze
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb zārār is remarkably specific, meaning simply to sneeze. It appears only once in the entire Old Testament, found in 2 Kings 4:35 during the story of Elisha restoring the Shunammite woman’s son to life.
Its presence here is striking because it describes a purely physical reflex rather than a spiritual act. The text notes that the boy sneezed seven times before opening his eyes, signaling that breath and life had returned to his body. This single instance highlights how ancient writers included mundane bodily functions in sacred narratives without embellishment.
Because the word is so rare, it offers no range of nuance or theological depth beyond its literal definition. Translators consistently render it as "sneezed," preserving the plain reality of the moment. The term serves as a vivid, human detail in a miracle story, grounding the divine act in observable physical signs.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The story of Elisha raising the Shunammite’s son is one of the most powerful miracles in Scripture, yet it includes a startlingly ordinary detail: the boy sneezed seven times. This rare Hebrew word, zārār, appears only here in the Old Testament. It reminds us that God’s life-giving power works through real, physical bodies, not just abstract spirits. The miracle was complete when breath returned to his lungs.
For your faith, this verse offers comfort. God cares about the whole person—body and soul. He does not bypass human nature but restores it. When you pray for healing or restoration, remember that God is close to the details of your life. His power brings new life in ways we can see and feel.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ he sneezed1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וַ/יְזוֹרֵ֤ר1×
Key Verses
-
II Kings 4:35
Then he returned, and walked in the house once back and forth, then went up and stretched himself out on him. Then the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.
The sneeze serves as the final physical sign that life has returned to the boy before he opens his eyes.