רוּעַ (H7321) — Hebrew Lexicon

רוּעַ

𐤓𐤅𐤏

rûwaʻ

H7321 verb

SILEX Entry

Root רוע to break, disrupt, make a loud noise

Definition

To raise a loud noise by shouting or blowing an instrument; to cry out vocally, especially as a communal or ritual expression, signaling alarm, triumph, joy, or distress. The verb is used for both shouted warnings (such as in military or cultic contexts), celebratory cries, and at times to denote a destructive outcry or menacing shout.

Semantic Range

to shout aloud; to raise a public, loud cry; to sound an alarm (vocally or with instruments); to acclaim (in ritual, celebration, or public proclamation); to give a war cry; (rare) to break or destroy (metaphorically or literally)

Root / Etymology

Root רוע, likely related to the sense 'to break, split, disrupt' (core meaning: to break/disrupt). רוּעַ as a verb takes on the sense of making a loud or disruptive sound. The semantic evolution connects the root's physical sense of breaking/disruption to the loud, piercing quality of shouted noise or sounded instruments.

Historical & Contextual Notes

רוּעַ appears throughout the Hebrew Bible in contexts including military alarm signals (Num 10:7; Josh 6:5), communal acclamation (Ps 47:2; 98:4), and ritual or cultic proclamation. It is frequently used for the shouts of Israelites in battle, the blast and accompanying shout at Jericho, as well as for liturgical exultation or invocation of YHWH's kingship. The sense can be positive (joyful, triumphant—especially in Psalms) or negative (alarm, wailing). English translations often specialize the term ("shout for joy," "raise a cry," "sound an alarm"), but do not always capture the public and often ritual character of the word. In later texts, related nouns retain the sense of noise, but the verb primarily conveys a public, communal vocal or instrumental outburst. There are also less common senses relating to "breaking" or "destroying" (cf. some prophetic passages), but these are rare and often debated. רוּעַ is distinct from צָעַק (ṣāʿaq), which is a personal outcry for help or in distress, while רוּעַ is more often associated with communal, ritual, or formal acclamation—whether of alarm or celebration.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to mar (especially by breaking); figuratively, to split the ears (with sound), i.e. shout (for alarm or joy); blow an alarm, cry (alarm, aloud, out), destroy, make a joyful noise, smart, shout (for joy), sound an alarm, triumph.

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Root Family

רוע (r-w-ʿ) — break, disrupt, make a loud noise

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H7452	רֵעַ	in his resounding shout
H7465	רֹעָה	shattering one
H8643	תְּרוּעָה	with a shout-blast

Word Forms

22 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H7321-04`	הָרִ֖יעוּ	hariu	`HVhv2mp`	shout	raise a loud shout	12
`H7321-16`	וַ/יָּרִ֤יעוּ	vayariu	`HC/Vhw3mp`	and they shouted	and they raised a loud shout	7
`H7321-20`	יָרִ֥יעוּ	yariu	`HVhi3mp`	cry out	they raise loud cries	3
`H7321-05`	הֵרִ֣יעוּ	heriu	`HVhp3cp`	shouted	they raised a loud shout	2
`H7321-12`	תָרִֽיעוּ	tariu	`HVhi2mp`	you-shall-shout	you shall raise a loud shout	2
`H7321-19`	יָרִ֨יעַ֙	yaria	`HVhi3ms`	he-will-cry-out	he will raise a loud shout	2
`H7321-08`	מְרִיעִים֙	meriim	`HVhrmpa`	shouting	those sounding a loud cry	1
`H7321-21`	יְרֹעָ֑ע	yeroa	`HVOi3ms`	will be shouted	he will be loudly acclaimed	1
`H7321-10`	נָ֝רִ֗יעָה	nariah	`HVhh1cp`	let us shout joyfully	let us raise a loud shout	1
`H7321-13`	וַ/הֲרֵעֹתֶ֖ם	vahareotem	`HC/Vhq2mp`	then you shall sound	and you sounded an alarm	1
`H7321-22`	יִ֝תְרוֹעֲע֗וּ	yiteroau	`HVri3mp`	they shout for joy	they break out in loud cries	1
`H7321-02`	אֶתְרוֹעָֽע	eteroa	`HVri1cs`	I will shout in triumph	I will raise a loud cry	1
`H7321-17`	וְ/הָרִ֨יעוּ֙	vehariu	`HC/Vhv2mp`	and-sound-an-alarm	and raise a loud shout!	1
`H7321-06`	הִתְרֹעָֽעִֽי	hiteroai	`HVrv2fs`	shout in triumph	Break out in loud cry!	1
`H7321-14`	וַ/הֲרִיעֹתֶֽם	vahariotem	`HC/Vhq2mp`	then-you-shall-shout	and you raised a shout	1
`H7321-11`	תָרִ֖יעִי	tarii	`HVhi2fs`	do you cry out	you will raise a loud cry	1
`H7321-15`	וַ/יָּ֣רַע	vayara	`HC/Vhw3ms`	and the people shouted	and he raised a loud shout	1
`H7321-18`	וְ/הֵרֵ֖עוּ	vehereu	`HC/Vhp3cp`	shouting	they raised a loud shout	1
`H7321-01`	בְּ/הָרִ֨יעַ֙	beharia	`HR/Vhc`	in the shouting	in raising a shout	1
`H7321-09`	נָרִ֥יעַֽ	naria	`HVhh1cp`	let us shout joyfully	let us raise a shout	1
`H7321-07`	לְ/הָרִ֣יעַ	leharia	`HR/Vhc`	to sound	to sound a loud alarm	1
`H7321-03`	הָרִ֨יעִי֙	harii	`HVhv2fs`	Shout	Raise a loud shout!	1

