7738. shavah

Lexical Summary

shavah: To level, equalize, resemble, compare, make plain

Original Word: שָׁוָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: shavah
Pronunciation: sha-vah'
Phonetic Spelling: (shaw-vaw')
KJV: X substance (from the margin)
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to destroy

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

substance

A primitive root; to destroy -- X substance (from the margin).

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
see teshuah.

Topical Lexicon

Scope of the Term

Strong’s Hebrew 7738 שָׁוָה occurs once, in Job 30:22, where it conveys the idea of a violent “storm” or “tempest.” Though rare in vocabulary, the word captures a rich biblical motif: the storm as both a vivid picture of human turmoil and an emblem of divine sovereignty.

Key Passage

Job 30:22: “You lift me up on the wind and make me ride it; You toss me about in the storm.”

Here Job laments that God Himself has hurled him into a tumultuous tempest. The term depicts not merely meteorological disturbance but the overwhelming, disorienting circumstances permitted by the Almighty.

Biblical Context

1. Job’s Experience
• The lament of chapter 30 follows Job’s earlier confidence (Job 29). By verse 22, he feels thrown into chaos, underscoring the dramatic reversal of his fortunes.
• The storm image anticipates God’s later appearance “out of the whirlwind” (Job 38:1), hinting that the same power that unsettles also ultimately speaks and restores.

2. Storm Imagery Elsewhere
• Exodus 14:21; Psalm 107:25; Jonah 1:4 demonstrate that weather phenomena are at God’s command.
• In the Gospels Jesus rebukes wind and waves (Mark 4:39), reinforcing that the divine authority manifested to Job is identical to that revealed in Christ.

Theological Significance

• Sovereignty and Providence – The single use of שָׁוָה aligns with broader scriptural teaching: no tempest, literal or figurative, is outside God’s governance (Psalm 135:7).
• Human Frailty – Job’s cry reminds believers of creaturely dependence. The storm strips away self-reliance, driving the sufferer toward deeper trust.
• Redemptive Foreshadowing – The eventual divine speech from the whirlwind (Job 38–41) moves the narrative from complaint to revelation, echoing how the cross and resurrection transform suffering into glory (Luke 24:26).

Pastoral and Ministry Applications

• Comfort in Affliction – Preachers and counselors may turn to Job 30:22 to validate a believer’s sense of being “tossed” while pointing ahead to God’s answer and vindication.
• Worship and Awe – The storm motif encourages reverent worship, acknowledging God’s unsearchable judgments (Romans 11:33).
• Spiritual Formation – Personal reflection on Job’s storm can guide believers to surrender control, cultivating humility and endurance (James 5:11).

Historical and Literary Notes

• Hebrew Poetry – Job employs vivid nature imagery typical of wisdom literature, where physical phenomena mirror spiritual realities.
• Lexical Rarity – The solitude of שָׁוָה heightens its impact; the author chose an uncommon term to arrest attention, intensifying the emotional force of the lament.

Related Themes and Cross-References

• Whirlwind – Job 38:1; 2 Kings 2:1
• Tempest as Divine Judgment – Isaiah 29:6; Nahum 1:3
• Divine Mastery Over Chaos – Psalm 89:9; Revelation 4:6 (sea under God’s throne)
• Christ Calming the Sea – Mark 4:35-41; Matthew 14:24-33

Summary

Although שָׁוָה appears only once, its contribution is significant. It gives concrete expression to Job’s anguish, sets the stage for God’s redemptive response, and enriches the wider biblical portrayal of storms as instruments under the Lord’s command—serving both to humble and ultimately to heal His people.

Forms and Transliterations

תּוּשִׁיָּֽה׃ תושיה׃ tū·šî·yāh tushiYah tūšîyāh

Englishman's Concordance

Job 30:22
HEB: [תְּשֻׁוֶּה כ] (תּוּשִׁיָּֽה׃ ק)
INT: to ride dissolve substance

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 7738
1 Occurrence

tū·šî·yāh — 1 Occ.