What does שָׁוַע mean in the Bible?
Crying for help is an appeal addressed through the distress named by the surrounding passage. Habakkuk asks how long he must cry when violence continues, and Job says his appeal has not brought justice.
Hebrew · H7768
שָׁוַע
Crying for help is an appeal addressed through the distress named by the surrounding passage. Habakkuk asks how long he must cry when violence continues, and Job says his appeal has not brought justice.
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שָׁוַעH7768
What does שָׁוַע mean in the Bible?
Reader summary
Full entry for שָׁוַע (H7768) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H7768?
The BSB source-word alignment has 21 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include for help (4), and cry for help (2), cry for help (2), cry out (2), and plead for help (1).
Where does שָׁוַע appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Job 19:7. Its strongest book concentrations include Psalms (9), Job (8), Habakkuk (1), Isaiah (1).
What This Word Actually Means
Crying for help is an appeal addressed through the distress named by the surrounding passage. Habakkuk asks how long he must cry when violence continues, and Job says his appeal has not brought justice. Jonah's prayer remembers calling from distress and being answered, while Psalm 22 declares that the afflicted one's cry was heard. Psalm 88 continues crying while darkness and unanswered need remain visible.
Job's divine speech also names young ravens crying to God for food. These witnesses do not all have the same narrated outcome or human speaker. Teach the appeal and the actual answer, delay or need supplied by each unit. The verb cannot make sound intensity a condition of being heard, promise immediate resolution, or accuse a sufferer whose situation remains unresolved.
How the Bible Uses It
Questions amid violence, an unanswered justice appeal, remembered rescue, declared hearing, continuing darkness and ravens' need supply distinct cry-for-help settings. Their surrounding outcomes must remain visible.
- Hab.1.2
How long, O Lord, must I call for help but You do not hear, or cry out to You, “Violence!” but You do not save?
The prophet asks how long he must cry without the violence being resolved, leading into the Lord's stated answer.
- Job.19.7
Though I cry out, ‘Violence!’ I get no response; though I call for help, there is no justice.
Job cries concerning violence and reports no answer or justice within his disputed suffering.
- Jonah.2.2
Saying: “In my distress I called to the Lord, and He answered me. From the belly of Sheol I called for help, and You heard my voice.
The prayer recounts Jonah's call from distress and the Lord's answer in the narrated rescue setting.
- Ps.22.24
For He has not despised or detested the torment of the afflicted. He has not hidden His face from him, but has attended to his cry for help.
The psalm declares that the Lord has not despised the afflicted one and has heard the cry.
- Ps.88.13
But to You, O Lord, I cry for help; in the morning my prayer comes before You.
The petitioner continues crying and praying while the psalm keeps its deep trouble and darkness unresolved.
- Job.38.41
Who provides food for the raven when its young cry out to God as they wander about for lack of food?
The Lord's question names young ravens crying for food within the speech about His care for creation.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itfor help4×Job 30:20, Psalms 18:6, Psalms 30:2, Psalms 31:22
and cry for help2×Job 30:28, Psalms 119:147
cry for help2×Job 36:13, Psalms 22:24
cry out2×Job 24:12, Job 38:41
and plead for help1×Lamentations 3:8
I called for help1×Jonah 2:2
I cry for help1×Psalms 88:13
must I call for help1×Habakkuk 1:2
They cried for help1×Psalms 18:41
they plead for relief1×Job 35:9
though I call for help1×Job 19:7
when I call1×Psalms 28:2
who cried out1×Job 29:12
who cry out1×Psalms 72:12
you will cry out1×Isaiah 58:9
Show sample aligned rows
Job 19:7אֲ֝שַׁוַּ֗עtothough I call for helpVerb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singularJob 24:12תְּשַׁוֵּ֑עַtocry outVerb - Piel - Imperfect - third person feminine singularJob 29:12מְשַׁוֵּ֑עַtowho cried outVerb - Piel - Participle - masculine singularJob 30:20אֲשַׁוַּ֣עtofor helpVerb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singularJob 30:28אֲשַׁוֵּֽעַ׃toand cry for helpVerb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singularJob 35:9יְשַׁוְּע֖וּtothey plead for reliefVerb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralJob 36:13יְ֝שַׁוְּע֗וּtocry for helpVerb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralJob 38:41יְשַׁוֵּ֑עוּtocry outVerb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine pluralPsalms 18:6אֲשַׁ֫וֵּ֥עַtofor helpVerb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singularPsalms 18:41יְשַׁוְּע֥וּtoThey cried for helpVerb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowJob 19:7
