Lexical Summary tsavach: To cry out, to shout, to call Original Word: צָוַח Strong's Exhaustive Concordance shout A primitive root; to screech (exultingly) -- shout. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. root Definition to cry aloud NASB Translation shout for joy (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [צָוַח] verb cry aloud (Late Hebrew id.; so Assyrian ƒâ—u (?), Arabic ( ),  , Aramaic צְוַח,  ; Ethiopic  call); — Qal Imperfect3masculine plural יִצְוָ֑חוּ Isaiah 42:11 (in joy, "" יָרֹ֫נוּ). Topical Lexicon Overview and Semantic Range צָוַח depicts an urgent, piercing cry that summons attention. Unlike quieter words for speaking, it conveys public proclamation, jubilant exultation, or an alarm sounded in the open air. The tone may be celebratory, petitionary, or heraldic, but it is always vigorous and collective. Old Testament Occurrence Isaiah 42:11 supplies the single canonical instance: “Let the wilderness and its cities raise their voices, along with the villages where Kedar dwells. Let the inhabitants of Sela sing for joy; let them shout from the mountaintops”. The prophecy envisions global, exuberant praise erupting from desert tribes and rocky strongholds as the Servant of the Lord advances His righteous reign. Context in Isaiah 42 The larger passage (Isaiah 42:10-12) is a new song celebrating the Lord’s redemptive intervention. Following the Servant’s mission to bring justice to the nations (Isaiah 42:1-9), the command to “shout” enlists every geographic zone—sea, coastlands, desert, mountains—to broadcast God’s glory. צָוַח functions rhetorically as a catalytic verb: it calls marginal peoples into the liturgy of salvation history, prefiguring the ingathering of Gentiles (compare Isaiah 49:6). Theological Themes 1. Universal Praise: The cry is not confined to Israel; it invites Kedar (Arabian nomads) and Sela (Edomite stronghold) to join the chorus, foreshadowing the gospel’s world-wide reach (Acts 13:47). Historical and Cultural Background In arid regions, watchmen stationed atop cliffs relayed news with loud cries. Caravan routes crossing the Negev amplified such calls across great distances. Isaiah exploits this imagery: remote peoples, once isolated, now relay a celebratory shout about Yahweh’s acts. Archaeological findings from Tel-el Kheleifeh (ancient Ezion-geber) confirm the presence of mixed desert populations who would have resonated with Isaiah’s summons. Related Hebrew Expressions • רוּעַ (ruaʽ) – to shout, raise a battle cry (Psalm 47:1) צָוַח stands midway between these, emphasizing the audible, communal projection of praise more than martial triumph or inner joy. Applications in Worship and Ministry • Corporate Praise: Congregations may emulate the prophet’s directive by calling diverse voices to “shout” God’s glory, integrating multicultural expressions in song and testimony (Ephesians 2:14). Typological and Prophetic Significance The cry of Isaiah 42 echoes at the triumphal entry when crowds “began to rejoice and praise God in loud voices” (Luke 19:37). It reverberates in the heavenly vision where “a loud voice” announces, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ” (Revelation 11:15). Thus צָוַח traces a trajectory from prophetic promise to messianic fulfillment and ultimate consummation. Summary צָוַח encapsulates the jubilant, resonant announcement that God’s redemptive work has dawned. Though sparse in occurrences, its lone appearance in Isaiah 42 anchors a theology of expansive, vocal praise that transcends ethnic, geographic, and cultural barriers, urging every believer and community to amplify the majesty of the Servant-King until the whole earth resounds with His glory. Forms and Transliterations יִצְוָֽחוּ׃ יצוחו׃ yiṣ·wā·ḥū yiṣwāḥū yitzVachuLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Isaiah 42:11 HEB: מֵרֹ֥אשׁ הָרִ֖ים יִצְוָֽחוּ׃ NAS: sing aloud, Let them shout for joy from the tops KJV: sing, let them shout from the top INT: the tops of the mountains shout 1 Occurrence |
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