### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **zârâʼ**, represented by `{{H2214}}`, means **disgust** or **loathsome**. It appears only **1 time** in **1 unique verse** in the entire Bible. Derived from a root signifying estrangement, the word describes a profound sense of revulsion, often as a consequence of turning away from a divine standard.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The single use of `{{H2214}}` is found in a moment of intense judgment. In [[Numbers 11:20]], God responds to the Israelites' complaining and demand for meat, promising to give them so much that it will "be **loathsome** unto you." This outcome is explicitly linked to their attitude, "because that ye have despised the LORD which is among you, and have wept before him." The very thing they craved becomes a source of disgust, a direct consequence of their ungratefulness and rejection of God's provision.
### Related Words & Concepts
The context of `{{H2214}}` is illuminated by other words used in the same verse:
* `{{H3988}}` **mâʼaç**: This primitive root means to **spurn** or **despise**. It conveys an active rejection or casting away of something. In the case of the Israelites, they despised God's law and commandments [[Amos 2:4]] and, in doing so, rejected God himself, which led to their own rejection [[1 Samuel 15:23]].
* `{{H1058}}` **bâkâh**: A primitive root meaning **to weep** or bemoan. While weeping can be an expression of repentance or righteous grief, as when the priests are called to weep before the altar [[Joel 2:17]], in the context of [[Numbers 11:20]] it represents a form of self-pitying complaint against God's care.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of `{{H2214}}` is concentrated in its sole appearance:
* **Judgment through Fulfillment:** The word illustrates a principle where God's judgment can manifest as the granting of a sinful desire to the point that it becomes repulsive. The craving for meat, born of discontent, is met with an overwhelming supply that results in loathing.
* **The Fruit of Contempt:** Its use in [[Numbers 11:20]] directly connects the feeling of "loathsome" `{{H2214}}` with the act of having "despised" `{{H3988}}` the Lord. This demonstrates that contempt for God and His provision ultimately breeds disgust and revulsion, even in blessings.
* **Ungrateful Complaint:** The Israelites' weeping `{{H1058}}` was not for sin but out of a lack of contentment. This act, combined with their rejection of God, culminates in the promise of a loathsome outcome, showing how ungrateful desires can curdle into a curse.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H2214}}` is a rare but potent term. It encapsulates the idea of disgust that arises not arbitrarily, but as the direct consequence of spurning God's provision and presence. Its singular use in scripture serves as a stark warning that receiving what one sinfully craves can lead to a state of utter loathing, transforming a desired object into a source of revulsion.
TRV