תְּשֻׁאָה (te.shu.ah)
te.shu.ah
shout
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The noun tešûʾâ describes a loud, chaotic noise, often associated with the roar of a storm or the clamor of devastation. In Scripture, it appears only four times, carrying a weight of disruption rather than celebration. It is not the joyful shout of praise, but the terrifying din that accompanies divine judgment or natural upheaval.
This term is closely linked to the idea of a tempest. The sources note its connection to shaʾah, meaning storm, suggesting that tešûʾâ captures the sound of wind and destruction colliding. In Isaiah 17:12, for instance, it depicts the roaring of many peoples who are ultimately scattered like chaff before the wind.
Its rarity in the biblical text highlights its specific function. It serves as an auditory image of chaos, contrasting sharply with the peace of God’s presence. When used in Job or Zechariah, it underscores the vulnerability of human order against forces beyond control, reminding readers that such noise is temporary and subject to divine authority.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word tešûʾâ describes a loud, chaotic noise, often associated with the roar of a storm or the clamor of devastation. In Scripture, it appears only four times, carrying a weight of disruption rather than celebration. It is not the joyful shout of praise, but the terrifying din that accompanies divine judgment or natural upheaval.
This term is closely linked to the idea of a tempest. The sources note its connection to shaʾah, meaning storm, suggesting that tešûʾâ captures the sound of wind and destruction colliding. In Isaiah 17:12, for instance, it depicts the roaring of many peoples who are ultimately scattered like chaff before the wind.
Its rarity in the biblical text highlights its specific function. It serves as an auditory image of chaos, contrasting sharply with the peace of God’s presence. When used in Job or Zechariah, it underscores the vulnerability of human order against forces beyond control, reminding readers that such noise is temporary and subject to divine authority.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- shouting<s>1×
- noises1×
- [the] shouting<s> of1×
- [the] crashes of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- תְּשֻׁא֥וֹת1×
- תְּשֻׁא֣וֹת\׀1×
- תְּשֻׁא֕וֹת1×
- תְּ֝שֻׁא֗וֹת1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 22:2
You that are full of shouting, a tumultuous city, a joyous town, your slain are not slain with the sword, neither are they dead in battle.
This verse uses tešûʾâ to describe the chaotic uproar of a city facing imminent collapse, highlighting the word's association with disaster rather than celebration.
-
Job 39:7
He scorns the tumult of the city, neither does he hear the shouting of the driver.
Here the wild donkey ignores the shouting (tešûʾâ) of humans, illustrating the creature's freedom from the chaotic noise of civilization.
-
Zechariah 4:7
Who are you, great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you are a plain; and he will bring out the capstone with shouts of ‘Grace, grace, to it!’”
This occurrence stands out as it pairs tešûʾâ with the rebuilding of the temple, showing the word can accompany significant divine work even if it implies upheaval.