H5591b H5591b
Storm, tempest, whirlwind — a violent windstorm, often expressing divine power, judgment, or theophany
This feminine noun denotes a fierce, swirling windstorm or tempest. It frequently serves as an instrument of YHWH's intervention — whether in theophany (Ezek 1:4; Job 38:1; 40:6), divine judgment (Isa 29:6; Jer 23:19; 30:23), or miraculous translation (2 Kgs 2:1, 11, where Elijah ascends in the whirlwind). The storms of Zechariah 9:14 accompany YHWH's warrior advent. Only in the late psalms does the word describe ordinary weather phenomena (Ps 107:25, 29; 148:8), and even there the storms remain under God's sovereign command. The metaphorical force of seʿārâ made it a natural vehicle for expressing the overwhelming, uncontrollable power of the divine.
Senses
1. storm, tempest, whirlwind — A violent windstorm or tempest, predominantly depicting divine power in theophany and judgment. The rûaḥ seʿārâ ('storm wind') introduces Ezekiel's throne vision (Ezek 1:4) and YHWH's answer to Job (Job 38:1; 40:6). It carries Elijah heavenward (2 Kgs 2:1, 11) and executes prophetic judgment (Isa 29:6; Jer 23:19; 30:23; Zech 9:14). Only in Psalms 107 and 148 does the term describe natural weather, yet even there God raises and stills the storm. Spanish tempestad and French tourbillon reflect the term's double register of literal gale and metaphorical divine fury. 16×
AR["[الْعَاصِفَةِ]", "[عَاصِفَةٍ]", "العاصِفَةَ", "العَاصِفَةِ", "بِ-الْعَاصِفَةِ", "عاصِفَة", "عاصِفَةٌ", "عَاصِفَةٍ", "عَاصِفَةُ", "فِي-عَوَاصِفِ", "وَ-زَوْبَعَةٍ", "وَالزَّوْبَعَةُ"]·ben["[ঝড়]", "[সেই-ঝড়]", "এবং-ঝড়", "এবং-বাতাস", "ও-বাতাস", "ঘূর্ণিঝড়ে", "ঝড়", "ঝড়কে", "ঝড়ের", "দক্ষিণের-বাতাসে-", "বাতাস"]·DE["Sturm", "[[הסערה]]", "[[סערה]]", "[בסערות]", "[וסערה]", "[סערה]", "[סערות]", "[סערת]", "der-Sturm", "in-der-whirlwind"]·EN["[the-storm]", "and-a-tempest", "and-storm", "in-storms-of", "in-the-whirlwind", "storm", "storm-of", "storms", "the-storm"]·FR["[סערה]", "dans-le-tourbillon", "et-tempête", "le-[הסערה]", "tempête"]·heb["ב-סערה", "ב-סערות", "ה-סערה", "ו-סערה", "סערה", "סערות", "סערת"]·HI["[आँधी]", "आँधी", "आँधी-की", "आंधी", "आंधी-की", "आंधी-को", "और-आँधी", "और-तूफान", "बवंडर-में", "में-आँधियों"]·ID["-badai", "[badai]", "badai", "dalam-angin-ribut", "dalam-badai-badai", "dan-angin-ribut", "dan-badai"]·IT["[the-storm]", "[בסערות]", "[סערה]", "[סערות]", "e-tempesta", "il-[the-storm]", "in-il-turbine", "tempesta"]·jav["[prahara]", "ing-prahara", "lan-angin-barat", "lan-prahara", "mawi-prahara", "prahara", "prahara-nipun"]·KO["그리고-폭풍과", "그리고-폭풍이", "의-폭풍이", "폭풍-을", "폭풍-의", "폭풍의", "폭풍이", "회오리바람-가운데", "회오리바람-으로"]·PT["(ketiv)", "a-tempestade", "e-tempestade", "e-vendaval", "em-tempestades-do", "na-tempestade", "tempestade", "tempestade-de-", "tempestades", "tempestuoso"]·RU["[бури]", "бури", "бурный", "бурю", "буря", "в-бурях", "в-вихре", "и-буря", "и-вихрем"]·ES["[K:la-tempestad]", "[K:tempestad]", "en-la-tempestad", "en-torbellinos-de", "la-tempestad", "tempestad", "tempestad-de", "tormenta", "tormenta-de", "tormentas", "y-torbellino", "y-tormenta"]·SW["[dhoruba]", "dhoruba", "dhoruba-ya", "katika-dhoruba-za", "katika-upepo-mkali", "na-dhoruba", "wa-dhoruba"]·TR["(ketib)", "de-firtina", "fırtına", "fırtınaların", "fırtınalarında-", "fırtınanın", "fırtınası", "fırtınayı", "ve-firtina", "yırtacak"]·urd["آندھی", "آندھی-میں", "آندھی-کی", "آندھیوں-میں", "اور-آندھی", "اور-طوفان", "طوفان", "طوفان-کو", "طوفانی"]
Related Senses
H4325 1. water, waters (582×)H6965b 1. Qal: to rise, arise, get up (432×)H2091 1. gold (the metal) (389×)H0068 1. stone, rock (material/object) (267×)H5178a 1. bronze/copper as metal (131×)H6083 1. dust, dry earth, soil (108×)H8313 1. burn, set fire to (94×)H2734 1. anger was kindled (82×)G5204 1. water (80×)H2822 1. darkness, absence of light (80×)G5457 1. light (illumination) (71×)G0450 1. rise, stand up (physical) (69×)H6965b 2. Qal: to stand firm, endure, be valid (50×)H6999a 2. burn sacrifice on altar (Hifil) (45×)H5553 1. rock, cliff (physical feature) (43×)H6965b 4. Hifil: to establish, confirm (covenant/kingdom/word) (40×)H1197a 1. burn, be on fire (39×)H4306 1. rain, showers (38×)H1653 1. rain, precipitation (34×)G4655 1. darkness (30×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† סְעָרָה n.f. tempest, storm-wind;—abs. סְעָרָה Is 29:6 + (so also 2 K 2:1, 11 Ginsb; Baer בַּסֳּעָרָה); cstr. סַעֲרַת Je 23:19; 30:23; pl. סְעָרוֹת Ez 13:11, 13; cstr. סַעֲרוֹת Zc 9:14;—4, as instr. of י׳’s wrath, Is 29:6 (+ סוּפָה), cf.40:24; 41:16, also רוּחַ סְעָרוֹת Ez 13:11, 13 (against nation under fig. of wall); storm-wind of Elijah’s translation 2 K 2:1, 11; of theophany Ez 1:4 (רִוּחַ…