Occurrences in Scripture

44 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H7321-12`	Numbers 10:7	תָרִֽיעוּ	tariu	`HVhi2mp`	you shall sound an alarm	you shall raise a loud shout
`H7321-13`	Numbers 10:9	וַ/הֲרֵעֹתֶ֖ם	vahareotem	`HC/Vhq2mp`	then you shall sound	and you sounded an alarm
`H7321-20`	Joshua 6:5	יָרִ֥יעוּ	yariu	`HVhi3mp`	shall shout	they raise loud cries
`H7321-12`	Joshua 6:10	תָרִ֨יעוּ֙	tariu	`HVhi2mp`	you-shall-shout	you shall raise a loud shout
`H7321-04`	Joshua 6:10	הָרִ֖יעוּ	hariu	`HVhv2mp`	Shout!	raise a loud shout
`H7321-14`	Joshua 6:10	וַ/הֲרִיעֹתֶֽם	vahariotem	`HC/Vhq2mp`	then-you-shall-shout	and you raised a shout
`H7321-04`	Joshua 6:16	הָרִ֔יעוּ	hariu	`HVhv2mp`	Shout	raise a loud shout
`H7321-15`	Joshua 6:20	וַ/יָּ֣רַע	vayara	`HC/Vhw3ms`	and the people shouted	and he raised a loud shout
`H7321-16`	Joshua 6:20	וַ/יָּרִ֤יעוּ	vayariu	`HC/Vhw3mp`	and the people shouted	and they raised a loud shout
`H7321-16`	Judges 7:21	וַ/יָּרִ֖יעוּ	vayariu	`HC/Vhw3mp`	and cried out	and they raised a loud shout
`H7321-05`	Judges 15:14	הֵרִ֣יעוּ	heriu	`HVhp3cp`	shouted	they raised a loud shout
`H7321-16`	1 Samuel 4:5	וַ/יָּרִ֥עוּ	vayariu	`HC/Vhw3mp`	and they shouted	and they raised a loud shout
`H7321-16`	1 Samuel 10:24	וַ/יָּרִ֧עוּ	vayariu	`HC/Vhw3mp`	And all the people shouted	and they raised a loud shout
`H7321-18`	1 Samuel 17:20	וְ/הֵרֵ֖עוּ	vehereu	`HC/Vhp3cp`	shouting	they raised a loud shout
`H7321-16`	1 Samuel 17:52	וַ/יָּרִ֗עוּ	vayariu	`HC/Vhw3mp`	and shouted	and they raised a loud shout
`H7321-20`	Isaiah 15:4	יָרִ֔יעוּ	yariu	`HVhi3mp`	cry out	they raise loud cries
`H7321-21`	Isaiah 16:10	יְרֹעָ֑ע	yeroa	`HVOi3ms`	will be shouted	he will be loudly acclaimed
`H7321-19`	Isaiah 42:13	יָרִ֨יעַ֙	yaria	`HVhi3ms`	he-will-cry-out	he will raise a loud shout
`H7321-04`	Isaiah 44:23	הָרִ֨יעוּ֙	hariu	`HVhv2mp`	shout	raise a loud shout
`H7321-04`	Jeremiah 50:15	הָרִ֨יעוּ	hariu	`HVhv2mp`	Shout	raise a loud shout
`H7321-04`	Hosea 5:8	הָרִ֨יעוּ֙	hariu	`HVhv2mp`	sound an alarm	raise a loud shout
