Original Word: רוּעַ
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: ruwa`
Pronunciation: roo-ah
Phonetic Spelling: (roo-ah')
KJV: blow an alarm, cry (alarm, aloud, out), destroy, make a joyful noise, smart, shout (for joy), sound an alarm, triumph
NASB: shout, shout joyfully, shouted, sound an alarm, battle cry, cry, cry aloud
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to mar (especially by breaking)
2. (figuratively) to split the ears (with sound)
3. to shout (for alarm or joy)

blow an alarm, cry alarm, aloud, out, destroy, make a joyful noise, smart, shout for joy,

A primitive root; to mar (especially by breaking); figuratively, to split the ears (with sound), i.e. Shout (for alarm or joy) -- blow an alarm, cry (alarm, aloud, out), destroy, make a joyful noise, smart, shout (for joy), sound an alarm, triumph.

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to raise a shout, give a blast
NASB Translation
battle cry (1), cry (1), cry aloud (1), crying (1), jubilant shouting (1), raise your battle cry (1), raised a war cry (1), raised the war cry (1), shout (9), shout for joy (1), shout in triumph (1), shout aloud (1), shout joyfully (8), shout loud (1), shouted (8), shouted for joy (1), shouting the cry (1), sound an alarm (3), sound the alarm (1), sounding an alarm (1), utter a shout (1).

[רוּעַ] verb Hiph`il₄₀

1 raise a shout.

2 give a blast with clarion or horn (Late Hebrew id., Hiph`il; Thes compare Arabic utter a grumbling cry); — Perfect3masculine plural הֵרִיעוּ Judges 15:14; Ezra 3:11, הֵרֵעוּ 1 Samuel 17:20, etc.; Imperfect3masculine singular יָרִיעַ Isaiah 42:13; Psalm 41:12, וַיָּ֫רַע Joshua 6:20, etc.; Imperative feminine singular הָרִיעִי Zechariah 9:9; masculine plural הָרִיעוּ Joshua 6:10 +; Infinitive construct הָרִיעַ2Chronicles 13:12,15; Participle plural מְרִיעִים Ezra 3:13; —

1 shout a war-cry, or alarm of battle, Joshua 6:10 (3 t. in verse); Joshua 6:16,20; Judges 7:21; 1 Samuel 17:52; Isaiah 42:13; 2Chronicles 13:15 (twice in verse); הריע תְּרוּעָה Joshua 6:5,20; לקראת Judges 15:14; בַּמִּלְחָמָה 1 Samuel 17:20.

2 sound a signal for war or march: with חֲצֹצְרוֺת Numbers 10:7,9 (P); "" תקע שׁוֺפָר Hosea 5:8, compare Joel 2:1; with על against2Chronicles 13:12; so also probably Job 30:5 (against a thief).

3 shout in triumph over enemies: with עַל, Jeremiah 50:15; Psalm 41:12; absolute Zephaniah 3:14 ("" רנן).

4 shout in applause: absolute 1 Samuel 10:24; Zechariah 9:9, compare (of angels) Job 38:7.

5 shout with religious impulse: תְּרוּעָה ׳הר 1 Samuel 4:5; Ezra 3:11,13; so in public worship with music and sacrifice, with לְ, to God Psalm 47:2; Psalm 66:1; Psalm 81:2; Psalm 95:1; Psalm 95:2; Psalm 98:4; Psalm 100:1, לפני Psalm 98:6; in joy, תַּחְתִּיּוֺת אֶרֶץ Isaiah 44:23 ("" תָנּוּ שָׁמַיִם).

6 cry out in distress, Isaiah 15:4 (but Du Bu יָָֽרְעוּ tremble); לָמָּה תָרִיעִי רֵ֑עַ Micah 4:9 (of Zion under figure of woman, but perhaps read למה תָּרוֺעִי רֹעַ why art thou broken all to pieces? as Proverbs 11:15).

Po`lal. Imperfect3masculine singular impersonal לֹא יְרֹעָ֑ע Isaiah 16:10 a shout shall not be uttered (of joy in harvest; "" יְרֻנָּן).

Hithpo`lel Imperfect1singular אֶתְרוֺעָ֑ע Psalm 108:10; 3masculine plural יִתְרוֺעֲעוּ Psalm 65:14; Imperative feminine singular הִתְרוֺעָ֑עִי Psalm 60:10; —

1 shout in triumph: with על Psalm 60:10 (subject Philistia; iron.) "" Psalm 108:10 (subject ׳י).

2 shout for joy, Psalm 65:14 (meadows, valleys; "" שׁיר).

