קָיָה (qa.yah)
qa.yah
to vomit
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb qayah means to vomit or discharge stomach contents. It is a stark, physical term used in the Old Testament to describe the body’s violent rejection of something harmful. In Scripture, this act serves as a powerful metaphor for divine judgment, where God forces His people to consume the cup of wrath until they are made to disgorge it.
This word appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in Jeremiah 25:27. Here, God commands Jeremiah to make all the nations drink from this cup of intoxicating fury. The imagery is graphic and visceral: the recipients will vomit and stagger because of the sword that God sends among them. The physical act underscores the severity of their guilt and the inescapable nature of the coming consequence.
Translators typically render qayah simply as "vomit" or "disgorge." The term carries no positive connotation; it signifies total humiliation and loss of control. By using such a crude bodily function, the prophet emphasizes that judgment is not merely a legal verdict but a devastating, degrading reality that leaves the recipient in a state of shame and weakness.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word qayah describes a violent physical rejection, appearing only once in Scripture within Jeremiah’s warning to the nations. It paints a stark picture of divine judgment where God’s people are made to drink until they cannot bear the weight of their own actions. This imagery highlights the seriousness of turning away from God, showing that sin carries consequences that can overwhelm even our strongest defenses.
For believers today, this passage serves as a sobering reminder of the cost of rebellion and the depth of God’s holiness. It underscores why grace is so precious; we are spared from the full measure of what justice demands. Rather than fearing condemnation, we can rest in the truth that Christ took the cup of wrath upon Himself. This assurance allows us to approach God with confidence, knowing our standing rests on His mercy, not our own perfection.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ vomit1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וּ/קְי֔וּ1×
Key Verses
-
Jeremiah 25:27
“You shall tell them, ‘Yahweh of Armies, the God of Israel says: “Drink, and be drunk, vomit, fall, and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among you.”’
This verse uses qayah to depict the complete loss of control and humiliation that results from rejecting God's authority through idolatry and injustice.