The Hebrew word qâyâh, represented by H7006, is a primitive root meaning to vomit; spue. Its rarity in scripture is notable, as it appears only 1 time in 1 unique verse. This singular usage lends significant weight to its appearance, portraying a powerful and visceral image of divine judgment.
The sole instance of H7006 is found in Jeremiah 25:27. Here, the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, issues a command as an act of judgment. The people are instructed to "Drink ye, and be drunken, and spue, and fall, and rise no more." The act of vomiting is not a natural illness but the result of a divine decree, a consequence brought about "because of the sword which I will send among you" Jeremiah 25:27. It is the climactic physical reaction to consuming a judgment from which there is no recovery.
Several related words in the passage illuminate the context of judgment surrounding H7006:
- H8354 shâthâh (to imbibe): This word for drinking sets the stage for the judgment. The command to drink is the first step in a sequence that ends in ruin. It is sometimes used in contexts of lack, as in "ye drink, but ye are not filled with drink" Haggai 1:6.
- H7937 shâkar (to become tipsy; be drunken): This describes the state of intoxication that leads to vomiting. Figuratively, it represents being overwhelmed by God's wrath, as when God promises that oppressors "shall be drunken with their own blood" Isaiah 49:26.
- H2719 chereb (sword): This is the instrument of judgment that causes the entire sequence. The sword is often a symbol of divine punishment and warfare, as when the LORD punishes with His "great and strong sword" Isaiah 27:1.
The theological weight of H7006 is tied directly to its context in divine judgment.
- Symbol of Divine Rejection: To spue is to violently expel something. In its biblical usage, it serves as a powerful metaphor for God's utter rejection of a people. The act signifies a complete and forceful removal due to their wickedness.
- The Finality of Judgment: The word is part of a sequence: drink, be drunken, spue, and fall, leading to the condition of being unable to "rise no more" Jeremiah 25:27. This links the act of vomiting to an irreversible and final state of destruction.
- Consumption of Wrath: The imagery of drinking until one vomits illustrates the concept of being forced to consume the full measure of God's wrath. The physical revulsion is a picture of the spiritual consequence of facing divine justice delivered by the LORD's sword.
In summary, H7006 is a stark and infrequent term in the biblical lexicon. Its single appearance in Jeremiah 25:27 provides a graphic depiction of the finality of divine judgment. More than a simple physical act, qâyâh functions as a potent symbol of God's wrath being consumed, leading to the irreversible fall and rejection of those who stand against Him.
TRV