Overview

Strong’s Hebrew 7321 (רוּעַ) depicts a vigorous, often collective outburst of sound—whether jubilant, urgent, or mournful. By volume of occurrences it clusters around three great spheres of Old Testament life: warfare, worship, and prophetic proclamation. Its range stretches from the triumphant shout that toppled Jericho (Joshua 6) to the piercing alarm that warned of invasion (Jeremiah 4:5) to Wisdom’s public call for repentance (Proverbs 1:20). Every usage underscores the covenant people’s conviction that God’s purposes must be announced aloud and obeyed without delay.

War Cry and Military Context

1. Battlefield morale. Israel’s armies “raised the battle cry” as they charged (Judges 7:20; 1 Samuel 17:52). The roar signified confidence that “the LORD of hosts is with us” (Psalm 46:7).
2. Ark-related victory. When the Ark of the Covenant entered the camp, “all Israel raised such a great shout that the ground shook” (1 Samuel 4:5). The outward noise reflected faith—though misplaced on that occasion—in God’s enthroned presence.
3. Jericho’s collapse. Joshua 6:5, 10, 16, 20 ties רוּעַ to the blast of rams’ horns and the people’s “mighty shout,” making audible obedience the appointed means by which the LORD flattened the city walls.
4. Sounding the trumpet as alarm. Joel 2:1 merges shofar blast with רוּעַ: “Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on My holy mountain!” The same verb appears in Ezekiel 33:3-6, where the watchman’s failure to “sound the warning” makes him blood-guilty. Thus רוּעַ becomes a moral obligation in times of danger.

Shout of Worship and Festival Joy

1. Corporate praise. David “and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting and with the sound of trumpets” (2 Samuel 6:15). Psalms repeatedly summon God’s people to employ רוּעַ:
• Psalm 47:1 “Clap your hands, all you peoples; shout to God with a voice of triumph.”
• Psalm 98:4 “Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; burst into jubilant song.”
• Psalm 100:1 “Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth.”
2. Liturgical processions. In Psalm 118:15 “shouts of joy (רוּעַ) and victory resound in the tents of the righteous,” linking the verb to pilgrim gatherings at the Temple.
3. Feast of Trumpets. Although the noun תְּרוּעָה designates the Levitical festival (Leviticus 23:24), the verb behind it emphasizes that sacred time begins with a God-directed cry. Rosh HaShanah therefore depends on רוּעַ as audible covenant renewal.

Prophetic Alarm and Call to Repentance

1. Announcing judgment. Jeremiah 4:19-21 records the prophet’s anguish: “I hear the sound of the trumpet, the battle cry” as Babylon approaches. The verb intensifies the inevitability of national chastening.
2. Summoning Zion. Zephaniah 3:14 exhorts “Shout aloud, O Israel,” turning the same action from alarm to hope by promising restoration (Zephaniah 3:17).
3. Wisdom’s street-corner appeal. Proverbs 1:20; 8:3 personify wisdom “crying out” (רוּעַ) where daily commerce occurs, insisting that spiritual truth must be proclaimed in the public square, not hidden.
4. Messianic foretaste. Zechariah 9:9 commands, “Shout, O daughter Jerusalem; behold, your King is coming to you,” directly anticipating the triumphal entry. רוּעַ thus frames Israel’s reception of the Messiah.

Contrasting Noises of Desolation

The same verb that signals victory may describe devastation when covenant obligations are spurned. Lamentations 2:7 laments that hostile foes “raised a loud shout in the house of the LORD as on the day of an appointed feast.” Isaiah 15:4, Jeremiah 25:30, and Amos 1:14 echo this reversal: sinful nations will hear the alarming רוּעַ of divine retribution.

Civic and Royal Celebrations

1. Coronation acclaim. In 1 Kings 1:39-40 Solomon’s anointing ends with the people “shouting, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ and the earth rang with their cry.”
2. Foundational moments. Ezra 3:11-13 shows returnees laying the Second Temple’s foundation with רוּעַ so loud that “the sound was heard far away,” mingling weeping and joy yet trusting God’s faithfulness.

Theological and Ministry Implications

• Revelation and response. רוּעַ presupposes that God speaks and expects an audible, communal answer—whether of obedience, praise, or warning.
• Spiritual warfare. New Covenant ministry learns from Jericho and Joel that proclamation precedes victory; the Word voiced in faith remains a mighty weapon (compare 2 Corinthians 10:4).
• Evangelistic urgency. Wisdom’s streetside cry legitimizes preaching in marketplaces and public arenas.
• Worship practice. The Psalms validate exuberant praise, challenging modern assemblies to balance reverence with jubilant expression.
• Pastoral vigilance. Ezekiel’s watchman motif obliges leaders to “sound the alarm” against moral compromise lest bloodguilt accrue (Acts 20:26-27 alludes).

