Lexical Summary
zevaah: Sacrifice
Original Word:זְוָעָה
Part of Speech:Noun Feminine
Transliteration:zva`ah
Pronunciation:zeh-vah-ah
Phonetic Spelling:(zev-aw-aw')
KJV: be removed, trouble, vexation
NASB:terror, object of horror, object of terror
Word Origin:[fromH2111 (זוַּע - tremble)]
1. agitation, fear
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
be removed, trouble, vexation
Fromzuwa'; agitation, fear -- be removed, trouble, vexation. Compareza'avah.
see HEBREWzuwa'
see HEBREWza'avah
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
zuaDefinitiona trembling, an object of trembling or terror
NASB Translationobject of horror (1), object of terror (1), terror (6).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
and, by transposition, (Di
Deuteronomy 28:25 compare Sta
§ 192 a)
, i.e. :Isaiah 28:19, also KtJeremiah 15:4 4t.;Deuteronomy 28:25;Ezekiel 23:46 (also QrJeremiah 15:4 4t.); —object of trembling, terror, fright;Deuteronomy 28:25and thou shalt become a terror to all () the kingdoms of the earth; )Jeremiah 15:4;Jeremiah 29:18;Jeremiah 34:17 ("" ) alsoJeremiah 24:9 ("" ),Ezekiel 23:46; 2Chronicles 29:8 .
Topical Lexicon
Overviewזְוָעָה signals an overwhelming dread that falls upon individuals or nations when they stand under the manifested displeasure of the LORD. Each occurrence shows the term as a public, observable consequence of covenant violation, turning the offender into a warning sign for others.
Scriptural Usage
•2 Chronicles 29:8 records Hezekiah’s assessment of Judah’s ruin: “Therefore, the wrath of the LORD has come upon Judah and Jerusalem, and He has made them an object of horror, astonishment, and scorn, as you can see with your own eyes.”
•Isaiah 28:19 foresees Assyria’s relentless advance: “As often as it passes through, it will carry you away; morning after morning, by day and by night, it will sweep through, and understanding the message will bring only terror.”
•Jeremiah 15:4; 24:9; 29:18; 34:17 repeat a common formula: “I will make them an object of horror to all the kingdoms of the earth,” linking זְוָעָה to sword, famine, and plague.
Covenant Curses and Corporate Consequences
Deuteronomy 28 anticipates exile, reproach, and trembling for covenant breakers. Each use of זְוָעָה in Chronicles, Isaiah, and Jeremiah confirms that prophetic threat. The word marks the moment when hidden sin becomes visible disgrace: idolatry (2 Chronicles 29), pride and false security (Isaiah 28), and broken oaths (Jeremiah 34). God’s people, intended to display His glory, become a fearful spectacle when they mirror the nations’ rebellion.
Prophetic Function
1. Verification—The horror validates the prophets’ message. When Isaiah speaks of “sheer terror to understand the message,” the calamity itself authenticates the oracle.
2. Motivation—By portraying Israel as a cautionary tale to “all the kingdoms of the earth,” the LORD summons the watching world to heed His sovereignty.
3. Invitation—Even while announcing horror, the prophets call for repentance (Jeremiah 26:13;Isaiah 55:7), implying that the dread may yet be averted or transformed.
Relationship to the Fear of the LORD
Whereas the fear of the LORD produces wisdom and worship (Proverbs 9:10), זְוָעָה is the fear experienced when that reverent awe has been traded for disobedience. It is the inverse of covenant blessing—a fear that scatters rather than gathers, that isolates rather than secures.
Typological and Christological Implications
The term anticipates the climactic horror of divine judgment poured out at the cross. “We esteemed Him stricken” (Isaiah 53:4); the onlookers recoiled at the spectacle of sin judged in the sinless Substitute. Yet in the resurrection, dread gives way to salvation, showing that horror is not God’s final word for His repentant people.
Eschatological Echoes
New Testament passages such asLuke 21:26—“people will faint from fear”—echo זְוָעָה as they describe global distress preceding Christ’s return.Revelation 18 portrays once-proud Babylon as “a horror,” underscoring that ultimate covenant judgment still awaits an unrepentant world.
Contemporary Ministry Applications
• Preaching—Proclaim both the certainty of judgment and the hope of redemption, using historical examples of זְוָעָה to stir sober self-examination.
• Pastoral Care—When believers face consequences of sin, apply the term pastorally: horror endured now may lead to restored fear of the LORD and renewed obedience.
• Missions—God’s conversion of former horrors into testimonies of grace (cf.Isaiah 19:22-25) encourages confident evangelism among nations once known chiefly for judgment.
Summary
זְוָעָה embodies the terror of divine displeasure. It is not arbitrary but covenantal, not merely emotional but historical, turning wayward people into living signposts that the LORD reigns. The gospel answers this dread—not by denying it, but by absorbing it in Christ and promising final deliverance to those who call on His name.
Forms and Transliterations
זְוָעָ֖ה זועה לְזַֽעֲוָ֔ה לְזַֽעֲוָה֙ לְזַעֲוָ֔ה לְזַעֲוָ֜ה לְזַעֲוָ֣ה לזעוה lə·za·‘ă·wāh ləza‘ăwāh lezaaVah zə·wā·‘āh zevaAh zəwā‘āh
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