Original Word: שַׂעַר
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: sa`ar
Pronunciation: sah-AR
Phonetic Spelling: (sah'-ar)
KJV: affrighted, X horribly, X sore, storm See H8181
Word Origin: [from H8175 (שָׂעַר - To storm)]

1. a tempest
2. also a terror

affrighted, horribly, sore, storm

From sa'ar; a tempest; also a terror -- affrighted, X horribly, X sore, storm. See se'ar.

see HEBREW sa'ar

see HEBREW se'ar

I. שַׂ֫עַר noun [masculine] horror (properly bristling); — ׳שׂ absolute, as accusative of congnate meaning with verb Ezekiel 27:35; Ezekiel 32:10 see foregoing; compare ׳אָֽחֲזוּ שׂ Job 18:20 ("" נָשַׁמּוּ עַל).

Linguistic Range and Imagery

שַׂעַר evokes the violence of a driving storm and the visceral dread that such a tempest provokes. Whether rendered “tempest,” “horror,” or “shuddering,” the word consistently communicates the sudden, overwhelming impact of divine intervention. It embodies both the physical force of nature and the internal reaction of those who witness God’s judgments.

Key Scriptural Occurrences

1. Job 18:20 – Bildad foresees a fate so catastrophic that “those in the west are appalled at his fate, and those in the east tremble in horror.” The wicked man’s downfall becomes a moral warning broadcast across the entire horizon.
2. Isaiah 28:2 – The Lord raises up an agent “like a hailstorm and a destructive tempest,” announcing judgment on Ephraim’s pride and drunkenness. שַׂעַר here underscores the irresistibility of the judgment: as a storm sweeps away a fragile crown of flowers, so God sweeps away self-reliance.
3. Ezekiel 27:35 – In the lament over Tyre, “their kings shudder with horror.” Maritime powers that once admired Tyre’s glory now recoil at her fall. The dread is contagious; the trading partners who enriched themselves through her commerce discover that worldly security can disappear overnight.
4. Ezekiel 32:10 – Addressing Pharaoh, the prophet declares, “their kings will shudder with horror because of you when I brandish My sword before them.” Egypt’s collapse becomes a sign-event by which many nations learn that political might cannot outlast the Lord’s decree.

Themes of Divine Judgment

• Universality – The word pulls distant onlookers into the scene. God’s acts are never isolated; they instruct the nations (Isaiah 26:9).
• Suddenness – Like a squall on the Mediterranean, retribution arrives abruptly, silencing human boasting (Proverbs 16:18).
• Moral Clarity – שַׂעַר does not denote random panic but a holy fear that recognizes justice. It is the proper response when God exposes arrogance, exploitation, and covenant unfaithfulness.

Historical Backdrop

Isaiah spoke when Samaria’s northern kingdom faced rising Assyrian power; Ezekiel prophesied during Judah’s exile, addressing neighbors whose fortunes rose and fell with empires. Tyre’s commercial empire and Egypt’s ancient prestige seemed untouchable, yet both fell under divine indictment. Shuddering kings illustrate ancient Near-Eastern politics: alliances, navies, and chariots fail when the “storm” of the Lord breaks forth.

Pastoral and Ministry Applications

• Awakening Conscience – Proclaiming passages that contain שַׂעַר pierces complacency. Congregations gain a vivid picture of Hebrews 10:31: “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
• Evangelism – The prophetic use of horror prepares hearts for the refuge offered in Jesus Christ (Romans 5:9). Storm imagery becomes a bridge to the gospel: only the One who calmed the Sea of Galilee can calm the ultimate tempest (Mark 4:39).
• Counseling the Oppressed – Victims of injustice may draw comfort from knowing that God’s judgment is neither abstract nor delayed forever; He will one day strike oppressors with a storm no wall can resist.

Biblical-Theological Trajectory

The Old Testament tempest anticipates final eschatological shaking. Revelation 6:15-17 echoes Ezekiel: kings and captains “hide in the caves” when the wrath of the Lamb erupts. Yet the same eschaton promises shelter: “For you have been a refuge from the storm” (Isaiah 25:4). In Christ, the believer is transferred from horror to hope. The very word that once signified fearful dread is transformed, for “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).

Summary

שַׂעַר concentrates the Bible’s twin realities of judgment and awe. It warns every generation that God’s holiness is not to be trifled with, yet it also magnifies grace by contrast: the One who sends the storm also offers Himself as the sure anchor for all who repent and believe.

שַׂ֔עַר שַׂ֣עַר שָֽׂעַר׃ שער שער׃ śa‘ar śā‘ar śa·‘ar śā·‘ar SaarInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts