Lexical Summary
tsaaq: To cry out, to call for help, to shout
Original Word:צָעַק
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:tsa`aq
Pronunciation:tsah-ak'
Phonetic Spelling:(tsaw-ak')
KJV: X at all, call together, cry (out), gather (selves) (together)
NASB:cried, cry, summoned, crying, appeal, appealed, called the together
Word Origin:[a primitive root]
1. to shriek
2. (by implication) to proclaim (an assembly)
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
call together, cry out, gather selves together
A primitive root; to shriek; (by implication) to proclaim (an assembly) -- X at all, call together, cry (out), gather (selves) (together).
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origina prim. root
Definitionto cry, cry out, call
NASB Translationappeal (1), appealed (1), called the together (1), cried (27), cries (1), cry (14), cry aloud (1), crying (2), summoned (6).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
("" ; Late Hebrew
id.; Arabic
perhaps originally
sound as thunder, compare
thunderbolt,
bellow (of bull)); —
Perfect3masculine singular1 Kings 20:39;Lamentations 2:18, 3feminine singularDeuteronomy 22:24 +, etc.;ImperfectExodus 23:22 +, etc.;Imperative feminine singularJeremiah 22:20,Jeremiah 22:20; feminine pluralJeremiah 49:3;Infinitive absoluteExodus 22:22; construct2 Kings 8:3;Participle feminine singular absolute2 Kings 8:5; masculine pluralGenesis 4:10;Exodus 5:8; —
cry, cry out, for help, usually with person; —
Genesis 41:55 (E; + of thing),Numbers 11:3 (JE),1 Kings 20:39;2 Kings 6:26;2 Kings 8:3 (+ of thing),2 Kings 8:5 (+ of thing); followed byExodus 5:15 (J),2 Kings 4:1 and ( person omitted)Exodus 5:8 (J),2 Kings 4:40;2 Kings 6:5.
:Genesis 4:10;Exodus 8:8 ( + of thing),Exodus 14:10,15;Exodus 15:25;Exodus 17:4;Exodus 22:22 (),Exodus 22:26;Numbers 12:13;Numbers 20:16;Joshua 24:7 (all J E),Judges 4:3;Judges 10:12;Deuteronomy 26:7;Isaiah 19:20 (+ of thing),Lamentations 2:18;Nehemiah 9:27;Psalm 107:6;Psalm 107:28;Psalm 77:2, comparePsalm 34:18; with 2Chronicles 13:14:Psalm 88:2.
cry unto () idolIsaiah 46:7.
absolutecry, cry out, in distress, need; —Genesis 27:34 (J; with accusative of congnate meaning with verb),Deuteronomy 22:24,27;Isaiah 33:7 ("" ),Isaiah 65:14 ("" , opposed to ; with of thing),Jeremiah 22:20 (twice in verse) ("" ),Jeremiah 49:3 ("" ),Job 35:12; with objectJob 19:7 ("" ).
make outcry, clamour,Isaiah 42:2 (+ , ).
be summoned (i.e. to arms), absolute;Imperfect3masculine singularJudges 7:23,24;Judges 12:1,Songs 3 masculine pluralJudges 10:17;2 Kings 3:21, followed by + accusative of location1 Samuel 13:4.
Participlecry aloud, in grief,2 Kings 2:12.
call together1 Samuel 10:17.
Topical Lexicon
OverviewThe verb צָעַק (tsaʿaq) signifies an urgent, audible cry that insists on a response. Appearing roughly fifty-five times, it spans contexts of oppression, warfare, intercession, worship, and prophetic judgment, underscoring both human helplessness and divine attentiveness.
Cries of Distress under Oppression
•Exodus 14:10 – “They were terrified and cried out to the LORD.”
•Judges 4:3 – Israel “cried out to the LORD” under Canaanite cruelty.
•2 Kings 6:26 – A starving mother “cried out to the king.”
These scenes fix the verb to moments when earthly resources fail and appeal to the only Sovereign who can save.
Appeals for Divine Intervention
Psalm 18:6 captures the template: “In my distress I called upon the LORD; I cried to my God for help, and from His temple He heard my voice.” Similar refrains inPsalm 34:17;Psalm 107:6, 13, 19, 28; andJonah 1:14 show a covenant rhythm—cry, hearing, deliverance.
Social Injustice and Prophetic Indictment
Genesis 18:20; 19:13 speak of the “outcry” of Sodom.Amos 5:12–13 andIsaiah 5:7 confront Israel for ignoring the cries of the oppressed. Here צָעַק becomes forensic evidence in God’s court, proving societal guilt.
The Battle Cry
1 Samuel 4:5 – “All Israel raised such a great shout that the ground shook.”
2 Chronicles 13:14-15 – Judah’s cry is paired with priestly trumpets and divine victory.
Judges 7:20 – Gideon’s band cries, “A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!” Such shouts rally troops and invoke God’s name in combat.
Liturgical and Devotional Usage
Individual worship (Psalm 3:4; 30:2; 86:7) and corporate liturgy (Psalm 118:5; 120:1) employ צָעַק to teach believers that prayer may—and often should—be vocal, urgent, and expectant.
