H8322 H8322
hissing, scorn — derisive whistling directed at a ruined place, expressing mockery and horror
Shereqah denotes the act of hissing or whistling in scorn, a gesture of derision aimed at a place reduced to ruin by divine judgment. It appears exclusively in prophetic judgment oracles and always alongside shammah ('desolation'), forming a fixed pair that intensifies the picture of utter devastation. Jeremiah uses this word-pair repeatedly to describe the fate of Judah and the nations (Jer 19:8; 25:9, 18; 29:18; 51:37), while Micah 6:16 applies it to Samaria's legacy. Spanish 'silbido/burla' captures both the sound and the mockery, while Arabic cognate evidence points to the same hissing gesture.
Senses
1. hissing (scorn/derision) — A feminine noun denoting derisive hissing or scornful whistling, always appearing alongside shammah ('desolation') in prophetic judgment contexts. The pair shammah u-shereqah ('a desolation and a hissing') is a formulaic expression for the total ruin of a city or land under God's wrath. Jeremiah deploys it against Jerusalem (Jer 19:8), the nations (Jer 25:9, 18), Babylon (Jer 51:37), and the exiles (Jer 29:18), sometimes adding further terms like qelalah ('curse') and cherpah ('reproach'). Micah 6:16 and 2 Chronicles 29:8 extend the pattern. Spanish 'burla' (mockery) and French 'moquerie' confirm the sense of contemptuous derision throughout. 7×
AR["صَفِيرًا", "لِلصَّفِيرِ", "وَ-صَفِيرًا", "وَ-لِـ-صَفِيرٍ", "وَ-لِلصَّفِيرِ", "وَصَفِيرًا", "وَصَفْرَةً"]·ben["আর-শিস", "আর-শিস-দিয়ে-ডাকা-জন্য", "ও-বিদ্রূপের-জন্য", "ও-শিস-দেবার", "ও-শিসের-জন্য", "শিস-দেবার-জন্য", "শিসে-"]·DE["[ולשרקה]", "[ושרקה]", "[לשרקה]"]·EN["and-a-hissing", "and-for-a-hissing", "and-for-hissing", "and-hissing", "for-a-hissing", "for-hissing"]·FR["[ולשרקה]", "et-objet-de-moquerie", "horreur", "objet-de-moquerie"]·heb["ו-ל-שריקה", "ו-ל-שרקה", "ו-שרקה", "ל-שריקה"]·HI["और-के-लिए-सीटी", "और-को-सीटी", "और-सीटी", "और-सीटी-को", "सीटी-के-लिए", "सीटी-को"]·ID["dan-desis", "dan-menjadi-desisan", "dan-menjadi-siulan", "dan-siulan", "dan-untuk-siulan", "desisan", "menjadi-bahan-ejekan"]·IT["[ולשרקה]", "[לשרקה]", "derisione", "e-derisione"]·jav["kangge-pangenyeki", "kanggé-siksan", "lan-geguyonan", "lan-kangge-pangenyeki", "lan-kanggé-siul", "saben-tiyang"]·KO["그리고-비웃음-으로", "그리고-비웃음으로", "그리고-비웃음을", "그리고-에-휘파람으로", "그리고-에게-휘파람에게", "로-비웃음", "에-휘파람으로"]·PT["e-assobio", "e-para-assobio", "e-para-assobio;", "e-por-assobio", "para-assobio", "por-assobio"]·RU["и-в-посмеяние", "и-посвистыванием", "и-посмешищем", "и-посмеянием", "на-свист", "посмешищем"]·ES["por-silbido", "y-burla", "y-para-burla", "y-para-silbido", "y-por-silbido"]·SW["kitu-cha-mzaha", "kuwa-kitu-cha-kuzomewa", "na-kitu-cha-mzaha", "na-kitu-cha-mzomeo", "na-kwa-mzomeo", "na-mzaha"]·TR["alay", "ve-alay", "ve-alay-konusuna", "ve-ıslık-için", "ve-ıslık-çalınacak", "ıslık-çalmaya-o"]·urd["اور-سسکی", "اور-سیٹی", "اور-سیٹی-کے-لئے", "اور-ہنسی-کے-لیے", "سیٹی-کا-نشانہ", "سیٹی-کے-لئے"]
Related Senses
H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)H7121 1. call, summon, name (575×)H6680 1. command, order, charge (483×)H6030b 1. answer, respond, reply (289×)G2980 1. speak, talk (277×)H5046 1. Hifil: to tell, report (237×)G0611 1. answer or respond verbally (232×)H1288 1. Piel: bless, invoke blessing (227×)H7650 1. swear, take an oath (Niphal) (154×)H3789 1. Qal passive participle: written, recorded (112×)H1984b 1. praise, laud (Piel) (111×)H7592 1. ask, inquire, question (96×)H3034 1. give thanks, praise (Hifil) (94×)G1321 1. teach, instruct actively (92×)H3789 2. Qal active: write, compose (89×)G1125 1. to write, compose (a letter or document) (84×)H5046 2. Hifil: to declare, proclaim (79×)H7892a 1. song, musical composition (78×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† שְׁרֵקָה n.f. (object of derisive) hissing;—always abs. שׁ׳, and always + שַׁמָּה: Je 19:8; 25:9, 18 (+ חָרְבָּה, קְלָלָה), 29:18 (+ אָלָה, חֶרְפָּה), 51:37 Mi 6:16 (+ חֶרְפָּה), 2 Ch 29:8.