Aligned rows21
Books represented6
Job8Psalms9Isaiah1Lamentations1Jonah1Habakkuk1
Source forms
מְשַׁוֵּ֑עַ2xmə·šaw·wê·a‘Job 29:12, Psalms 72:12
שִׁוַּ֖עְתִּי2xšiw·wa‘·tîJonah 2:2, Habakkuk 1:2
אֲשַׁ֫וֵּ֥עַ1x’ă·šaw·wê·a‘Psalms 18:6
אֲ֝שַׁוַּ֗ע1x’ă·šaw·wa‘Job 19:7
אֲשַׁוַּ֣ע1x’ă·šaw·wa‘Job 30:20
אֲשַׁוֵּֽעַ׃1x’ă·šaw·wê·a‘Job 30:28
בְּשַׁוְּעִ֣י1xbə·šaw·wə·‘îPsalms 28:2
בְּשַׁוְּעִ֥י1xbə·šaw·wə·‘îPsalms 31:22
Parsing patterns
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular4xJob 19:7, Job 30:20, Job 30:28, Psalms 18:6
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - third person masculine plural4xJob 35:9, Job 36:13, Job 38:41, Psalms 18:41
Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular4xPsalms 30:2, Psalms 88:13, Jonah 2:2, Habakkuk 1:2
Preposition-b | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | first person common singular2xPsalms 28:2, Psalms 31:22
Verb - Piel - Participle - masculine singular2xJob 29:12, Psalms 72:12
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect - first person common singular1xLamentations 3:8
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - first person common singular | third person feminine singular1xPsalms 119:147
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular1xPsalms 22:24
Using This Word Well
Be careful not to...
- Pray and offer appropriate help without grading the volume or style of another person's appeal.
- Receive unresolved lament without assigning guilt from the delay or outcome of assistance.
Avoid claiming...
- A Piel form cannot establish that a prayer is spiritually stronger through loudness.
- This verb cannot promise immediate recovery or make continuing distress proof of unbelief.
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. properly, to be free ; but used only causatively and reflexively, to halloo (for help, i.e. freedom from some trouble)
Source Gloss
properly, to be free ; but used only causatively and reflexively, to halloo (for help, i.e. freedom from some trouble)
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
properly, to be free; but used only causatively and reflexively, to halloo (for help, i.e. freedom from some trouble) BDB: cry out Usage: cry (aloud, out), shout.
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups1Aligned forms16
Pielintensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action16×
ImperfectJob 19:7 · Job 30:20 · Job 30:28 · Ps 18:7 · Job 35:9 · Job 36:13 · Job 38:41 · Ps 18:42 · Isa 58:9 · Job 24:1210×
PerfectHab 1:2 · Jonah 2:3 · Ps 30:3 · Ps 88:144×
Participle activeJob 29:12 · Ps 72:122×
Word Origins
שָׁוַע is a primitive root - no further derivation.
For the Preacher and Teacher
Crying for help is not presented here as an identical sequence from request to immediate relief. Habakkuk questions ongoing violence and receives an answer that must be read on its own terms. Job asks for justice while reporting that it has not come. Jonah remembers an answered call within his rescue account, and Psalm 22 declares that the afflicted one was heard.
Psalm 88 keeps prayer within darkness, while Job 38 names ravens seeking food and places their need within the Lord's address about creation. Teaching can allow these witnesses to speak without forcing each into a testimony of quick recovery. A congregation can pray and provide appropriate assistance while accepting that a person may still be waiting or lamenting.
The verb's form does not measure faith, and a teacher cannot blame continuing distress on insufficient volume, repetition or certainty.
Anchor passage
Hab.1.2
Doctrinal connections
- Habakkuk's cry brings ongoing violence before the Lord and retains the ensuing divine answer.
- Job's justice appeal remains part of disputed suffering rather than an admission of hidden guilt.
- Jonah's remembered answer belongs to the narrated rescue and his particular prayer.
- Psalm 22 declares hearing without claiming that the afflicted one's distress was unimportant.
- Psalm 88 permits continuing prayer while the psalm's darkness remains visible.
- Job 38 names ravens' cries within the Lord's questions concerning provision for creation.
The verb concerns crying for help in its actual constructions; its Piel forms do not by themselves establish superior spiritual intensity. Twenty-one tagged BSB tokens and verses remain separate evidence from canonical twenty-one, including the nonhuman ravens witness.
From Old to New Testament
Hebrews 5:1-10 speaks of Jesus' prayers with cries and tears, His reverent submission, suffering and obedience. This is a canonical comparison with appeal in distress, not a lexical equation; the stated hearing does not remove His suffering or turn loudness into a spiritual technique.