Topical Encyclopedia
The term "roar" in the Bible is often used to describe a loud, deep sound that can be associated with both divine and natural phenomena. It is a term that conveys power, majesty, and sometimes impending judgment or danger. The imagery of roaring is used throughout Scripture to depict the voice of God, the power of nature, and the ferocity of enemies.
Divine Roar:In the Bible, the roar is frequently associated with the voice of God, symbolizing His power and authority. In the book of Amos, the prophet declares, "The LORD roars from Zion and raises His voice from Jerusalem; the pastures of the shepherds mourn, and the summit of Carmel withers" (
Amos 1:2). This passage illustrates the Lord's voice as a powerful force that commands attention and brings about change.
Similarly, in the book of Joel, the Lord's voice is described as a roar that precedes His coming judgment: "The LORD will roar from Zion and raise His voice from Jerusalem; heaven and earth will tremble. But the LORD will be a refuge for His people, a stronghold for the people of Israel" (
Joel 3:16). Here, the roar signifies both the terror of judgment and the protection offered to God's people.
Natural Phenomena:The roar is also used to describe the sounds of nature, particularly the sea and its waves. In
Psalm 46:3, the psalmist writes, "though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake in the surge" , depicting the tumultuous power of the sea as a metaphor for chaos and instability. This imagery is used to contrast the steadfastness and security found in God.
In the book of Jeremiah, the prophet uses the roar of the sea to symbolize the overwhelming force of an invading army: "They will roar together like young lions; they will growl like lion cubs" (
Jeremiah 51:38). This comparison emphasizes the ferocity and strength of the enemy.
Roar of the Lion:The lion's roar is another significant biblical image, often representing danger and the presence of a formidable adversary. In
1 Peter 5:8, believers are warned, "Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" . The devil's roar is a metaphor for his threatening presence and intent to harm.
Conversely, the lion's roar can also symbolize the strength and majesty of God. In
Hosea 11:10, it is written, "They will walk after the LORD; He will roar like a lion. When He roars, His children will come trembling from the west" . Here, the roar signifies God's call to His people, drawing them back to Himself with authority and power.
Conclusion:The biblical use of "roar" serves as a powerful metaphor for divine authority, natural power, and the presence of both protection and threat. Whether describing the voice of God, the tumult of the sea, or the ferocity of a lion, the roar is a vivid image that underscores the might and majesty inherent in the biblical narrative.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
v. i.) To cry with a full, loud, continued sound.
2. (v. i.) To bellow, or utter a deep, loud cry, as a lion or other beast.
3. (v. i.) To cry loudly, as in pain, distress, or anger.
4. (v. i.) To make a loud, confused sound, as winds, waves, passing vehicles, a crowd of persons when shouting together, or the like.
5. (v. i.) To be boisterous; to be disorderly.
6. (v. i.) To laugh out loudly and continuously; as, the hearers roared at his jokes.
7. (v. i.) To make a loud noise in breathing, as horses having a certain disease. See Roaring, 2.
8. (v. t.) To cry aloud; to proclaim loudly.
9. (n.) The sound of roaring.
10. (n.) The deep, loud cry of a wild beast; as, the roar of a lion.
11. (n.) The cry of one in pain, distress, anger, or the like.
12. (n.) A loud, continuous, and confused sound; as, the roar of a cannon, of the wind, or the waves; the roar of ocean.
13. (n.) A boisterous outcry or shouting, as in mirth.
Greek
3455. mukaomai -- toroar... to
roar. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: mukaomai Phonetic Spelling:
(moo-kah'-om-ahee) Short Definition: I bellow,
roar Definition: I bellow,
roar.
...5612. oruomai -- toroar, howl
... toroar, howl. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: oruomai Phonetic Spelling:
(o-roo'-om-ahee) Short Definition: Iroar, howl Definition: Iroar, howl, as a...
