Lexical Summary chaziz: Flash, lightning, thunderbolt Original Word: חֲזִיז Strong's Exhaustive Concordance bright cloud, lightning From an unused root meaning to glare; a flash of lightning -- bright cloud, lightning. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition a thunderbolt, lightning flash NASB Translation storm clouds (1), thunderbolt* (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs [חֲזִיז] noun [masculine] thunder-bolt, lightning flash (Late Hebrew חֲזִיז; Aramaic חֲזִיזָא shining cloud) — only construct חֲזִיז and plural חֲזִיזִים; וְדֶרֶךְ לַחֲזִיז קֹלוֺת Job 28:26 and a way for thunder-bolts = Job 38:25; עשֶֹׁה חֲזִיזִים ׳י Zechariah 10:1 ("" מְטַרֿ גֶּשֶׁם). Topical Lexicon Definition and Conceptual Range חֲזִיז (chaziz) evokes the sudden, incandescent flash that accompanies a storm—lightning or the thunderbolt. Scripture employs the term to draw attention to God’s immediate, irresistible interventions in the natural order. The word’s brevity mirrors the phenomenon it names: a momentary blaze that both illuminates and warns. Occurrences in Scripture 1. Job 28:26 — “when He established a limit for the rain and a path for the thunderbolt”. In Job, chaziz appears in Yahweh’s speeches, underscoring Creation’s meticulous design. In Zechariah, it underlines the Lord’s readiness to bless with life-giving rain when His people seek Him. Divine Sovereignty and Order Chaziz marks God as the One who not only sends rain but guides each lightning stroke. Lightning, seemingly random to humanity, follows a “path” that He alone determines. These texts rebuke any notion of a chaotic universe; even the most unpredictable forces obey His decree (compare Psalm 29:3–7). Blessing and Judgment Lightning in Scripture can herald both mercy and wrath. In Zechariah 10:1, the flash precedes nourishing showers—benediction for obedient petitioners. Yet elsewhere lightning shatters cedars (Psalm 29:7) and symbolizes judgment (Exodus 19:16; Revelation 8:5). Chaziz therefore embodies a dual edge: the same power that exhilarates the faithful unnerves the impenitent. Liturgical and Prophetic Dimensions Prophets often employ storm imagery to awaken spiritual dullness. Zechariah directs the post-exilic community to pray for rain, linking renewed covenant faithfulness with agricultural prosperity. Chaziz thus becomes a call to prayerful dependence. Liturgically, readings that include these passages invite worshipers to confess God’s rule over climate and crop alike (see James 5:17-18). Creation Theology The speeches in Job locate lightning within a catalogue of wonders that transcend human mastery. Chaziz reminds believers that scientific observation, while valuable, cannot supplant reverence. The Creator who charts lightning’s course also “numbers the hairs” of His people (Matthew 10:30), blending cosmic authority with personal care. Ministry Applications • Prayer and Providence: Encourage congregations to intercede for physical needs, trusting that the God who directs chaziz also dispenses daily bread. Conclusion Chaziz is more than meteorology; it is a luminous testimony to God’s governance, a summons to supplication, and a symbol of both blessing and judgment. Lightning flashes briefly, but the truth it reveals—“The LORD reigns” (Psalm 97:1)—shines eternally. Forms and Transliterations חֲזִיזִ֑ים חזיזים לַחֲזִ֥יז לחזיז chaziZim ḥă·zî·zîm ḥăzîzîm la·ḥă·zîz lachaZiz laḥăzîzLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Job 28:26 HEB: חֹ֑ק וְ֝דֶ֗רֶךְ לַחֲזִ֥יז קֹלֽוֹת׃ KJV: and a way for the lightning of the thunder: INT: A limit course the lightning of the thunder Job 38:25 Zechariah 10:1 3 Occurrences |
    |