Moral and Theological Dimensions
1. God hears (Exodus 2:24;Psalm 34:6).
2. God judges when cries are ignored (Exodus 22:23;Micah 3:4).
3. God expects His people to respond (Proverbs 21:13;Job 34:28).
Ultimately the cross magnifies both the anguish (“Jesus cried out with a loud voice,”Matthew 27:46) and the assurance that every righteous cry will be vindicated.
Pastoral and Homiletical Applications
• Encourage candid lament; the Lord “is near to the brokenhearted” (Psalm 34:18).
• Use Exodus to show corporate cries shaping redemptive history.
• Call the church to social righteousness by heeding Amos and Isaiah.
• Teach spiritual warfare through Judah’s battle cry (2 Chronicles 13:14-15).
• EmployPsalm 107 responsively to rehearse cry-and-deliverance praise.
Representative Occurrences
Genesis 18:20; 19:13
Exodus 14:10, 15
Judges 3:9; 7:20
1 Samuel 4:5; 7:8-9
2 Samuel 22:7
2 Kings 6:26-27
2 Chronicles 13:14-15
Job 30:20
Psalm 3:4; 18:6; 34:6; 107:6
Proverbs 21:13
Isaiah 19:20; 42:13
Jeremiah 33:3
Jonah 1:14
Micah 3:4
Conclusion
צָעַק portrays desperate yet faith-filled petition that moves the heart of God. From Israel’s bondage to the psalmists’ prayers and the prophets’ warnings, Scripture invites believers to cry out with confidence that the Lord both hears and acts.
Forms and Transliterations
אֶצְעַ֣ק אצעק וְאֶצְעָ֑קָה וְצַֽעֲקִי֙ וַֽיִּצְעֲק֖וּ וַיִּצְעֲק֣וּ וַיִּצְעֲק֥וּ וַיִּצְעַ֣ק וַיִּצְעַ֤ק וַיִּצְעַ֥ק וַיִּצָּֽעֲקוּ֙ וַיִּצָּעֲק֗וּ וַיִּצָּעֲק֥וּ וַיִּצָּעֵ֞ק וַיִּצָּעֵ֧ק וַיִּצָּעֵק֙ וַיַּצְעֵ֤ק וַנִּצְעַ֕ק וַנִּצְעַ֤ק וַתִּצְעֲק֣וּ וּֽצְעָ֔קִי ואצעקה ויצעק ויצעקו ונצעק וצעקי ותצעקו יִ֭צְעֲקוּ יִצְעֲק֣וּ יִצְעֲק֤וּ יִצְעַ֖ק יִצְעַ֣ק יִצְעַ֤ק יִצְעַק֙ יצעק יצעקו לִצְעֹ֣ק לצעק מְצַעֵק֙ מצעק צְעַקְנָה֮ צָעֲק֖וּ צָעֲק֣וּ צָעֲקָ֗ה צָעֲקָ֣ה צָעֲקָ֤ה צָעֲקָ֨ה צָעַ֖קְתִּי צָעַ֣ק צָעַ֥ק צָעָ֗קוּ צָעֹ֤ק צֹֽעֲקִים֙ צֹעֲקִ֥ים צֹעֶ֣קֶת צעק צעקה צעקו צעקים צעקנה צעקת צעקתי תִּצְעֲקוּ֙ תִּצְעַ֖ק תצעק תצעקו ’eṣ‘aq ’eṣ·‘aq etzAk liṣ‘ōq liṣ·‘ōq litzOk mə·ṣa·‘êq məṣa‘êq metzaEk ṣā‘aq ṣā‘ăqāh ṣā‘aqtî ṣā‘ăqū ṣā‘āqū ṣā‘ōq ṣā·‘ă·qāh ṣā·‘ă·qū ṣā·‘ā·qū ṣā·‘aq ṣā·‘aq·tî ṣā·‘ōq ṣə‘aqnāh ṣə·‘aq·nāh ṣō‘ăqîm ṣō‘eqeṯ ṣō·‘ă·qîm ṣō·‘e·qeṯ tiṣ‘aq tiṣ‘ăqū tiṣ·‘ă·qū tiṣ·‘aq titzAk titzaKu tzaAk tzaaKah tzaAkti tzaAku tzaOk tzeakNah tzoaKim tzoEket ū·ṣə·‘ā·qî ūṣə‘āqî utzeAki vaiyatzEk vaiyitzAk vaiyitzaKu vaiyitztzaaKu vaiyitztzaEk vannitzAk vattitzaKu veetzAkah vetzaaKi wan·niṣ·‘aq wanniṣ‘aq wat·tiṣ·‘ă·qū wattiṣ‘ăqū way·yaṣ·‘êq way·yiṣ·‘ă·qū way·yiṣ·‘aq way·yiṣ·ṣā·‘ă·qū way·yiṣ·ṣā·‘êq wayyaṣ‘êq wayyiṣ‘aq wayyiṣ‘ăqū wayyiṣṣā‘ăqū wayyiṣṣā‘êq wə’eṣ‘āqāh wə·’eṣ·‘ā·qāh wə·ṣa·‘ă·qî wəṣa‘ăqî yiṣ‘aq yiṣ‘ăqū yiṣ·‘ă·qū yiṣ·‘aq yitzAk yitzaKu
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