2278. echeo -- to make a loud noise, to sound
... Spelling: (ay-kheh'-o) Short Definition: I make a sound, sound when struck Definition:
I make a sound, give forth a sound, sound (when struck); Iroar (as the...
1027. bronte -- thunder
... Word Origin akin to bremo (toroar) Definition thunder NASB Word Usage peals of
thunder (8), Thunder (1), thunder (2), thundered* (1). thunder, thundering....
5433. phruasso -- to neigh, whinny, fig. to be wanton
... to be wanton. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: phruasso Phonetic Spelling:
(froo-as'-so) Short Definition: Iroar, rage Definition: I am wanton, insolent...
1690. embrimaomai -- to be moved with anger, to admonish sternly
... 1690 (from 1722 , "engaged " and , "to snort") -- properly, snort like an angry
horse; (literally) "(roar) with rage" () which expresses , ie deep feeling that...
4500. rhoizedon -- with a rushing sound
... Word Origin adverb from rhoizos (the whistling of an arrow) Definition with
a rushing sound NASB Word Usageroar (1). with a great noise....
2279. echos -- a noise, sound
... fame, sound. Of uncertain affinity; a loud or confused noise ("echo"), ieRoar;
figuratively, a rumor -- fame, sound. (echos) -- 2 Occurrences....
Strong's Hebrew
7580. shaag -- toroar... 7579, 7580. shaag. 7581 . to
roar. Transliteration: shaag Phonetic Spelling:
(shaw-ag') Short Definition:
roar. Word Origin a prim.
...1993. hamah -- to murmur, growl,roar, be boisterous
... hamah. 1994 . to murmur, growl,roar, be boisterous. Transliteration: hamah Phonetic
Spelling: (haw-maw') Short Definition:roar. Word Origin a prim....
6873. tsarach -- to cry,roar
... 6872c, 6873. tsarach. 6874 . to cry,roar. Transliteration: tsarach Phonetic
Spelling: (tsaw-rakh') Short Definition: cries. Word Origin a prim.... cry,roar....
1995. hamon -- a sound, murmur,roar, crowd, abundance
... 1994, 1995. hamon. 1996 . a sound, murmur,roar, crowd, abundance. Transliteration:
hamon Phonetic Spelling: (haw-mone') Short Definition: multitude....
7452. rea -- perhaps shouting,roar
... 7451b, 7452. rea. 7453 . perhaps shouting,roar. Transliteration: rea
Phonetic Spelling: (ray'-ah) Short Definition: loudly. Word...
1949. hum -- to murmur,roar, defeat in battle
... hum or him. 1950 . to murmur,roar, defeat in battle. Transliteration: hum or
him Phonetic Spelling: (hoom) Short Definition: noisy. Word Origin a prim....
7588. shaon -- aroar (of waters, etc.), din, crash, uproar
... 7587, 7588. shaon. 7589 . aroar (of waters, etc.), din, crash, uproar.
Transliteration: shaon Phonetic Spelling: (shaw-one') Short Definition: uproar....
7481. raam -- to thunder
... 7480, 7481. raam. 7482 . to thunder. Transliteration: raam Phonetic Spelling:
(raw-am') Short Definition:roar.... make to fret,roar, thunder, trouble....
7826. shachal -- a lion
... fierce lion. From an unused root probably meaning toroar; a lion (from his
characteristicroar) -- (fierce) lion. 7825, 7826. shachal. 7827 ....
1897. hagah -- to moan, growl, utter, speak, muse
... 2), uttering (1), utters (1). imagine, meditate, mourn, mutter,roar, sore,
speak, study,. A primitive root (compare hagiyg); to...
Library
On the Words in Psalm Xcvi. 11:00 "Let the SeaRoar (Be Moved)...
... Part I."Exegetical. IX. On the Words in Psalm xcvi. 11: "Let the SeaRoar
(Be Moved), and the Fulness Thereof.". By these words...
Death.
