Original Word: שְׁאָגָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: shagah
Pronunciation: sheh-aw-GAW
Phonetic Spelling: (sheh-aw-gaw')
KJV: roaring
NASB: roaring, groaning, cries, roar
Word Origin: [from H7580 (שָׁאַג - roar)]

1. a rumbling or moan

roaring

From sha'ag; a rumbling or moan -- roaring.

see HEBREW sha'ag

Word Origin
from shaag
Definition
a roaring
NASB Translation
cries (1), groaning (2), roar (1), roaring (3).

שְׁאָגָה noun feminine roaring; —

1 like lion, absolute ׳שׁ Isaiah 5:29 (of invaders); of lion, construct שַׁאֲגַת Zechariah 11:3; Job 4:10 (figurative of wicked), suffix קוֺל שַׁאֲגָתוֺ Ezekiel 19:7 (figurative of conquering king).

2 human cry in distress, שַׁאֲגְתִי Psalm 32:3, ׳דִּבְרֵי שׁ Psalm 22:2, שַׁאֲגֹתָ֑י Job 3:24.

שֹׁאָה see שׁוֺאָה below שׁוא.

Semantic Range and Imagery

The word depicts a full-throated outcry—whether the fierce roar of a predator or the gut-wrenching groan of a human soul. Its soundscape carries threat, lament, warning, and even prophetic announcement. Scripture uses the term to paint scenes of both animal ferocity and human agony, inviting readers to feel the vibration of creation under sin’s curse and God’s judgments.

Occurrences and Literary Context

• Job 3:24 sets the tone of existential despair: “I sigh when food is put before me, and my groans pour out like water”. The cry is continuous, showing how suffering permeates the routine of life.
• Job 4:10 shifts to predatory imagery: “The lions may roar and growl, yet the teeth of young lions are broken”. Here the roar represents boastful strength brought low by divine justice.
• Psalm 22:1 captures the messianic lament echoed on the cross: “My God, my God, why have You forsaken me?... I groan by day, but You do not answer”. The roar is the vocalization of forsakenness that becomes the seed of ultimate deliverance.
• Psalm 32:3 links unconfessed sin with physical turmoil: “When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long”. The roar is internalized, illustrating the spiritual cost of hidden transgression.
• Isaiah 5:29 portrays invading armies: “Their roaring is like that of a lion; they roar like young lions; they growl and seize their prey”. The cry signals imminent judgment on complacent Judah.
• Ezekiel 19:7 laments a fallen dynasty: “He broke down their strongholds and devastated their towns. The land and all who were in it were appalled at the sound of his roaring”. The voice of a tyrannical ruler terrifies his own people, prefiguring exile.
• Zechariah 11:3 announces eschatological upheaval: “Listen to the wail of shepherds, for their splendor is destroyed; listen to the roar of young lions, for the thickets of the Jordan are destroyed”. What once provided security is silenced, preparing the way for the Shepherd-King who will restore true pasture.

Theological Significance

1. Voice of Suffering: The term communicates the raw honesty of biblical lament. Saints are permitted—even encouraged—to voice anguish before God.
2. Signal of Judgment: Prophets enlist the roar motif to warn of divine retribution, underscoring God’s holiness and the certainty of punishment for covenant breach.
3. Limitation of Human Power: Whether lions or rulers, every roaring force meets a higher sovereignty. Broken teeth (Job 4:10) and toppled thickets (Zechariah 11:3) remind readers that God alone roars with unassailable authority (compare Amos 1:2).
4. Invitation to Repentance: Psalm 32 contrasts the draining roar of guilt with the joy of confessed sin, pointing to the mediatorial forgiveness ultimately secured in Christ.

Christological and Prophetic Dimensions

Psalm 22:1 places the groan on the lips of Jesus Christ, transforming individual lament into redemptive fulfillment. The un-answered roar on Golgotha secures the believer’s access to God’s attentive ear. Moreover, the imagery anticipates the New Testament portrayal of Christ as both the “Lion of the tribe of Judah” (Revelation 5:5) and the Shepherd who silences predatory threats (John 10:11). While Satan mimics predation as a “roaring lion” (1 Peter 5:8), the resurrected Lion defeats him, providing pastoral protection for the flock.

Practical Ministry Applications

• Pastoral Care: Validating heartfelt groans encourages congregants to bring unvarnished pain to God, fostering authentic prayer.
• Preaching on Judgment and Hope: Prophetic roars supply vivid homiletic material to warn against complacency and highlight the refuge found in Christ.
• Spiritual Formation: Recognizing the draining effect of unconfessed sin (Psalm 32) leads to rhythms of confession, accountability, and restored joy.
• Spiritual Warfare: Awareness of counterfeit roars (1 Peter 5:8) equips believers to resist fear and stand firm in the victory of the true Lion.

Conclusion

This evocative term threads through Scripture as a sonic marker of suffering, warning, power, and redemption. Whether echoing from the depths of Job’s despair, the battlefield of Isaiah’s prophecy, or the cross-shattered cry of Psalm 22, it ultimately directs attention to the sovereign voice of God—inviting repentance, offering comfort, and heralding the triumphant roar of the risen Christ.

בְּ֝שַׁאֲגָתִ֗י בשאגתי שְׁאָגָ֥ה שַׁאֲגַ֣ת שַׁאֲגָתִֽי׃ שַׁאֲגָתֽוֹ׃ שַׁאֲגֹתָֽי׃ שאגה שאגת שאגתו׃ שאגתי׃ bə·ša·’ă·ḡā·ṯî bəša’ăḡāṯî beshaagaTi ša’ăḡaṯ ša’ăḡāṯî ša’ăḡāṯōw ša’ăḡōṯāy ša·’ă·ḡā·ṯî ša·’ă·ḡā·ṯōw ša·’ă·ḡaṯ ša·’ă·ḡō·ṯāy šə’āḡāh šə·’ā·ḡāh shaaGat shaagaTi shaagaTo shaagoTai sheaGahInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts