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זָעַק

𐤆𐤏𐤒

zâʻaq

H2199 verb

SILEX Entry

Definition

To cry out or call loudly, especially with a sense of urgency, distress, or appeal for help. The verb is commonly used to express raising one's voice in distress, suffering, or in a situation of injustice, but can also refer to making a proclamation or summoning a group in a public manner. Semantic range includes: to cry out for help; to raise a complaint or lament; to call for deliverance; to proclaim or announce publicly; to summon an assembly.

Semantic Range

to cry out (in distress), to appeal for help, to protest, to announce publicly, to proclaim, to summon or assemble by a loud call

Root / Etymology

The root is זעק, which conveys the basic sense 'to cry out, to call loudly.' The word derives from this verbal root, indicating an act of noisy or urgent vocalization, often in a situation of need or as a summons.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, זָעַק most frequently appears in contexts where individuals or groups are in distress, suffering injustice, or seeking deliverance (e.g., Israelites oppressed in Egypt, individuals appealing to divine or human authorities). It is strongly associated with the motif of 'crying out to YHWH' in times of need, contrasting with words like צָעַק (tsa'aq), which also means 'to cry out' but may carry a more general nuance. In some contexts (especially prophetic or legal texts), it extends to the act of making public proclamation or summoning, thus linking the ideas of a desperate plea and an assembly call. The concept of 'assembling by a cry' is marginal, secondary to its primary sense of distress or appeal. In later periods, the semantic field narrows in post-biblical Hebrew toward more generic uses of 'crying out' or 'public proclamation,' but without necessarily implying distress. English Bible translations often render זָעַק with 'cry out,' 'call,' or 'proclaim,' but the underlying connotation of urgent need or appeal is sometimes lost. While both patriarchal and monarchic texts use the verb, it is especially prominent in narrative or legal contexts where pleas for help or justice are central.

Translation Consistency

primary "cry out" 15 occurrences

zâʻaq predominantly denotes raising a loud, urgent call—often in distress, appeal, lament, or public proclamation. "Cry out" captures both the volume/urgency and the emotional force of the verb more naturally than the neutral "call." It also aligns with the majority of existing English renderings ("cried/cry") while preserving the idiomatic sense of a loud or urgent cry.

Alternatives (35 occurrences):
"cried out" (25x) "called out" (2x) "crying out" (2x) "cries out" (2x) "loudly summoned" (1x) "summoned" (1x) "call out" (1x) "summon" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to shriek (from anguish or danger); by analogy, (as a herald) to announce or convene publicly; assemble, call (together), (make a) cry (out), come with such a company, gather (together), cause to be proclaimed.

Bantu Hebrew

Language Bantu Word Transliteration Meaning
Kikongo zanga to make noise; cry out
Kimbundu zanga to cry out; lament
Lingala zanga cry out; shout; make a loud noise

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Root Family

זעק (zâʻaq) — to cry out, call loudly, raise a call

Root זעק to cry out, call loudly, raise a call
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2200 זְעִק he cried out
H2201 זַעַק the outcry

Word Forms

31 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H2199-17 וַ/יִּזְעֲק֨וּ vayizeaqu HC/Vqw3mp and they cried out and they cried out and they cried out 13
H2199-16 וַ/יִּזְעַ֖ק vayizeaq HC/Vqw3ms and he cried out and he cried out and he cried out 6
H2199-23 וְ/זָעֲק֣וּ vezaaqu HC/Vqq3cp and cry out and cry out! and cry out! 6
H2199-02 אֶזְעַ֥ק ezeaq HVqi1cs I cry out I cry out I will cry out 5
H2199-08 תִּזְעָ֑ק tizeaq HVqi3fs cries out she cries out she cries out 4
H2199-13 וַ/יַּזְעֵ֗ק vayazeeq HC/Vhw3ms and-he-called-out and he raised a cry and he caused to cry out 4
H2199-30 זָעֲקוּ֙ zaaqu HVqp3cp they cried out they cried out they cried out 4
H2199-11 וָ/אֶזְעַ֗ק vaezeaq HC/Vqw1cs and cried and I cried out and I cried out 3
H2199-12 וַ/תִּזְעַ֖ק vatizeaq HC/Vqw3fs and she cried out and she cried out and she cried out 3
H2199-15 וַ/יִּזָּעֵ֣ק vayizaeq HC/VNw3ms and-he-called-out and he cried out and he cried out 3

