English · KJV
H5590

סָעַר

çâʻar /saw-ar'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningto rush upon; by implication, to toss (transitive or intransitive, literal or figurative)
KJV usagebe (toss with) tempest(-uous), be sore, troubled, come out as a (drive with the, scatter with a) whirlwind.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of çâʻar — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word çâʻar, represented by H5590, is a primitive root used to describe rushing upon or being tossed. It appears 7 times in 7 unique verses. Its meaning can be literal, as in a storm, or figurative, referring to being troubled, tempestuous, or scattered as if by a whirlwind.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In Scripture, H5590 is used to illustrate both natural and divine power. In the book of Jonah, the sea is described as tempestuous, highlighting the physical chaos of the storm (Jonah 1:11, 1:13). Figuratively, it portrays intense emotional distress, as when the king of Syria's heart was sore troubled 2 Kings 6:11. The prophets use it to symbolize overwhelming force, whether it is enemies who "came out as a whirlwind to scatter" Habakkuk 3:14 or God's judgment, which "scattered them with a whirlwind" Zechariah 7:14 and leaves the unfaithful "driven with the whirlwind" like chaff Hosea 13:3. It also describes a state of deep suffering, as Israel is called "afflicted, tossed with tempest" Isaiah 54:11.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the contexts in which H5590 appears:

  • H6041 ʻânîy (depressed, in mind or circumstances; afflicted, humble, lowly, needy, poor): This word is directly paired with H5590 to describe the state of one who is "afflicted, tossed with tempest" Isaiah 54:11, showing the internal condition of being overwhelmed.
  • H6327 pûwts (to dash in pieces, literally or figuratively (especially to disperse); break (dash, shake) in (to) pieces, cast (abroad), disperse (selves), drive, retire, scatter (abroad), spread abroad): This word explains the purpose of the whirlwind in Habakkuk 3:14, where enemies come "as a whirlwind to scatter me."
  • H8367 shâthaq (to subside; be calm, cease, be quiet): This term is used as the direct opposite of H5590 in the book of Jonah. The sailors ask what to do so the tempestuous sea might become calm Jonah 1:11.
  • H8074 shâmêm (to stun (or intransitively, grow numb), i.e. devastate or (figuratively) stupefy (both usually in a passive sense); make amazed, be astonied, (be an) astonish(-ment), (be, bring into, unto, lay, lie, make) desolate(-ion, places), be destitute, destroy (self), (lay, lie, make) waste, wonder): This describes the result of God's whirlwind action in Zechariah 7:14, where the land was left desolate.

Theological Significance

The theological significance of H5590 is tied to its depiction of overwhelming and uncontrollable force.

  • A Force of Judgment: The word is used to describe God's power to scatter nations with a whirlwind, a metaphor for swift and irresistible judgment upon disobedience Zechariah 7:14. It illustrates how the wicked are driven away with force Hosea 13:3.
  • An Image of Deep Affliction: In Isaiah, being "tossed with tempest" is equated with a state of affliction where one is not comforted Isaiah 54:11. This highlights that trials can feel as chaotic and destabilizing as a violent storm.
  • The Power of Creation: The literal use of H5590 in Jonah demonstrates God's sovereignty over nature. The tempestuous sea is a force that only He can make calm, showcasing His ultimate authority over chaos (Jonah 1:11, Jonah 1:13).

Summary

In summary, H5590 çâʻar conveys a powerful sense of violent, chaotic motion. While it can describe a literal storm on the sea or the inner turmoil of a human heart, its primary weight comes from its use as a metaphor for overwhelming forces. It vividly portrays the experience of being afflicted, the violent intent of enemies, and the unstoppable power of divine judgment that scatters and makes desolate.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 7 occurrences, inflected in 6 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • סֹעֵר
  • יִּסָּעֵר
  • אֵסָעֲרֵ
  • יְסֹעֵר
  • סֹעֲרָה
  • יִסְעֲרוּ

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H6041 עָנִי from עָנָה; (practically the same as עָנָו, although the margin constantly disputes this, making עָנָו subjective and ob H6327 פּוּץ a primitive root; to dash in pieces, literally or figuratively (especially to disperse); break (dash, shake) in (to) pie H8367 שָׁתַק a primitive root; to subside; be calm, cease, be quiet. H8074 שָׁמֵם a primitive root; to stun (or intransitively, grow numb), i.e. devastate or (figuratively) stupefy (both usually in a pa

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 7 verses across 6 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Jonah (2 verses); never once in the other 33.

1
2 Kings
1
Isaiah
1
Hosea
2
Jonah
1
Habakkuk
1
Zechariah

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.