`H7321-17`	Joel 2:1	וְ/הָרִ֨יעוּ֙	vehariu	`HC/Vhv2mp`	and-sound-an-alarm	and raise a loud shout!
`H7321-11`	Micah 4:9	תָרִ֖יעִי	tarii	`HVhi2fs`	do you cry out	you will raise a loud cry
`H7321-04`	Zephaniah 3:14	הָרִ֖יעוּ	hariu	`HVhv2mp`	shout	raise a loud shout
`H7321-03`	Zechariah 9:9	הָרִ֨יעִי֙	harii	`HVhv2fs`	Shout	Raise a loud shout!
`H7321-19`	Psalms 41:12	יָרִ֖יעַ	yaria	`HVhi3ms`	will shout in triumph	he will raise a loud shout
`H7321-04`	Psalms 47:2	הָרִ֥יעוּ	hariu	`HVhv2mp`	shout	raise a loud shout
`H7321-06`	Psalms 60:10	הִתְרֹעָֽעִֽי	hiteroai	`HVrv2fs`	shout in triumph	Break out in loud cry!
`H7321-22`	Psalms 65:14	יִ֝תְרוֹעֲע֗וּ	yiteroau	`HVri3mp`	they shout for joy	they break out in loud cries
`H7321-04`	Psalms 66:1	הָרִ֥יעוּ	hariu	`HVhv2mp`	Shout for joy	raise a loud shout
`H7321-04`	Psalms 81:2	הָ֝רִ֗יעוּ	hariu	`HVhv2mp`	shout	raise a loud shout
`H7321-10`	Psalms 95:1	נָ֝רִ֗יעָה	nariah	`HVhh1cp`	let us shout joyfully	let us raise a loud shout
`H7321-09`	Psalms 95:2	נָרִ֥יעַֽ	naria	`HVhh1cp`	let us shout joyfully	let us raise a shout
`H7321-04`	Psalms 98:4	הָרִ֣יעוּ	hariu	`HVhv2mp`	Shout joyfully	raise a loud shout
`H7321-04`	Psalms 98:6	הָ֝רִ֗יעוּ	hariu	`HVhv2mp`	shout joyfully	raise a loud shout
`H7321-04`	Psalms 100:1	הָרִ֥יעוּ	hariu	`HVhv2mp`	Shout joyfully	raise a loud shout
`H7321-02`	Psalms 108:10	אֶתְרוֹעָֽע	eteroa	`HVri1cs`	I will shout in triumph	I will raise a loud cry
`H7321-20`	Job 30:5	יָרִ֥יעוּ	yariu	`HVhi3mp`	they cry out	they raise loud cries
`H7321-16`	Job 38:7	וַ֝/יָּרִ֗יעוּ	vayariu	`HC/Vhw3mp`	shouted for joy	and they raised a loud shout
`H7321-05`	Ezra 3:11	הֵרִיעוּ֩	heriu	`HVhp3cp`	shouted	they raised a loud shout
`H7321-08`	Ezra 3:13	מְרִיעִים֙	meriim	`HVhrmpa`	shouting	those sounding a loud cry
`H7321-07`	2 Chronicles 13:12	לְ/הָרִ֣יעַ	leharia	`HR/Vhc`	to sound	to sound a loud alarm
`H7321-16`	2 Chronicles 13:15	וַ/יָּרִ֖יעוּ	vayariu	`HC/Vhw3mp`	and they shouted	and they raised a loud shout
`H7321-01`	2 Chronicles 13:15	בְּ/הָרִ֨יעַ֙	beharia	`HR/Vhc`	in the shouting	in raising a shout

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