H6670a H6670a
To cry shrilly, shout for joy; to neigh (of horses, metaphorical for lust)
The verb צָהַל captures two strikingly different sounds united by their shrill, piercing quality. In its primary use, it is a cry of exultation and praise — 'cry aloud, O inhabitant of Zion!' (Isa 12:6) — often paralleled with ranan ('sing for joy'). In Esther 8:15, the city of Susa 'cried out' with gladness at Mordecai's honor. But Jeremiah repurposes the word for the neighing of horses, applied metaphorically to men consumed by lust (Jer 5:8) and to arrogant Chaldeans who 'neigh' in triumph (Jer 50:11). The Arabic cognate sahala ('to neigh') confirms the equine connection as the word's original acoustic image.
Senses
1. cry aloud, shout for joy — To cry aloud, shout for joy, or exult with a piercing cry — the dominant sense covering six occurrences. It appears in prophetic calls to worship (Isa 12:6; 54:1), a cry of distress (Isa 10:30, 'cry aloud with your voice'), joyful praise (Isa 24:14), celebration (Esth 8:15), and a triumphant shout (Jer 31:7). Arabic asrukhi/ihtifi ('cry out/cheer') and Spanish 'grita de jubilo' ('shout of jubilation') confirm the joyful register. The word often appears alongside ranan, forming a parallel pair for exuberant vocal praise. 6×
AR["اصْرُخِي", "هَتَفَتْ", "وَ-اهْتِفِي", "وَاهْتِفُوا", "يَصْرُخُونَ"]·ben["-এবং-চিৎকার-করো", "আর-জয়ধ্বনি-কর", "উল্লাস-করল", "চিৎকার-করো", "জয়ধ্বনি-করবে"]·DE["[וצהלו]", "[וצהלי]", "[צהלה]", "[צהלו]", "[צהלי]"]·EN["and-cry-aloud", "and-shout", "cry-aloud", "rejoiced", "they-cry-out"]·FR["[צהלה]", "et-pousser-des-cris", "pousser-des-cris"]·heb["ו-צהלו", "ו-צהלי", "צהלה", "צהלו", "צהלי"]·HI["और-चिल्लाओ", "और-ललकारो", "खुशी-मनाया", "चीख", "ललकारेंगे"]·ID["Bersoraklah", "Nyaringkan", "bersorak", "dan-bersoraklah"]·IT["[צהלה]", "e-gridare-di-gioia", "gridare-di-gioia"]·jav["Bengoka", "Surak-suraka", "lan-bengok-bingah", "lan-bingah-bingaha", "surak-sorak", "surak-surak"]·KO["그리고-소리치라", "그리고-외치라", "기뽔하며", "소리-지르라", "환호하라"]·PT["Grita", "Grita-de-alegria", "clamarão", "e-exulta", "e-jubilai", "gritou-de-alegria"]·RU["возгласят", "возликовал", "и-возликуй", "и-восклицайте", "кричи", "ликуй"]·ES["Clama", "Grita-de-júbilo", "clamarán", "gritó-de-gozo", "y-grita-de-gozo", "y-gritad-de-gozo"]·SW["Piga-kelele", "na-piga-kelele", "na-pigeni-kelele", "ulifurahi", "watapiga-kelele"]·TR["Ciglik-at", "coskuyla-bagrirlar", "sevindi", "ve-haykir", "ve-haykırın"]·urd["اور-للکارو", "اور-نعرہ-لگا", "خوشی-سے-چیخا", "للکاریں-گے", "چیخ"]
2. neigh (of horses) — To neigh, specifically the sound horses make, used both literally of stallions and metaphorically for lustful or arrogant human behavior. Jeremiah 5:8 compares adulterous men to well-fed stallions who 'neigh' after their neighbors' wives, and Jer 50:11 applies the image to Babylonian plunderers who 'neigh' like stallions in their arrogance. Spanish 'relinchaban' ('they were neighing') is unmistakably equine. The Arabic cognate sahala ('to neigh') suggests this animal-sound sense may be the etymological original, with the joyful-cry sense developing as a metaphorical extension. 2×
AR["يَصْهَلُونَ"]·ben["[ও-তোমরা-হেঁচে-ওঠ]", "হিঁসা-করে"]·DE["[[ותצהלי]]", "[יצהלו]"]·EN["[ketiv:and-you-neigh]", "they-neigh"]·FR["pousser-des-cris"]·heb["ו-תצהלו", "יצהלו"]·HI["वे-हिनहिनाते-हैं"]·ID["[dan-kamu-meringkik]", "meringkik"]·IT["gridare-di-gioia"]·jav["[k]", "piyambakipun-sami-ngeringken"]·KO["[그리고-울부짖는니]", "울부짖는다"]·PT["[e-relincháveis]", "relincham"]·RU["[и-вы-ржали]", "ржут"]·ES["[kethiv]", "relinchaban"]·SW["[na-mnapiga-kelele]", "analia"]·TR["[vtşhly]", "kişniyorlar"]·urd["[ہنہناتی-ہو]", "ہنہناتے-ہیں"]
Related Senses
G2309 1. want, desire (166×)G0025 1. to love actively (133×)H0157 1. love (verb, active Qal) (129×)H8055 1. Qal: rejoice, be glad (123×)H7453 1. neighbor, fellow man (120×)G0026 1. of love (115×)H1058 1. Qal: to weep, cry (112×)H0954 1. to be ashamed, feel shame (Qal) (95×)H8057 1. joy, gladness, delight (90×)H2781 1. disgrace, shame, dishonor (68×)G2307 1. will, desire, purpose (63×)G5463 1. rejoice, be glad (63×)G0027 1. beloved (61×)H8130 1. Qal: to hate, detest (60×)G5479 1. (59×)G1680 1. (53×)H8130 2. Qal ptcp: hater, enemy (53×)H0014 1. be willing, want (51×)H0157 2. lover, friend (Qal participle substantive) (51×)H1945 1. woe (50×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† I. [צָהַל] vb. neigh, cry shrilly (Arabic صَهَلَ neigh, Syriac ܨܗܰܠ id.; 𝔗 Est 8:15 = BH);— Qal Pf. 3 fs. צָֽהֲלָה Est 8:15; 3 pl. צָֽהֲלוּ Is 24:14; Impf. 3 mpl. יִצְהָ֑לוּ Je 5:8; 2 fs. תצהלי 50:11 Kt, Qr 2 mpl. תִּצְהֲלוּ and so Vrss; Imv. fs. צַהֲלִי Is 10:30 +; mpl. צַהֲלוּ Je 31:7;— 1. neigh, of men under fig. of stallions; c. אֶל unto (in desire) Je 5:8, of profligate Judaeans; abs.…