Christological and Eschatological Echoes

Although רוּעַ is Hebrew, the Septuagint often renders it by forms of κραυγάζω or ἀλαλάζω, verbs that surface in New Testament scenes of acclamation (Matthew 21:9) and warning (Revelation 18:2). Most striking is 1 Thessalonians 4:16: “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God.” The convergence of shout, voice, and trumpet mirrors Joshua 6 and Joel 2, assuring believers that the final victory will likewise arrive with a divine רוּעַ.

Key References (representative)

Exodus 32:18; Joshua 6:5, 20; Judges 7:20; 1 Samuel 4:5; 2 Samuel 6:15; 1 Kings 1:40; 2 Kings 11:12-13; 2 Chronicles 13:15; Ezra 3:11-13; Job 30:5; Psalm 47:1; Psalm 65:13; Psalm 98:4; Psalm 100:1; Proverbs 1:20; Proverbs 8:3; Isaiah 15:4; Jeremiah 4:19; Joel 2:1; Zephaniah 3:14; Zechariah 9:9.

See Also

Strong’s Hebrew 8643 (תְּרוּעָה) shout, alarm, joyful sound

Strong’s Greek 2752 (κράζω) to cry out, shout

אֶתְרוֹעָֽע׃ אתרועע׃ בְּהָרִ֙יעַ֙ בהריע הִתְרֹעָֽעִֽי׃ הֵרִ֣יעוּ הֵרִיעוּ֩ הָ֝רִ֗יעוּ הָרִ֔יעוּ הָרִ֖יעוּ הָרִ֙יעִי֙ הָרִ֙יעוּ֙ הָרִ֣יעוּ הָרִ֥יעוּ הָרִ֨יעוּ הריעו הריעי התרעעי׃ וְהֵרֵ֖עוּ וְהָרִ֙יעוּ֙ וַ֝יָּרִ֗יעוּ וַהֲרִיעֹתֶֽם׃ וַהֲרֵעֹתֶ֖ם וַיָּ֣רַע וַיָּרִ֖יעוּ וַיָּרִ֗עוּ וַיָּרִ֤יעוּ וַיָּרִ֥עוּ וַיָּרִ֧עוּ והריעו והריעתם׃ והרעו והרעתם ויריעו וירע וירעו יְרֹעָ֑ע יִ֝תְרוֹעֲע֗וּ יֵרֽוֹעַ׃ יָרִ֔יעוּ יָרִ֖יעַ יָרִ֙יעַ֙ יָרִ֥יעוּ ירוע׃ יריע יריעו ירעע יתרועעו לְהָרִ֣יעַ להריע מְרִיעִים֙ מריעים נָ֝רִ֗יעָה נָרִ֥יעַֽ נריע נריעה תָרִ֖יעִי תָרִ֙יעוּ֙ תָרִֽיעוּ׃ תריעו תריעו׃ תריעי ’eṯ·rō·w·‘ā‘ ’eṯrōw‘ā‘ bə·hā·rî·a‘ behaRia bəhārîa‘ etroA hā·rî·‘î hā·rî·‘ū hārî‘î hārî‘ū haRii haRiu hê·rî·‘ū hêrî‘ū heRiu hiṯ·rō·‘ā·‘î hiṯrō‘ā‘î hitroAI lə·hā·rî·a‘ lehaRia ləhārîa‘ mə·rî·‘îm mərî‘îm meriIm nā·rî·‘āh nā·rî·a‘ nārî‘āh naRia nārîa‘ naRiah ṯā·rî·‘î ṯā·rî·‘ū ṯārî‘î ṯārî‘ū taRii taRiu vahareoTem vaharioTem vaiYara vaiyaRiu vehaRiu veheReu wa·hă·rê·‘ō·ṯem wa·hă·rî·‘ō·ṯem wahărê‘ōṯem wahărî‘ōṯem way·yā·ra‘ way·yā·ri·‘ū way·yā·rî·‘ū wayyāra‘ wayyāri‘ū wayyārî‘ū wə·hā·rî·‘ū wə·hê·rê·‘ū wəhārî‘ū wəhêrê‘ū yā·rî·‘ū yā·rî·a‘ yārî‘ū yaRia yārîa‘ yaRiu yə·rō·‘ā‘ yê·rō·w·a‘ yərō‘ā‘ yeRoa yêrōwa‘ yiṯ·rō·w·‘ă·‘ū yitroaU yiṯrōw‘ă‘ūInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts