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Word Studies

teruah (תְּרוּעָה) -- H8643

Original: תְּרוּעָה Transliteration: teruah Pronunciation: ter-oo-AH Part of Speech: Feminine noun Root: From H7321 rua ("to split the ears with sound, to shout") Definition: Clamor, acclamation of joy, battle-cry; especially clangor of trumpets as an alarm.

Translations

KJV translates as: shout (6x), alarm (4x), shouting (7x), blowing [of trumpets] (2x), joy/rejoicing (3x), jubilee (1x), joyful sound (1x), loud noise (1x), high sounding (1x), sounding (1x) -- 36+ occurrences total.

Semantic Range -- Three Overlapping Categories

  1. War cry / alarm -- Num 10:5,6; Josh 6:5,20; Jer 4:19; 49:2; Ezek 21:27; Amos 1:14; 2:2; Zeph 1:16
  2. Acclamation of joy / worship shout -- 1 Sam 4:5; 2 Sam 6:15; 1 Chr 15:28; 2 Chr 15:14; Ezra 3:11,12,13; Job 8:21; 33:26; Psa 27:6; 33:3; 47:6; 89:16; 150:5
  3. Trumpet blast (liturgical) -- Lev 23:24; 25:9; Num 23:21; 29:1; 31:6

Key Verses (with context)

  • Lev 23:24 -- "zikron teruah" = "memorial of blowing/shouting" -- the defining phrase of the Feast of Trumpets
  • Num 29:1 -- "yom teruah" = "day of blowing/shouting" -- the parallel name
  • Num 10:5-6 -- teruah as "alarm" for the camps to march forward
  • Josh 6:5,20 -- teruah as the great "shout" that brings down Jericho's walls
  • Psa 89:16 -- "Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound (teruah)" -- the sound itself is a blessing to understand
  • Num 23:21 -- "the shout (teruah) of a king is among them" -- royal acclamation

LXX Bridge

The LXX translates teruah most frequently as salpinx (G4536, trumpet) -- 14 occurrences, highest PMI score (7.06). This creates the lexical bridge from OT Feast of Trumpets to NT eschatological trumpet (1 Thess 4:16; 1 Cor 15:52; Rev 8-11). Secondary LXX translations: krauge (outcry, 9x), phone (voice/sound, 13x).

zikron (זִכְרוֹן) -- H2146

Original: זִכְרוֹן Transliteration: zikron Pronunciation: zik-RONE Part of Speech: Masculine noun Root: From H2142 zakar ("to mark, to remember, to mention") Definition: A memento; a memorable thing, day, or writing; memorial, record.

Translations

KJV translates as: memorial (15x), remembrance (7x), records (1x) -- 24 occurrences total.

Key Verses

  • Exo 12:14 -- "this day shall be unto you for a memorial (zikron)" -- Passover as memorial
  • Exo 28:12 -- stones on the ephod "for a memorial (zikron) before the LORD" -- priestly garment
  • Exo 28:29 -- Aaron bears the names "for a memorial (zikron) before the LORD continually"
  • Exo 30:16 -- atonement money "for a memorial (zikron)"
  • Lev 23:24 -- "zikron teruah" = "memorial of blowing" -- the Feast of Trumpets
  • Num 5:15,18 -- the jealousy offering as "a memorial (zikron)" to bring iniquity to remembrance
  • Num 10:10 -- trumpets over offerings "for a memorial (zikron) before your God"
  • Num 31:54 -- war spoil "for a memorial (zikron)"
  • Josh 4:7 -- Jordan stones "for a memorial (zikron)"
  • Mal 3:16 -- "a book of remembrance (zikron)" written for those who feared the LORD

The zakar Root Family

  • H2142 zakar (verb) -- "to remember, to mention" (34x "remember")
  • H2146 zikron (noun) -- "memorial, record"
  • H2143 zeker (noun) -- "memento, recollection"
  • H234 azkarah (noun) -- "remembrance-offering, memorial portion"

Theological Significance

In Lev 23:24, the construct chain "zikron teruah" means "a memorial/reminder consisting of trumpet-blasting." The zikron concept is consistently used in contexts where something is brought before God for His attention -- the priestly garments bring Israel's names before God (Exo 28:12,29), the atonement money brings Israel's ransom before God (Exo 30:16), and the trumpet blowing brings God's people before His remembrance (Num 10:10). The Feast of Trumpets is thus a day when trumpet-blasting brings God's people to His attention -- "ye shall be remembered (nizkkartem, Niphal of zakar) before the LORD your God" (Num 10:9).

shophar (שׁוֹפָר) -- H7782

Original: שׁוֹפָר Transliteration: shophar Pronunciation: sho-FAR Part of Speech: Masculine noun Definition: A cornet (as giving a clear sound) or curved horn; from the original sense of incising.

