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
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זַעַקH2201
Pronunciationzaʿaq
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 outcry2×Nehemiah 5:6, Isaiah 15:8
a cry1×Jeremiah 50:46
an outcry1×Jeremiah 20:16
and crying1×Isaiah 65:19
and lamentation1×Esther 9:31
cry out1×Ezekiel 27:28
Let a cry1×Jeremiah 18:22
may my cry for help1×Job 16:18
of a cry1×Jeremiah 51:54
ones will cry out1×Jeremiah 48:4
over the shouts1×Ecclesiastes 9:17
The outcry1×Genesis 18:20
their cry1×Nehemiah 9:9
There is a cry1×Jeremiah 48:34
to the cry1×Proverbs 21:13
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 18:20זַעֲקַ֛תtoThe outcryNoun - feminine singular constructNehemiah 5:6זַֽעֲקָתָ֔םtotheir outcryNoun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine pluralNehemiah 9:9זַעֲקָתָ֥םtotheir cryNoun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine pluralEsther 4:1זְעָקָ֥הto. . .Noun - feminine singularEsther 9:31וְזַעֲקָתָֽם׃toand lamentationConjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine pluralJob 16:18לְזַעֲקָתִֽי׃tomay my cry for helpPreposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singularProverbs 21:13מִזַּעֲקַת־toto the cryPreposition-m | Noun - feminine singular constructEcclesiastes 9:17מִזַּעֲקַ֥תtoover the shoutsPreposition-m | Noun - feminine singular constructIsaiah 15:5זַעֲקַת־to. . .Noun - feminine singular constructIsaiah 15:8הַזְּעָקָ֖הtotheir outcryArticle | Noun - feminine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 18:20
Aligned rows18
Books represented9
Genesis1Nehemiah2Esther2Job1Proverbs1Ecclesiastes1Isaiah3Jeremiah6Ezekiel1
Source forms
זְעָקָה֙2xzə·‘ā·qāhJeremiah 18:22, Jeremiah 20:16
הַזְּעָקָ֖ה1xhaz·zə·‘ā·qāhIsaiah 15:8
וּזְעָקָ֖ה1xū·zə·‘ā·qāhJeremiah 50:46
וְזַעֲקָתָֽם׃1xwə·za·‘ă·qā·ṯāmEsther 9:31
זְעָקָ֥ה1xzə·‘ā·qāhEsther 4:1
זְעָקָ֖ה1xzə·‘ā·qāhJeremiah 51:54
זְּעָקָ֖ה1xzə·‘ā·qāhJeremiah 48:4
זְעָקָֽה׃1xzə·‘ā·qāhIsaiah 65:19
Parsing patterns
Noun - feminine singular6xEsther 4:1, Isaiah 65:19, Jeremiah 18:22, Jeremiah 20:16
Noun - feminine singular construct3xGenesis 18:20, Isaiah 15:5, Ezekiel 27:28
Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct3xProverbs 21:13, Ecclesiastes 9:17, Jeremiah 48:34
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural2xNehemiah 5:6, Nehemiah 9:9
Article | Noun - feminine singular1xIsaiah 15:8
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular1xJeremiah 50:46
Conjunctive waw | Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural1xEsther 9:31
Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular construct | first person common singular1xJob 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 definitionSource: 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.