Occurrences in Scripture

73 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H2199-17 Exodus 2:23 וַ/יִּזְעָ֑קוּ vayizeaqu HC/Vqw3mp and they cried out, and they cried out and they cried out
H2199-14 Joshua 8:16 וַ/יִּזָּעֲק֗וּ vayizaaqu HC/VNw3mp and they were called and they were loudly summoned and they were loudly summoned
H2199-17 Judges 3:9 וַ/יִּזְעֲק֤וּ vayizeaqu HC/Vqw3mp and they cried out and they cried out and they cried out
H2199-17 Judges 3:15 וַ/יִּזְעֲק֣וּ vayizeaqu HC/Vqw3mp and they cried out and they cried out and they cried out
H2199-13 Judges 4:10 וַ/יַּזְעֵ֨ק vayazeeq HC/Vhw3ms called and he raised a cry and he called out
H2199-13 Judges 4:13 וַ/יַּזְעֵ֨ק vayazeeq HC/Vhw3ms And he gathered and he raised a cry and he summoned
H2199-17 Judges 6:6 וַ/יִּזְעֲק֥וּ vayizeaqu HC/Vqw3mp and cried out and they cried out and they cried out
H2199-30 Judges 6:7 זָעֲק֥וּ zaaqu HVqp3cp they cried out they cried out they cried out
H2199-15 Judges 6:34 וַ/יִזָּעֵ֥ק vayizaeq HC/VNw3ms and-he-called-out and he cried out and he called out
H2199-15 Judges 6:35 וַ/יִזָּעֵ֥ק vayizaeq HC/VNw3ms and they were called out and he cried out and he cried out
H2199-17 Judges 10:10 וַֽ/יִּזְעֲקוּ֙ vayizeaqu HC/Vqw3mp and-they-cried-out and they cried out and they cried out
H2199-23 Judges 10:14 וְ/זַֽעֲקוּ֙ vezaaqu HC/Vqv2mp and-cry-out and cry out! and cry out!
H2199-11 Judges 12:2 וָ/אֶזְעַ֣ק vaezeaq HC/Vqw1cs and I cried out and I cried out and I cried out
H2199-07 Judges 18:22 נִֽזְעֲק֔וּ nizeaqu HVNp3cp were gathered they were called out loudly they cried out
H2199-06 Judges 18:23 נִזְעָֽקְתָּ nizeaqeta HVNp2ms you are assembled you were called out you cried out
H2199-12 1 Samuel 4:13 וַ/תִּזְעַ֖ק vatizeaq HC/Vqw3fs and she cried out and she cried out and she cried out
H2199-17 1 Samuel 5:10 וַ/יִּזְעֲק֨וּ vayizeaqu HC/Vqw3mp the Ekronites cried out and they cried out and they cried out
H2199-05 1 Samuel 7:8 מִ/זְּעֹ֖ק mizeoq HR/Vqc from crying out from crying aloud from crying out
H2199-16 1 Samuel 7:9 וַ/יִּזְעַ֨ק vayizeaq HC/Vqw3ms and Samuel cried out and he cried out and he cried out
H2199-09 1 Samuel 8:18 וּ/זְעַקְתֶּם֙ uzeaqetem HC/Vqq2mp you will cry out and you cried out and you will cry out
H2199-17 1 Samuel 12:8 וַ/יִּזְעֲק֤וּ vayizeaqu HC/Vqw3mp and cried out and they cried out and they cried out
H2199-17 1 Samuel 12:10 וַ/יִּזְעֲק֤וּ vayizeaqu HC/Vqw3mp and they cried out and they cried out and they cried out
H2199-15 1 Samuel 14:20 וַ/יִּזָּעֵ֣ק vayizaeq HC/VNw3ms called out and he cried out and he cried out
