זָרָא
𐤆𐤓𐤀
zârâʼ
H2214 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A sensation of strong aversion or revulsion; a feeling of loathing or disgust. The term typically denotes an internal response of being repelled or sickened, often in relation to food or ritual circumstances. In biblical contexts, it refers especially to the experience of nausea, detestation, or being unable to tolerate something.
Semantic Range
to feel loathing, to be nauseated, to be repulsed, to experience strong aversion, to have an internal sense of disgust or estrangement
Root / Etymology
Root/etymology uncertain; often connected with the root זוּר (zur, 'to be a stranger, to be estranged') due to similarity in form and suggested by Strong's, but this is not philologically certain. Some link it to זָרָה (zarah, 'to scatter'), but the connection is tenuous. The term's limited attestation impedes firm conclusions about its formation, but its consistent usage points toward a semantic field involving estrangement in the emotional or visceral sense.
Historical & Contextual Notes
זָרָא is an extremely rare term, found only a handful of times in the Hebrew Bible (notably in Numbers 11:20, 11:33 and possibly Psalm 78:29–30). Its use in Numbers refers to the Israelites’ response to quail meat during the wilderness period—they experience revulsion to the point of being unable to consume more, indicating deep loathing or physical disgust. English translations frequently render it as 'loathsome,' 'nauseating,' or 'abhorred,' but these sometimes overstate or understate the specifically visceral, repellent sense. The usage is restricted to circumstances where an overabundance or forced consumption results in detestation. Later Jewish literature does not commonly use this word, suggesting its meaning may have become obscure early. Other Hebrew terms share some semantic overlap (e.g., תָּעֵב 'to abhor,' גָּעַל 'to loathe'), but זָרָא emphasizes the inward, almost automatic reaction of physical and emotional repulsion, often related to food consumed to excess.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from זוּר (in the sense of estrangement) (compare זָרָה); disgust; loathsome.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
זרא (z-r-ʾ) — revulsion, loathing, nausea, aversion
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2214-01 |
לְ/זָרָ֑א | lezara | HR/Ncmsa |
loathsome | loathing | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2214-01 |
Numbers 11:20 | לְ/זָרָ֑א | lezara | HR/Ncmsa |
loathsome | loathing |