### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **sᵉʻârâh**, represented by `{{H8183}}`, is defined as a **hurricane, storm, or tempest**. It is the feminine form of שַׂעַר. Despite its powerful meaning, it is a rare term in scripture, appearing only **2 times** in **2 unique verses**. It is used to describe overwhelming and powerful forces, either as a manifestation of God's presence or as an instrument of affliction.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The two uses of `{{H8183}}` highlight different aspects of divine power. In Nahum's prophecy, the **storm** is part of the majestic path of God, where "the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the **storm**" [[Nahum 1:3]]. Here, it illustrates God's awesome and sovereign power over creation. In contrast, Job uses the word to describe his personal suffering at God's hand, lamenting, "For he breaketh me with a **tempest**" [[Job 9:17]]. This use portrays the storm not as a distant display of might, but as a direct and crushing force of affliction.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help clarify the meaning of `{{H8183}}`:
* `{{H5492}}` **çûwphâh** (a hurricane; Red Sea, storm, tempest, whirlwind, Red sea): This word appears alongside `{{H8183}}` in [[Nahum 1:3]], translated as "whirlwind." It is frequently used to describe the swift and powerful judgment of God, such as when His chariots come "like a whirlwind" [[Isaiah 66:15]] or when the wicked are swept away "as the whirlwind passeth" [[Proverbs 10:25]].
* `{{H7779}}` **shûwph** (to overwhelm; break, bruise, cover): This primitive root is the action verb paired with the tempest in Job's complaint, "For he **breaketh** me with a tempest" [[Job 9:17]]. Its meaning of bruising or overwhelming is seen powerfully in the prophecy that the seed of the woman would **bruise** the serpent's head [[Genesis 3:15]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H8183}}` is concentrated in its depiction of God's power.
* **A Manifestation of God's Majesty:** The word is used to describe the environment in which God's power operates. The Lord's "way" is in the whirlwind and the **storm**, signifying that these natural forces are expressions of His sovereign might and presence [[Nahum 1:3]].
* **An Instrument of Personal Trial:** The **tempest** is identified as the direct means by which God "breaketh" a person. This illustrates that overwhelming force can be focused as an instrument of intense suffering and trial in an individual's life [[Job 9:17]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H8183}}` is a concise but potent term for a storm or tempest. Though used only twice, its occurrences powerfully frame the concept of overwhelming force. It can represent the awesome majesty of God's power in a general sense, as seen in nature, or the direct, personal, and painful application of that power in human affliction. It demonstrates how a force of nature in scripture can serve as a metaphor for both the grandeur and the severity of God.
TRV