Lexical Summary hegeh: Murmuring, meditation, sound Original Word: הֶגֶה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance mourning, sound, tale From hagah; a muttering (in sighing, thought, or as thunder) -- mourning, sound, tale. see HEBREW hagah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom hagah Definition a rumbling, growling, moaning NASB Translation mourning (1), rumbling (1), sigh (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs הֶ֫גֶה noun masculineJob 37:2 a rumbling, growling, moaning: — ׳ה absolute Ezekiel 2:10 2t.; — 1 a rumbling, growling sound מִמִּיו יֵצֵא ׳וְה Job 37:2 of thunder, as sound going forth from God's mouth. 2 a moaning וָהִי ׳קִינִים וָה Ezekiel 2:10 lamentations and moaning and woe. 3 a sigh or moan, as transient, כִּלִּינוּ שָׁנֵינוּ כְמוֺהֶֿ֑גֶה Psalm 90:9 we bring our years to an end as a sign, i.e. a fleeting sound (compare RVm VB). Topical Lexicon הֶגֶה (Strong’s Hebrew 1899)A Word of Low Sound and Deep Emotion Across its three appearances, הֶגֶה conveys a subdued, almost hushed sound—whether rumbling from heaven, a weary human sigh, or the soft yet ominous undertone of prophetic lament. Though quiet in volume, the term carries weighty theological resonance: it draws attention to what lies beneath the surface, the inner pulse of both God’s revelation and human response. Job 37:2 – Divine Thunder Rendered Intimate “Listen closely to the thunder of His voice and the rumbling that comes from His mouth.” (Job 37:2) Here the majesty of God’s storm-voice is described not by a crashing blast but by a “rumbling” (הֶגֶה). The verse invites listeners to attend to subtle undertones within the storm, underscoring that divine self-disclosure is not always shattering; it can be a low, persistent resonance. Pastoral implication: believers are to cultivate attentiveness even when God’s presence manifests in restrained ways, echoing Elijah’s experience of the “still small voice” in 1 Kings 19:12. Psalm 90:9 – The Sigh of Mortal Frailty “For all our days decline in Your fury; we finish our years with a sigh.” (Psalm 90:9) Moses places הֶגֶה on dying lips. The “sigh” signals resignation beneath divine wrath and points to the brevity of earthly life. In worship, the psalm becomes a vehicle for humble confession and a reminder that life finds meaning only in the fear of the Lord (Psalm 90:12). Theologically, the verse foreshadows Romans 8:23, where creation “groans” in hope of redemption, linking the ancient sigh to eschatological longing. Ezekiel 2:10 – Scrolls of Lament “It was written on the front and back, and written on it were words of lamentation and mourning and woe.” (Ezekiel 2:10) On the prophet’s inaugural scroll, הֶגֶה appears as “lamentation.” The term evokes muted dirges chanted in funeral processions, capturing the grief of a nation under judgment. Yet, even here, God’s word is not silenced; it speaks through sorrow to drive repentance and ultimate restoration (Ezekiel 37:11-14). Interplay of Sound and Silence Although הֶגֶה denotes sound, it often borders on silence—rumbling, sighing, whispered lament. This tension illustrates a larger biblical theme: God’s communication penetrates the quiet places of the heart (Psalm 4:4) and exposes inner thoughts (Hebrews 4:12). Believers are therefore called to meditation that is both vocal and contemplative (Joshua 1:8). Ministry Significance 1. Prayer and Lament: לamentation as a legitimate form of worship encourages congregations to voice sorrow honestly while trusting God’s purposes (Lamentations 3:21-24). Messianic Echoes The muted suffering of the Servant in Isaiah 53:7 (“He did not open His mouth”) parallels הֶגֶה’s undertone of subdued affliction. At Calvary, Christ’s final cry (Matthew 27:50) transforms every human sigh into a prayer God will answer in resurrection glory (2 Corinthians 4:17). Summary הֶגֶה encapsulates the low-pitched reverberations of divine speech, the fragile breath of dying humanity, and the soft yet insistent call of prophetic warning. It invites reverent listening, honest lament, and steadfast hope anchored in the God who hears even the faintest whisper and turns it into redemptive song. Forms and Transliterations הֶֽגֶה׃ הגה׃ וְ֝הֶ֗גֶה וָהֶ֖גֶה והגה he·ḡeh Hegeh heḡeh vaHegeh veHegeh wā·he·ḡeh wāheḡeh wə·he·ḡeh wəheḡehLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Job 37:2 HEB: בְּרֹ֣גֶז קֹל֑וֹ וְ֝הֶ֗גֶה מִפִּ֥יו יֵצֵֽא׃ NAS: of His voice, And the rumbling that goes KJV: of his voice, and the sound [that] goeth out INT: to the thunder of his voice and the rumbling his mouth goes Psalm 90:9 Ezekiel 2:10 3 Occurrences |