תְּרוּעָה (te.ru.ah)
te.ru.ah
shout
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 30 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The noun teruah denotes a loud, resonant sound that serves as either a battle cry or an acclamation of joy. Its meaning shifts with context, ranging from the clamor of war to the festive noise of religious celebration. In military settings, it functions as an alarm or signal for advance, while in worship, it expresses collective exultation.
This word appears frequently in narratives of conflict and restoration. It describes the shout raised by Israel’s army at Jericho (Joshua 6:5) and the trumpet blast that marked the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 25:9). The term also captures the mixed reaction of the people during the rebuilding of the temple, where shouts of joy mingled with weeping (Ezra 3:13).
Its root implies a clamor or tumult, emphasizing volume and impact over specific melody. Translators often render it as "shout," "alarm," or "blast," depending on whether the scene involves combat or covenant renewal. The word highlights how sound functions as a decisive marker of divine action in Israel’s history.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word teruah describes a loud, resonant sound that marks decisive moments in God’s story. It is not a quiet whisper but a collective voice raised in response to divine action. Whether it signals the fall of Jericho or the joy of rebuilding Jerusalem, this shout connects believers to history and hope.
In your life, teruah reminds you that faith often requires loud expression. When circumstances shift, whether toward victory or restoration, there is space for both celebration and tears. The word invites us to acknowledge God’s presence with our whole voices, trusting that He hears the clamor of hearts seeking Him.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 30 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- a shout of joy4×
- with/ a shout of joy3×
- an alarm3×
- a shout3×
- with/ a shout of alarm2×
- the/ shout2×
- the/ alarm2×
- [the] sound of a loud blast2×
- [the] shout of2×
- with/ shouting1×
- with/ a shout1×
- shouting1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- תְּרוּעָ֣ה4×
- תְּרוּעָה֙2×
- תְּרוּעָ֖ה2×
- תְּרוּעַ֣ת2×
- תְרוּעָֽה\׃2×
- הַ/תְּרוּעָ֖ה2×
- בִּ/תְרוּעָה֙2×
- בִּ/תְרוּעָ֖ה2×
- תְּרוּעָ֥ה1×
- תְּרוּעָ֑ה1×
- תְּרוּעַ֖ת1×
- תְרוּעָ֙ה1×
Key Verses
-
Joshua 6:5
It shall be that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when you hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; then the city wall will fall down flat, and the people shall go up, every man straight in front of him.”
This verse establishes teruah as the obedient response to God’s specific command, linking the shout directly to the miraculous collapse of the city walls.
-
Leviticus 25:9
Then you shall sound the loud trumpet on the tenth day of the seventh month. On the Day of Atonement you shall sound the trumpet throughout all your land.
Here the term connects the trumpet blast with the Year of Jubilee, showing that teruah serves as a public declaration of freedom and restoration.
-
Ezra 3:13
so that the people could not discern the noise of the shout of joy from the noise of the weeping of the people; for the people shouted with a loud shout, and the noise was heard far away.
This occurrence highlights the complexity of worship, where shouts of joy and weeping blend into a single loud noise that marks a new beginning.