### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **shâʼâh**, represented by `{{H7582}}`, is a primitive root that captures both a dynamic action and its destructive result. Defined as **to rush** and by implication **to desolate**, it appears 6 times across 5 unique verses, typically describing powerful and overwhelming events.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the biblical narrative, `{{H7582}}` is used to create a powerful image of the nations. They **rush** like the roaring of mighty waters, a depiction of immense worldly power and commotion [[Isaiah 17:12]]. This tumult, however, is subject to divine authority, as God's rebuke causes the nations to flee [[Isaiah 17:13]]. The word also carries the meaning of destruction as an instrument of divine will. In parallel accounts, God declares that He has brought it to pass for a king to **lay waste** defenced cities into ruinous heaps ([[2 Kings 19:25]], [[Isaiah 37:26]]). This theme of judgment is starkly presented in God's answer to Isaiah, where the land will face judgment until cities are **wasted** and the land is utterly **desolate** [[Isaiah 6:11]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help clarify the context and impact of `{{H7582}}`:
* `{{H7588}}` **shâʼôwn** (uproar, rushing): Derived from `{{H7582}}`, this word emphasizes the sound and chaos of the action. It is used alongside its root to describe the "rushing" of nations, amplifying the sense of a tumultuous uproar [[Isaiah 17:12]].
* `{{H1219}}` **bâtsar** (fenced, fortify): This word describes the fortified and seemingly secure places that become the target of desolation. The action of `{{H7582}}` is to lay waste these "defenced" cities, demonstrating that no human fortification can stand against ordained judgment [[Isaiah 37:26]].
* `{{H5892}}` **ʻîyr** (city): This is a frequent object of the desolation brought by `{{H7582}}`. The prophecies of judgment often culminate in the wasting of cities, leaving them without an inhabitant ([[Isaiah 6:11]], [[2 Kings 19:25]]).
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H7582}}` is significant and multifaceted.
* **The Tumult of Nations:** The "rushing" of `{{H7582}}` is a metaphor for the chaotic and intimidating power of earthly kingdoms, which are compared to the overwhelming force of a flood [[Isaiah 17:12]]. This imagery highlights the turmoil present in the world.
* **Divine Sovereignty over Destruction:** The act of laying waste is not random. God explicitly states that He has brought it to pass that an aggressor would **lay waste** fenced cities [[2 Kings 19:25]]. This frames destruction as an instrument within God's sovereign control over history.
* **Judgment as a Consequence:** The desolation described by `{{H7582}}` is presented as the outcome of a prolonged spiritual condition. The prophecy in Isaiah foretells that judgment will continue until cities are **wasted** and the land is desolate, signifying a thorough and complete divine response [[Isaiah 6:11]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H7582}}` **shâʼâh** conveys both a cause and an effect: the violent, overwhelming **rush** of a force and the subsequent **desolation** it leaves behind. It is used to illustrate the power of nations in commotion, but more significantly, it underscores the theme of God's absolute sovereignty, where even destructive events are part of His ordained plan to execute judgment. The word moves from a description of earthly chaos to a declaration of divine purpose.
TRV