The Hebrew word shᵉrêqâh, represented by H8322, is defined as a derision; hissing. It is derived from the root word שָׁרַק. Appearing 7 times in 7 unique verses, this term consistently signifies an object of scorn and contempt, a visible and audible sign of utter ruin.
In the biblical narrative, H8322 is used exclusively as a mark of divine judgment upon disobedient nations and cities. It is a prophetic declaration of the disgrace that will befall them. For instance, God proclaims through Jeremiah that he will make the land and its inhabitants "an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations" Jeremiah 25:9. This same fate is pronounced upon Babylon, which will become "an astonishment, and an hissing, without an inhabitant" Jeremiah 51:37. The term is frequently paired with astonishment and desolation, signifying the shocking and complete nature of the downfall 2 Chronicles 29:8.
Several related words clarify the context of judgment and ruin surrounding H8322:
- H8319 shâraq (hiss): As the primitive root of H8322, this word is the action that produces the state of derision. In Jeremiah 19:8, the city is made "an hissing" H8322, and every passerby will be astonished and "hiss" H8319 because of its plagues.
- H8047 shammâh (astonishment, desolate(-ion), waste): This term is almost always found alongside H8322. It describes the ruin and consternation that causes the hissing, as when God makes a people "an astonishment, and an hissing" Jeremiah 29:18.
- H2781 cherpâh (rebuke, reproach(-fully), shame): This word denotes the disgrace and shame that is borne by those who become an object of hissing. The judgment is to make them "an hissing, and a reproach" among the nations Jeremiah 29:18.
The theological weight of H8322 is centered on the consequences of covenantal unfaithfulness.
- A Sign of Divine Judgment: The hissing is not merely human scorn but a tangible result of God's wrath being poured out. He delivers Judah and Jerusalem "to astonishment, and to hissing" as a direct result of His anger 2 Chronicles 29:8.
- The Fruit of Idolatry: The term is explicitly linked to disobedience and following false gods. In Micah 6:16, the people are made "an hissing" because they kept "the statutes of Omri" and followed the "works of the house of Ahab."
- A Picture of Utter Ruin: shᵉrêqâh is consistently associated with total desolation. It is part of a package of judgment that includes being made a "curse" Jeremiah 25:18, a "reproach" Jeremiah 29:18, and left without inhabitants Jeremiah 51:37.
In summary, H8322 is far more than a simple description of a sound. It is a potent prophetic symbol of judgment, representing the ultimate state of derision, shame, and ruin that results from rebellion against God. Its consistent use in the prophets, particularly Jeremiah, establishes it as a definitive marker for the consequences of national sin, transforming a city or people into an object of scornful astonishment.
TRV