Translations

KJV translates as: trumpet (67x), cornet (4x) -- 72 occurrences.

Key Categories of Usage

  1. Sinai theophany -- Exo 19:16,19; 20:18 (the divine trumpet at God's descent)
  2. War/battle -- Judg 3:27; 6:34; 7:8,16,20,22; 1 Sam 13:3; Jer 4:5
  3. Worship/coronation -- 2 Sam 6:15; 1 Ki 1:34,39; Psa 47:6; 81:4; 98:6; 150:3
  4. Prophetic warning -- Isa 58:1; Jer 4:5; Hos 5:8; 8:1; Joel 2:1,15; Amos 3:6; Zeph 1:16
  5. Eschatological/jubilee -- Lev 25:9 (jubilee on Day of Atonement); Isa 27:13 (great trumpet); Zech 9:14 (God blows the trumpet)

Distinction from Other Trumpet Words

  • shophar (H7782) = ram's horn, natural curved horn -- used in prophetic/eschatological contexts
  • chatsotsrah (H2689) = silver trumpet -- used in Num 10:2 for the priestly trumpets
  • yobel (H3104) = jubilee horn / ram's horn -- used at Jericho and for the jubilee year
  • qeren (H7161) = horn (generic) -- used in Dan 7-8 for animal horns

LXX Connection

shophar -> salpinx (G4536): 40 occurrences, PMI 7.67 (strongest mapping) shophar -> salpizo (G4537): 28 occurrences, PMI 7.83

rua (רוּעַ) -- H7321

Original: רוּעַ Transliteration: rua Pronunciation: roo-AH Part of Speech: Verb Definition: To mar (by breaking); figuratively, to split the ears with sound; to shout for alarm or joy.

Translations

KJV translates as: shout/shouted (14x), make a joyful noise (6x), blow an alarm/sound an alarm (3x), cry out/aloud (3x), triumph (3x), and others -- 46+ occurrences.

Key Verses

  • Num 10:7 -- "ye shall blow, but ye shall not sound an alarm (lo tari'u)" -- distinction between gathering call and alarm
  • Num 10:9 -- "then ye shall blow an alarm (vahaRE'otem)" -- the Hiphil of rua, causing the alarm-sound
  • Josh 6:5,10,16,20 -- the "shout" at Jericho (rua in various forms)
  • Psa 81:2 -- "Make a joyful noise (hari'u) unto the God of Jacob"
  • Psa 98:4,6 -- "Make a joyful noise (hari'u) unto the LORD"

Grammatical Note

In Num 10:9, the form is vahaRE'otem (Hiphil perfect 2mp with waw-consecutive) -- the Hiphil stem is causative: "and you shall CAUSE a shout/alarm." This is the human action that triggers the divine response chain.

yobel (יוֹבֵל) -- H3104

Original: יוֹבֵל Transliteration: yobel Pronunciation: yo-BALE Part of Speech: Masculine noun Definition: The blast of a horn (from its continuous sound); specifically the signal of the silver trumpets; hence the instrument itself and the festival thus introduced.

Translations

KJV translates as: jubilee (21x), ram's horn(s) (5x), trumpet (1x) -- 27 occurrences.

Two Distinct Referents

  1. The instrument -- "trumpets of rams' horns (yobel)" at Jericho (Josh 6:4,5,6,8,13) -- 5 occurrences in Joshua 6 alone
  2. The year/festival -- "the jubilee (yobel)" in Lev 25:10-54; 27:17-24; Num 36:4

Key Connection: Jubilee and Day of Atonement

Lev 25:9 -- "Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubile (yobel) to sound on the tenth [day] of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land."

The jubilee trumpet is explicitly blown ON the Day of Atonement (Tishri 10). This creates a three-level connection: - Feast of Trumpets (Tishri 1) -- announcement/warning - Day of Atonement (Tishri 10) -- judgment/cleansing - Jubilee trumpet (Tishri 10 of the 50th year) -- liberty/restoration

The Jericho pattern (Josh 6) uses the same word (yobel) for the rams' horns, connecting the conquest trumpet with the liberation trumpet.

taqa (תָּקַע) -- H8628

Original: תָּקַע Transliteration: taqa Pronunciation: taw-KAH Part of Speech: Verb Definition: To clatter, clang (an instrument); by analogy, to drive (a nail or tent-pin); by implication, to become bondsman by handclasping.

Translations

KJV translates as: blow/blew (35x), fasten/fastened (6x), pitch (3x), strike/smite (5x), clap (2x), thrust (3x), suretiship (2x) -- 69 occurrences.

