סַ֫עַר (sa.ar)
sa.ar
tempest
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 17 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun sa’ar describes a violent tempest or storm, often carrying the sense of a whirlwind. With seventeen occurrences in the Old Testament, it appears most frequently in Jeremiah, Psalms, and Isaiah. The word captures the raw power of nature, depicting winds that are not merely breezes but destructive forces capable of shaking the earth.
Its usage often highlights God’s sovereign control over chaos. In the Psalms, for instance, the storm is a setting where divine power is most visible, as seen in Psalm 29:3-4 where the voice of the Lord is described over the mighty waters and storms. Similarly, Jeremiah uses the imagery to illustrate judgment and impending disaster, showing how natural chaos can serve as a metaphor for divine action.
Translators typically render sa’ar as "tempest," "storm," or "whirlwind" depending on the context. The term emphasizes intensity and movement rather than just rain or wind alone. It serves as a vivid reminder of the unpredictability of nature and the authority of God who commands these forces, providing a concrete image for readers to grasp the magnitude of divine intervention.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word sa’ar describes a violent tempest or whirlwind. In the Old Testament, this imagery captures nature at its most powerful and unpredictable. It is not just wind; it is a force that can shake the earth and scatter stubble. When the biblical writers use this term, they are pointing to something far greater than weather. They are showing us a God who commands these chaotic forces.
For your faith, this word offers a profound comfort. It reminds you that the same power that raises the stormy winds is also the power that calms them. In Psalm 107, we see that God makes the storm calm so that its waves are still. This means that no matter how chaotic life feels, you are not beyond His control. He holds the winds in His hands.
Whether you are facing a season of judgment or one of deliverance, this word grounds your hope in God’s sovereignty. It invites you to trust that He is present even in the whirlwind. You do not need to fear the chaos around you when you know who commands it. Rest in the peace that comes from knowing He is with you.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 17 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ a tempest3×
- a storm3×
- and/ a storm2×
- [the] storm of2×
- with/ a storm1×
- the/ tempest1×
- the/ storm1×
- storm1×
- in/ [the] storm winds of1×
- in the/ whirlwind1×
- by the/ whirlwind1×
- a tempest1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- סַעֲרַ֣ת2×
- וּ/סְעָרָ֖ה2×
- בַּֽ/סְעָרָ֖ה2×
- סַֽעַר\־1×
- סַ֖עַר1×
- סְעָרָ֗ה1×
- סְעָרָ֑ה1×
- סְ֭עָרָה1×
- סְ֝עָרָ֗ה1×
- וּ/סְעָרָ֔ה1×
- וְ/סַ֣עַר1×
- וְ/סַ֖עַר1×
Key Verses
-
Psalms 107:29
He makes the storm a calm, so that its waves are still.
This verse highlights God’s power to bring immediate calm to a storm, showing His ability to settle chaos in your life.
-
Job 38:1
Then Yahweh answered Job out of the whirlwind,
God speaks to Job out of the whirlwind, demonstrating that He meets us in our deepest questions with His presence.
-
Jonah 1:4
But Yahweh sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty storm on the sea, so that the ship was likely to break up.
The great wind sent by Yahweh shows how natural forces can serve as instruments of divine direction and correction.
-
Isaiah 40:24
They are planted scarcely. They are sown scarcely. Their stock has scarcely taken root in the ground. He merely blows on them, and they wither, and the whirlwind takes them away as stubble.
This passage contrasts the fleeting power of human strength with God’s ability to blow away even the strongest foundations.