### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew noun `{{H7150}}` (קְרִיאָה, qᵉrîyʼâh) is derived from the verb `{{H7121}}` (qārāʼ), which carries a broad semantic range including "to call, cry out, summon, proclaim, or read." As a noun, `{{H7150}}` specifically denotes the *act* or *result* of such a calling or proclamation. Its core meaning centers on a public, authoritative declaration or announcement. It is more than a simple utterance; it implies a formal, often urgent, and significant communication intended to be heard and acted upon. The primary translations "proclamation" and "preaching" accurately capture this sense of a declared message, often with a divine or official origin.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The noun `{{H7150}}` is remarkably rare, appearing only once in the Hebrew Bible, in the book of Jonah:
* **[[Jonah 3:2]]**: "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the proclamation that I tell you." (וּקְרָא אֵלֶיהָ אֶת־הַקְּרִיאָה אֲשֶׁר אָנֹכִי דֹּבֵר אֵלֶיךָ)
In this sole instance, `{{H7150}}` (הַקְּרִיאָה, "the proclamation") refers to the specific message that God commands Jonah to deliver to the city of Nineveh. The context is crucial:
1. **Divine Mandate**: The proclamation is explicitly "that which I tell you," underscoring its divine origin and authority. It is not Jonah's own message but God's.
2. **Urgency and Destination**: Jonah is commanded to "arise" and "go to Nineveh," indicating the immediate and targeted nature of the message.
3. **Nature of the Proclamation**: While the exact content of God's initial message to Jonah is not detailed here, Jonah's subsequent preaching in [[Jonah 3:4]] reveals it to be a warning of impending judgment and a call to repentance. Thus, "the proclamation" is a message of divine warning and an invitation to avert disaster through repentance.
The repetition of the root `{{H7121}}` in the verb "proclaim" (וּקְרָא) and the noun "proclamation" (הַקְּרִיאָה) emphasizes the direct and specific nature of the divine command and the message itself.
### Related Words & Concepts
The most significant related word is the verbal root `{{H7121}}` (qārāʼ), from which `{{H7150}}` is derived. `{{H7121}}` is a foundational verb in the Old Testament, used in various contexts:
* **Divine Calling**: God "calls" individuals (e.g., Abraham, [[Genesis 12:1]]), nations (e.g., Israel, [[Isaiah 43:1]]), or phenomena into existence (e.g., light, [[Genesis 1:5]]).
* **Summoning**: To call an assembly (e.g., [[Exodus 35:1]]) or to summon someone.
* **Proclamation/Announcement**: To make a public declaration, often of a fast or a holy convocation (e.g., [[Joel 1:14]]).
* **Reading**: To read aloud from a text, especially the Law (e.g., [[Deuteronomy 31:11]]).
Other related concepts include:
* **`{{H5046}}` (nāgaḏ)**: "to declare, announce," often used for reporting or making known. While similar, `{{H7150}}` and its root `{{H7121}}` often carry a stronger sense of a vocal, public, and often urgent summons or declaration.
* **`{{H1697}}` (dāḇār)**: "word, matter, thing." This noun frequently refers to a divine "word" or message, but `{{H7150}}` describes the *act* of delivering that word.
* In the Septuagint, `{{H7150}}` in [[Jonah 3:2]] is translated by the Greek noun κήρυγμα (kērygma), which means "proclamation" or "preaching." This Greek term becomes highly significant in the New Testament, referring to the authoritative proclamation of the Gospel (e.g., [[1 Corinthians 1:21]], [[Romans 16:25]]). The semantic link between the Old Testament "proclamation" and the New Testament "kerygma" is profound.
### Theological Significance
The singular occurrence of `{{H7150}}` in [[Jonah 3:2]] carries significant theological weight.
1. **Divine Authority of the Message**: The "proclamation" is not a human invention but a direct divine communication. This underscores the conviction that true prophetic ministry is the faithful declaration of God's own words, not human opinions or wisdom.
2. **Nature of Prophetic Ministry**: Jonah's commission highlights that a prophet's primary role is to be a messenger, to "proclaim the proclamation" given by God. This involves a public, often confrontational, and unvarnished declaration of God's will and judgment.
3. **God's Desire for Repentance**: The content of Jonah's proclamation to Nineveh (implied by the context to be a call to repentance) reveals God's universal compassion and His desire for all people, even those outside the covenant nation, to turn from their wickedness and be saved. The "proclamation" is thus an act of divine grace extended to humanity.
4. **Precursor to the Gospel Kerygma**: The concept of a divinely mandated "proclamation" that calls for a response from humanity serves as an important theological precursor to the New Testament *kerygma*. Just as Jonah's proclamation called Nineveh to repentance, the apostolic kerygma calls all people to repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, demonstrating a consistent pattern in God's redemptive activity throughout salvation history. The act of "preaching" or "proclaiming" is central to God's method of reaching humanity.
### Summary
`{{H7150}}` (קְרִיאָה, qᵉrîyʼâh) is a rare but potent Hebrew noun meaning "proclamation" or "preaching," derived from the verb `{{H7121}}` (qārāʼ), "to call, proclaim." Its sole appearance in [[Jonah 3:2]] defines it as the specific, divinely commanded message a prophet is commissioned to deliver. This "proclamation" is characterized by its divine origin, its urgency, and its purpose as a call to repentance. Theologically, `{{H7150}}` illuminates the nature of prophetic ministry as the faithful declaration of God's authoritative word, demonstrating God's desire for all humanity to repent. It serves as an Old Testament antecedent to the New Testament concept of the *kerygma*, the authoritative proclamation of the Gospel. The word encapsulates the essence of a divine summons made manifest through human utterance, demanding a response from its hearers.
TRV