  • Num 10:3-10 -- taqa used 8 times for blowing the silver trumpets
  • Josh 6:4,8,9,13,16,20 -- taqa used 8 times for blowing at Jericho
  • Psa 81:4 -- "Blow up (tiq'u) the trumpet in the new moon" -- the Feast of Trumpets command
  • Joel 2:1,15 -- "Blow (tiq'u) ye the trumpet in Zion"
  • Isa 27:13 -- "the great trumpet shall be blown (yittaqa)"

Grammatical Note

In Psa 81:4, the form is tiq'u (Qal imperative 2mp) -- a direct command to the congregation: "Blow!" In Joel 2:1, the same form is used.

salpinx (σάλπιγξ) -- G4536

Original: σάλπιγξ Transliteration: salpinx Pronunciation: SAL-pinx Part of Speech: Feminine noun Definition: A trumpet (perhaps from the idea of quavering or reverberation).

All 11 NT Occurrences

  1. Matt 24:31 -- "with a great sound of a trumpet (salpingos)" -- gathering of the elect
  2. 1 Cor 14:8 -- "if the trumpet (salpinx) give an uncertain sound" -- clarity of the call
  3. 1 Cor 15:52 -- "at the last trump (salpingi): for the trumpet (salpinx) shall sound" -- resurrection
  4. 1 Thess 4:16 -- "with the trump (salpingi) of God" -- the Lord's descent
  5. Heb 12:19 -- "the sound of a trumpet (salpingos)" -- Sinai theophany
  6. Rev 1:10 -- "a great voice, as of a trumpet (salpingos)" -- Christ's voice to John
  7. Rev 4:1 -- "the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet (salpingos)" -- heavenly summons
  8. Rev 8:2 -- "to them were given seven trumpets (salpinges)" -- the seven angels
  9. Rev 8:6 -- "the seven angels which had the seven trumpets (salpingas)" -- preparation to sound
  10. Rev 8:13 -- "the other voices of the trumpet (salpingos)" -- the three woes
  11. Rev 9:14 -- "the sixth angel which had the trumpet (salpinga)" -- the sixth trumpet

The LXX Bridge

salpinx is the primary Greek translation of BOTH: - H8643 teruah: 14x in LXX (PMI 7.06) - H7782 shophar: 40x in LXX (PMI 7.67)

This means when Paul writes "salpingi theou" (trumpet of God) in 1 Thess 4:16 and "te eschate salpingi" (the last trumpet) in 1 Cor 15:52, a Greek-speaking Jewish reader would hear the echo of both teruah (the Feast of Trumpets blast) and shophar (the prophetic/eschatological horn).

salpizo (σαλπίζω) -- G4537

Original: σαλπίζω Transliteration: salpizo Pronunciation: sal-PID-zo Part of Speech: Verb Definition: To trumpet, to sound a blast (literally or figuratively).

All 12 NT Occurrences

  1. Matt 6:2 -- "do not sound a trumpet (salpisēs) before thee" -- figurative, hypocrisy
  2. 1 Cor 15:52 -- "the trumpet shall sound (salpisei)" -- resurrection trumpet
  3. Rev 8:6 -- "prepared themselves to sound (salpisōsin)" -- seven angels preparing
  4. Rev 8:7 -- "The first angel sounded (esalpisein)" -- first trumpet
  5. Rev 8:8 -- "the second angel sounded (esalpisein)" -- second trumpet
  6. Rev 8:10 -- "the third angel sounded (esalpisein)" -- third trumpet
  7. Rev 8:12 -- "the fourth angel sounded (esalpisein)" -- fourth trumpet
  8. Rev 9:1 -- "the fifth angel sounded (esalpisein)" -- fifth trumpet
  9. Rev 9:13 -- "the sixth angel sounded (esalpisein)" -- sixth trumpet
  10. Rev 10:7 -- "when he shall begin to sound (salpizein)" -- seventh trumpet announced
  11. Rev 11:15 -- "the seventh angel sounded (esalpisein)" -- seventh trumpet

Pattern in Revelation

Seven occurrences of "esalpisein" (aorist active indicative 3rd singular) for the seven trumpets -- one for each angel. The verb is consistently in the aorist tense, indicating each sounding as a punctiliar, definitive event. The consistency of form across all seven emphasizes their unity as a single sequence.

Grammatical Note on Rev 10:7

In Rev 10:7, the form is "salpizein" (present active infinitive) with "mellē" (present subjunctive of mello = "to be about to"). The construction "hotan mellē salpizein" = "whenever he is about to trumpet" -- the present tenses suggest an ongoing/imminent process rather than a single blast.