חָגָא
𐤇𐤂𐤀
châgâʼ
H2283 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A state of intense fear or terror, often described as a whirling or overwhelming dread. The term is rare and denotes a kind of disorienting fear that overtakes or 'whirls' a person, possibly comparable to panic or extreme alarm.
Semantic Range
terror, fear, dread associated with vertigo or disorientation; overwhelming panic; swirling sensation of fear
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root חָגַג (ḥ-g-g), which means 'to circle, go around, celebrate a festival,' but in the case of חָגָא, the root meaning is not directly attested and is considered uncertain. The form suggests semantic development from the idea of whirling or turning, extended metaphorically to denote the unsteady, dizzying experience of terror.
Historical & Contextual Notes
חָגָא is an extremely rare word, appearing only in poetic and highly figurative contexts. Its usage seems confined to conveying a vivid, experiential aspect of fear—akin to a vertigo or spinning sensation brought on by terror. It is likely related in form and sense development to חָגַג (to whirl, dance, celebrate), but the connection is metaphorical: rather than describing physical movement, it describes the psychological effect of overwhelming fear. English translations typically render the term as 'terror,' 'fear,' or 'horror,' but may not fully capture the sense of disorientation or vertigo implied. The rarity of the word makes its exact semantic range difficult to determine, but available evidence suggests a focus on the subjective, shaking experience of fright. There are few, if any, direct cognates in related Semitic languages. In post-biblical usage, the word does not appear, and its sense did not carry forward into common Hebrew vocabulary.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root meaning to revolve (compare חָגַג); properly, vertigo, i.e. (figuratively) fear; terror.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
חגג (ḥ-g-g) — to circle, to revolve, to go around, to celebrate
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2282 | חַג | in the pilgrimage festivals |
| H2287 | חָגַג | my festival-celebration |
| H2291 | חַגִּי | the Festive-descendant |
| H2294 | חַגִּית | Festive Woman |
| H2328 | חוּג | pilgrimage festival of |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2283-01 |
לְ/חָגָּ֔א | lechaga | HR/Ncfsa |
a terror | to whirling terror | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2283-01 |
Isaiah 19:17 | לְ/חָגָּ֔א | lechaga | HR/Ncfsa |
a terror | to whirling terror |