What does זַעַק (zaʿaq) mean in the Bible?
זַעַק (zaʿaq): An urgent, piercing cry that demands immediate divine attention and intervention in distress or oppression
Hebrew · H2201
זַעַק
A shriek or outcry
Reading a lexicon entry
What this page is: Each lexicon entry shows the original Hebrew or Greek word behind the English translation: its meaning, its range of use, and where it appears in Scripture.
Strong's number: The Strong's code (H- or G-) is the standard reference number for this word. It connects this entry to chapter and passage language tabs.
Where it appears: The witness passages show where this word is used in context. Click any to open the study page for that passage.
This lexicon entry is part of our ongoing editorial review. If you notice missing content, unclear wording, or a possible correction, please send us a note through the Connect page. Screenshots are helpful.
זַעַק H2201
Pronunciation zaʿaq
What does זַעַק (zaʿaq) mean in the Bible?
זַעַק (zaʿaq): An urgent, piercing cry that demands immediate divine attention and intervention in distress or oppression
Full entry for זַעַק (H2201) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H2201?
The BSB source-word alignment has 18 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include . . . (2), their outcry (2), a cry (1), an outcry (1), and crying (1).
Where does זַעַק (zaʿaq) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 18:20. Its strongest book concentrations include Jeremiah (6), Isaiah (3), Esther (2), Nehemiah (2).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It . . . 2× Esther 4:1, Isaiah 15:5
their outcry 2× Nehemiah 5:6, Isaiah 15:8
a cry 1× Jeremiah 50:46
an outcry 1× Jeremiah 20:16
and crying 1× Isaiah 65:19
and lamentation 1× Esther 9:31
cry out 1× Ezekiel 27:28
Let a cry 1× Jeremiah 18:22
may my cry for help 1× Job 16:18
of a cry 1× Jeremiah 51:54
ones will cry out 1× Jeremiah 48:4
over the shouts 1× Ecclesiastes 9:17
The outcry 1× Genesis 18:20
their cry 1× Nehemiah 9:9
There is a cry 1× Jeremiah 48:34
to the cry 1× Proverbs 21:13
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 18:20 זַעֲקַ֛ת to The outcry Noun - feminine singular construct Nehemiah 5:6 זַֽעֲקָתָ֔ם to their outcry Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural Nehemiah 9:9 זַעֲקָתָ֥ם to their cry Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural Esther 4:1 זְעָקָ֥ה to . . . Noun - feminine singular Esther 9:31 וְזַעֲקָתָֽם׃ to and lamentation Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural Job 16:18 לְזַעֲקָתִֽי׃ to may my cry for help Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular Proverbs 21:13 מִזַּעֲקַת־ to to the cry Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct Ecclesiastes 9:17 מִזַּעֲקַ֥ת to over the shouts Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct Isaiah 15:5 זַעֲקַת־ to . . . Noun - feminine singular construct Isaiah 15:8 הַזְּעָקָ֖ה to their outcry Article | Noun - feminine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 18:20
Aligned rows 18
Books represented 9
Genesis 1 Nehemiah 2 Esther 2 Job 1 Proverbs 1 Ecclesiastes 1 Isaiah 3 Jeremiah 6 Ezekiel 1
Source forms
זְעָקָה֙ 2x zə·‘ā·qāh Jeremiah 18:22, Jeremiah 20:16
הַזְּעָקָ֖ה 1x haz·zə·‘ā·qāh Isaiah 15:8
וּזְעָקָ֖ה 1x ū·zə·‘ā·qāh Jeremiah 50:46
וְזַעֲקָתָֽם׃ 1x wə·za·‘ă·qā·ṯām Esther 9:31
זְעָקָ֥ה 1x zə·‘ā·qāh Esther 4:1
זְעָקָ֖ה 1x zə·‘ā·qāh Jeremiah 51:54
זְּעָקָ֖ה 1x zə·‘ā·qāh Jeremiah 48:4
זְעָקָֽה׃ 1x zə·‘ā·qāh Isaiah 65:19
Parsing patterns
Noun - feminine singular 6x Esther 4:1, Isaiah 65:19, Jeremiah 18:22, Jeremiah 20:16
Noun - feminine singular construct 3x Genesis 18:20, Isaiah 15:5, Ezekiel 27:28
Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct 3x Proverbs 21:13, Ecclesiastes 9:17, Jeremiah 48:34
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural 2x Nehemiah 5:6, Nehemiah 9:9
Article | Noun - feminine singular 1x Isaiah 15:8
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular 1x Jeremiah 50:46
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural 1x Esther 9:31
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular 1x Job 16:18
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. An urgent, piercing cry that demands immediate divine attention and intervention in distress or oppression
Source Gloss
a shriek or outcry
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
An urgent, piercing cry that demands immediate divine attention and intervention in distress or oppression
a shriek or outcry BDB: cry Usage: cry(-ing).
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah reaching God's ears as evidence of sin
The shriek or plea of the poor when ignored by the wealthy and callous
Showing 2 selected witnesses from 19 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
זַעַק is built from this root:
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain