שָׂרֹק (sa.ruq)
sa.ruq
sorrel
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew adjective saruq describes a specific coat color, typically rendered as "sorrel," "bay," or "reddish-tawny." It appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, in Zechariah 1:8, where it modifies the horses seen in the prophet’s night vision. The term likely refers to the reddish-brown hue of the animals’ coats, a common color for warhorses in the ancient Near East.
Its usage is highly specialized, functioning almost exclusively as a descriptive noun or adjective for livestock rather than a general word for red. In Zechariah’s vision, these sorrel horses stand among myrtle trees in a ravine, serving as part of a divine patrol that surveys the earth. The precise coloration helps visualize the scene, distinguishing these mounts from the other colored horses mentioned later in the chapter.
Because the word is so rare, its meaning is anchored entirely by this single context. Translators generally agree on the "sorrel" or "bay" interpretation, reflecting the reddish-brown shade associated with strong, healthy horses of that period. The term adds concrete visual detail to an apocalyptic vision, grounding spiritual symbolism in tangible, earthly imagery.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word saruq appears just once in Scripture, describing a sorrel or reddish-brown horse in Zechariah’s night vision. This rare term anchors a vivid scene where divine messengers patrol the earth from among myrtle trees. It reminds us that God notices specific details, even the color of a horse’s coat.
For your faith, this precision shows that no part of creation is overlooked by God. He uses concrete imagery to reveal His sovereignty over history and nations. You can trust that He sees what others miss and acts with purposeful clarity.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- sorrel1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- שְׂרֻקִּ֖ים1×
Key Verses
-
Zechariah 1:8
“I had a vision in the night, and behold, a man riding on a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in a ravine; and behind him there were red, brown, and white horses.
The term saruq specifies the sorrel color of one group of horses, distinguishing them visually from the other mounts in Zechariah’s apocalyptic patrol.