H2199-16 1 Samuel 15:11 וַ/יִּזְעַ֥ק vayizeaq HC/Vqw3ms and he cried out and he cried out and he cried out
H2199-12 1 Samuel 28:12 וַ/תִּזְעַ֖ק vatizeaq HC/Vqw3fs and she cried out and she cried out and she cried out
H2199-22 2 Samuel 13:19 וְ/זָעָֽקָה vezaaqah HC/Vqq3fs and crying aloud and she cried out and she cried out
H2199-16 2 Samuel 19:5 וַ/יִּזְעַ֥ק vayizeaq HC/Vqw3ms and cried out and he cried out and he cried out
H2199-19 2 Samuel 19:29 וְ/לִ/זְעֹ֥ק velizeoq HC/R/Vqc that I should cry and to cry out and to cry out
H2199-03 2 Samuel 20:4 הַזְעֶק hazeeq HVhv2ms Call out Cause a loud cry call out
H2199-04 2 Samuel 20:5 לְ/הַזְעִ֣יק lehazeiq HR/Vhc to summon to cause to cry out to summon
H2199-16 1 Kings 22:32 וַ/יִּזְעַ֖ק vayizeaq HC/Vqw3ms and he cried out and he cried out and he cried out
H2199-29 Isaiah 14:31 זַֽעֲקִי zaaqi HVqv2fs cry out Cry out! Cry out
H2199-12 Isaiah 15:4 וַ/תִּזְעַ֤ק vatizeaq HC/Vqw3fs and cries out and she cried out and she cried out
H2199-26 Isaiah 15:5 יִזְעָ֔ק yizeaq HVqi3ms cries out he cries out he cries out
H2199-08 Isaiah 26:17 תִּזְעַ֖ק tizeaq HVqi3fs cries out she cries out she cries out
H2199-01 Isaiah 57:13 בְּ/זַֽעֲקֵ/ךְ֙ bezaaqekhe HR/Vqc/Sp2fs when-you-cry-out in your crying out in your crying out
H2199-23 Jeremiah 11:11 וְ/זָעֲק֣וּ vezaaqu HC/Vqq3cp and they will cry out and cry out! and they will cry out
H2199-23 Jeremiah 11:12 וְ/זָֽעֲקוּ֙ vezaaqu HC/Vqq3cp and cry out and cry out! and they will cry out
H2199-02 Jeremiah 20:8 אֶזְעָ֔ק ezeaq HVqi1cs I cry out I cry out I will cry out
H2199-23 Jeremiah 25:34 וְ/זַעֲק֗וּ vezaaqu HC/Vqv2mp and cry and cry out! and cry out!
H2199-08 Jeremiah 30:15 תִּזְעַק֙ tizeaq HVqi2ms do you cry out she cries out do you cry out
H2199-23 Jeremiah 47:2 וְ/זָֽעֲקוּ֙ vezaaqu HC/Vqq3cp and they shall cry out and cry out! and they will cry out
H2199-24 Jeremiah 48:20 ו/זעקי vzqy HC/Vqv2fs and cry and cry out! and cry out
H2199-10 Jeremiah 48:20 וּֽ/זְעָ֑קוּ uzeaqu HC/Vqv2mp and cry Cry out! Cry out
H2199-02 Jeremiah 48:31 אֶזְעָ֑ק ezeaq HVqi1cs I-will-cry-out I cry out I will cry out
H2199-11 Ezekiel 9:8 וָ/אֶזְעַ֗ק vaezeaq HC/Vqw1cs and cried and I cried out and I cried out
H2199-11 Ezekiel 11:13 וָ/אֶזְעַ֣ק vaezeaq HC/Vqw1cs and cried and I cried out and I cried out
H2199-31 Ezekiel 21:17 זְעַ֤ק zeaq HVqv2ms cry out Cry out! Cry out
H2199-21 Ezekiel 27:30 וְ/יִזְעֲק֖וּ veyizeaqu HC/Vqi3mp and-they-will-cry and they will cry out and they will cry out
H2199-30 Hosea 7:14 זָעֲק֤וּ zaaqu HVqp3cp they cried out they cried out they cried out
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