... Thou makest darkness, and it is night: wherein all the beasts of the forest do creep
forth. The lionsroar after their prey, and seek their meat from God....
Appendix 2 Extracts from the Babylon Talmud
... For it is written (Jeremiah 25:30), "Jehovah shallroar from on high, from the
habitation of His holiness shall He give out His voice; roaring shall Heroar on...
The Carcass and the Eagles
... The first words of his prophecy give its whole spirit: 'The Lord willroar from
Zion.' The word rendered 'roar' is the term specially used for the terrible cry...
A Prophet's Woes
... Their roaring shall be like a lion, they shallroar like young lions: yea, they
shallroar, and lay hold of the prey, and shall carry it away safe, and none...
Continued.
... are) saying, "Glory.". Seven times theroar shakes the world. The voice
of the seven thunders is the voice of Jehovah. In the short...
Vanished Hopes
... Others were hauled into place; fresh detachments of Romans seized upon the
scaling-ladders or mounted to the towers, and theroar of the conflict never abated....
Psalm XCVII.
... The isles are filled. But figuratively the isles may be taken for all the Churches.
Why isles? Because the waves of all temptationsroar around them....
Sampson's Lion. Judg 14:08
... And from the eater, meat. The lions rage androar in vain,. For Jesus is their shield;...
Of their Redeemer's care. The lionsroar but cannot kill,....
Whether a Natural Disposition is Requisite for Prophecy?
... For prophecy is received by the prophet according to the disposition of the recipient,
since a gloss of Jerome on Amos 1:2, "The Lord willroar from Sion," says...
Thesaurus
Roar (53 Occurrences)... 9. (n.) The sound of roaring. 10. (n.) The deep, loud cry of a wild beast; as, the
roar of a lion. 11.
... Multi-Version Concordance
Roar (53 Occurrences).
...Roaring (28 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (p. pr. & vb. n.) ofRoar. 2. (n... caused. SeeRoar.
Multi-Version Concordance Roaring (28 Occurrences). Luke...
Roars (9 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 5:29 Their roaring shall be like a lion, they shallroar like young lions,
yea, they shallroar, and lay hold of the prey, and carry it away safe, and...
Growl (11 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 5:29 Their roaring is like a lioness, theyroar as the young lions; yea,
they growl, and snatch the prey, and carry it away safe, and there is none to...
Fills (20 Occurrences)
... 1 Chronicles 16:32 Let the searoar, and its fullness! Let the field exult, and
all that is therein! (See RSV).... Let the searoar, and its fullness! (See RSV)....
Roareth (9 Occurrences)
... (YLT). Jeremiah 25:30 And thou, thou dost prophesy unto them all these words, and
hast said unto them: Jehovah from the high place dothroar, And from His holy...
Contains (17 Occurrences)
... (WBS). 1 Chronicles 16:32 Let the searoar, and its fullness! Let the field exult,
and all that is therein!... Let the searoar, and its fullness! (See NAS)....
Waves (43 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 51:15 For I am Yahweh your God, who stirs up the sea, so that its wavesroar:
Yahweh of Armies is his name. (WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)....
Lions (50 Occurrences)
... (6.) Labi, from a root meaning "toroar," a grown lion or lioness (Genesis 49:9;
Numbers 23:24; 24:9; Ezek. 19:2; Nahum 2:11).... They willroar like young lions....
Thunder (48 Occurrences)
... 5. (n.) To produce thunder; to sound, rattle, orroar, as a discharge of atmospheric
electricity; -- often used impersonally; as, it thundered continuously....
Resources
What is the significance of lions in the Bible? | GotQuestions.orgWhat do the seven thunders in Revelation 10:1-7 mean? | GotQuestions.orgWhat does the Bible say about the end of the world (eschaton)? | GotQuestions.orgRoar: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
Bible Dictionary •
Bible Encyclopedia •
Topical Bible •
Bible Thesuarus
