Original Word: שְׁרוּקָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: shruwqah
Pronunciation: she-roo-KAH or she-ree-KAH
Phonetic Spelling: (sher-oo-kaw')
KJV: bleating, hissing
NASB: hissing, piping
Word Origin: [feminine passive participle of H8319 (שָׁרַק - hiss)]

1. a whistling (in scorn)
2. by analogy, a piping

bleating, hissing

Or (by permutation) shriyqah {sher-ee- kaw'}; feminine passive participle of sharaq; a whistling (in scorn); by analogy, a piping -- bleating, hissing.

see HEBREW sharaq

Word Origin
from sharaq
Definition
hissing, whistling, piping
NASB Translation
hissing (1), piping (1).

[שְׁרִיקָה] noun [feminine] hissing, perhaps also whistling, piping; — plural absolute (intensive) שְׁרִיקֹת Jeremiah 18:16 Qr hissing, in derision, + שַׁמָּה (see שְׁרֵקָה), Kt שרוקת; construct שְׁרִקוֺת עֲדָרִים Judges 5:16 as signal hissings (or whistlings, pipings) for flocks.

שׁרר (√ of [שָׁרִיר], שְׁרִירוּת, and perhaps of other words following; Old Aramaic שר be firm sound, Aramaic שְׁרַר be firm, hard, be firm, consistent, substantial, truthful, strengthen confirm : Aramaic and Late Hebrew שָׁרִיר firm, hard; firmness, strength, constancy).

Meaning and Imagery

שְׁרוּקָה paints the picture of a sharp, carrying sound—either the shepherd’s piercing whistle that gathers sheep or the derisive hiss that accompanies scorn. Scripture employs the term both ways, capturing a spectrum from pastoral calm to covenant curse.

Contexts of Usage

1. Judges 5:16 – In the Song of Deborah, the tribe of Reuben remains by the sheepfolds “to hear the whistling for the flocks”. The verse contrasts Reuben’s absorption in routine shepherding sounds with the summons to join the fight for Israel’s deliverance. The whistle becomes an emblem of complacency when decisive action is required.

2. Jeremiah 18:16 – The prophet foresees Judah’s land turned into “a perpetual object of scorn”, literally a place of שְׁרוּקָה. Here the same sound is inverted: no longer the shepherd’s call but the hiss of nations mocking a people under judgment. The auditory image intensifies the horror of exile and desolation.

Historical Background

During the era of the Judges, tribal identity and agricultural life were inseparable; a shepherd’s whistle was an everyday tool. Deborah’s song (circa twelfth century BC) rebukes Reuben for valuing pastoral routine above covenant loyalty. Centuries later, Jeremiah prophesied (late seventh to early sixth century BC) as Babylon loomed. What had once been a peaceful rural sound now returns as an ominous hiss signaling international ridicule.

Theological Observations

• Divine Call versus Human Indecision: Reuben’s lingering among the folds illustrates how earthly preoccupations can dull responsiveness to God’s call (compare Hebrews 3:15).
• Judgment Reverses Blessing: The same sound that once marshaled flocks becomes a sign of doom, underscoring that covenant blessings are never unconditional (Leviticus 26:32).
• Covenant Witness to the Nations: Jeremiah 18 portrays Judah becoming an object lesson; foreign onlookers hiss in astonishment, fulfilling Deuteronomy 28:37, “You will become an object of horror, a proverb, and a byword among all the nations.”

Ministry Insights

1. Prompt Obedience: Pastors and teachers can press the warning of Judges 5:16—routine ministry duties must never eclipse urgent obedience when God calls the church to decisive engagement.
2. Shepherding Leadership: The positive use of שְׁרוּקָה commends clear, recognizable leadership. John 10:27 resonates here: “My sheep listen to My voice.” Christ’s voice, not mere religious activity, should guide the flock.
3. Holiness and Witness: Jeremiah’s usage reminds believers that persistent disobedience turns the testimony of God’s people into a spectacle of reproach, a New Testament parallel being Romans 2:24, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

Practical Application

• Evaluate whether personal or congregational schedules have become “sheepfolds” that muffle God’s broader calls to mission or justice.
• Cultivate spiritual discernment so the flock responds to the Shepherd’s whistle rather than the world’s clamor.
• Intercede for purity and repentance, lest the church’s witness degenerate into something the world derides rather than desires.

Summary

Shruqah illustrates how a single sound can either summon to faithful action or signal covenant disgrace. The biblical record invites every generation to heed the Shepherd quickly, lest delayed obedience devolve into a hiss of shame before a watching world.

שְׁרִק֣וֹת שְׁרִיקֹ֣ות שריקות שרקות šə·ri·qō·wṯ šə·rî·qō·wṯ šəriqōwṯ šərîqōwṯ sheriKotInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts