חֲזִיז (cha.ziz)
cha.ziz
lightning
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 3 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun chaziẓ refers to a flash of lightning or a thunderbolt, capturing the sudden, blinding intensity of a storm’s electrical discharge. It appears in only three verses across the Old Testament, yet each instance uses this powerful natural imagery to describe divine presence or judgment. The word conveys more than just light; it carries the weight and force associated with a thunderclap, linking the visual flash directly to the auditory roar of the storm.
In Job 37:12, the term illustrates God’s sovereign control over weather patterns, noting how He directs these flashes toward their intended purpose. Later, Zechariah 9:14 employs the image metaphorically, depicting Yahweh advancing in battle with a sound like thunder and arrows of lightning. This usage emphasizes that the phenomenon is not random chaos but a deliberate instrument of power, reflecting both the awe-inspiring beauty and the terrifying authority of the Creator.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word chaziẓ describes lightning not merely as a visual flash but as an instrument of divine purpose. In Job, we see that God directs these storms with intention, linking the blinding light to the powerful sound of thunder. This imagery reminds us that nature is not chaotic but held firmly under His sovereign control.
When we face uncertainty, this ancient text offers a quiet comfort. The same power that creates storm clouds and rain showers is attentive to our needs. We are invited to trust that the Creator who commands the weather also cares for the details of our lives, providing what is necessary for growth and sustenance.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 3 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- for/ [the] storm of2×
- thunder-clouds1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- לַ/חֲזִ֥יז2×
- חֲזִיזִ֑ים1×
Key Verses
-
Job 28:26
When he made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder,
This verse highlights God's deliberate decree over natural forces, showing that even the path of lightning follows His command.
-
Zechariah 10:1
Ask of Yahweh rain in the spring time, Yahweh who makes storm clouds, and he gives rain showers to everyone for the plants in the field.
Here the context shifts to provision, linking the making of storm clouds directly to the gift of rain for the plants in the field.