Word Study for H7581 (שְׁאָגָה)

shᵉʼâgâh /sheh-aw-gaw'/ Ask about this word

Meaninga rumbling or moan

KJV usageroaring.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of shᵉʼâgâh — 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 shᵉʼâgâh, represented by H7581, conveys a powerful sound of roaring, rumbling, or moaning. It is derived from the root verb שָׁאַג (shâʼag). Appearing 7 times in 7 unique verses, it is a specific term used to describe both the fearsome sound of a lion and the deep, visceral cry of a person in extreme distress.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, H7581 is applied in two primary contexts. Firstly, it depicts the powerful and intimidating sound of lions, often as a symbol of impending judgment or destruction. This is seen when describing the roaring of young lions as their territory is spoiled Zechariah 11:3 and the roaring of a lion seizing its prey Isaiah 5:29. Secondly, it is used metaphorically to express profound human suffering. The psalmist describes his anguish as "the words of my roaring" Psalms 22:1, and Job expresses his overwhelming grief by stating "my roarings are poured out like the waters" Job 3:24.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help to define the scope of sounds associated with distress and power:

H7580 shâʼag (to rumble or moan; [idiom] mightily, roar): This is the root verb from which H7581 is derived, signifying the action of roaring. It is used to describe both God's powerful voice and the sound of a lion Amos 3:8.
H5098 nâham (to growl; mourn, roar(-ing)): This term overlaps with H7581 and is used in parallel to describe the roaring of lions executing judgment Isaiah 5:29 as well as the sound of human mourning Proverbs 5:11.
H585 ʼănâchâh (sighing; groaning, mourn, sigh): This word captures the human element of suffering often expressed by H7581. In Job's lament, his sighing precedes his roarings, showing a progression of grief Job 3:24.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H7581 is significant, highlighting both divine power and human desperation.

The Sound of Judgment: The roaring of a lion is used to illustrate the terror of judgment. This sound accompanies the spoiling of a nation's glory Zechariah 11:3 and the destructive power of a wicked ruler Ezekiel 19:7.
The Cry of the Afflicted: The word gives voice to a suffering so deep it becomes an animalistic cry. It is the sound of one feeling forsaken by God Psalms 22:1 and the physical torment that comes from unconfessed sin Psalms 32:3.
The Breaking of Power: In Job, the "roaring of the lion" is something that can be broken Job 4:10, suggesting that even the most fearsome earthly power is ultimately subject to God's sovereign control.

Summary

In summary, H7581 is more than just a sound. It is a term that bridges the gap between the raw power of the animal kingdom and the depths of human emotion. Whether describing the fearsome roar of a lion in judgment or the agonizing cry of a soul in torment, shᵉʼâgâh powerfully communicates a sound of ultimate intensity, signifying both inescapable power and profound vulnerability.

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 noun across 7 occurrences, inflected in 3 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.

שַׁאֲגַת
שַׁאֲגֹתָ
שְׁאָגָה

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 5 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Job and Psalms (2 verses each); never once in the other 34.

Job

Psalms

Isaiah

Ezekiel

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.