Lexical Summary sharab: Mirage, Heatwave Original Word: שָׁרָב Strong's Exhaustive Concordance heat, parched ground From an unused root meaning to glare; quivering glow (of the air), expec. The mirage -- heat, parched ground. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom an unused word Definition burning heat, parched ground NASB Translation scorched land (1), scorching heat (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs שָׁרָב noun masculine 1 burning heat; 2 parched ground; — only absolute: וָשָׁ֑מֶשׁ ׳וְלֹא יַ כֵּם שׁ Isaiah 49:10; of ground, ׳הַשּׁ Isaiah 35:7 ("" צִמָּאוֺן). Topical Lexicon Word Family and Conceptשָׁרָב describes the searing, shimmering heat of the Near-Eastern desert—heat so intense that it creates a mirage, an illusion of water that evaporates as the traveler approaches. Scripture employs the term only twice, yet in both cases it becomes a powerful symbol of human desolation apart from divine intervention and, conversely, of the Lord’s power to reverse that condition. Scriptural Usage 1. Isaiah 35:7 — “The parched ground shall become a pool and the thirsty land springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, in their lairs, there will be grass, reeds, and papyrus”. The phrase “parched ground” renders שָׁרָב. Within a larger oracle of restoration, the prophet describes the wilderness blossoming as the glory of the Lord returns to Zion. שָׁרָב stands for everything barren, deceptive, and life-threatening; God’s presence transforms it into life-giving abundance. 2. Isaiah 49:10 — “They will not hunger or thirst, nor will scorching heat or sun beat down on them; for He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water”. Here שָׁרָב is paired with “sun” to intensify the picture of relentless oppression. In context, it promises deliverance for scattered Israel and prefigures the Shepherd-Messiah’s protection for all who belong to Him. Prophetic Imagery The immediate setting for both passages is the return from exile, but the language leaps forward to the consummation of redemption. The undoing of שָׁרָב anticipates the “new heavens and new earth” where “the former things will not be remembered” (Isaiah 65:17). Revelation 7:16 echoes Isaiah 49:10 almost verbatim, underscoring that the deliverance envisioned by the prophets culminates in the Lamb’s eternal reign. Historical Background Travelers across the Syrian and Arabian deserts feared the deadly שילוב of blistering sun and shimmering mirage. The ancients knew how the heated air refracted light, tricking the eye with phantom pools. Isaiah draws on this lived experience to dramatize Israel’s spiritual predicament in exile: hope seemed near yet continually receded. Against that backdrop, the announcement that God will turn mirage into actual water would have resonated as both literal relief and covenantal restoration. Theological Themes • Reversal: The term moves from emblem of judgment (lifeless heat) to sign of salvation (refreshing water), illustrating the redemptive pattern in Scripture (Psalm 107:33-35). • Provision: God alone can satisfy deepest thirst (Jeremiah 2:13; John 4:14). The eradication of שָׁרָב heralds the fulfillment of this promise. • Pilgrimage: Life between Eden and the New Jerusalem is portrayed as a desert journey. שָׁרָב highlights the perils of that pilgrimage and the necessity of divine guidance. Ministry Significance • Preaching: Use שָׁרָב to contrast self-reliance with grace. Human solutions resemble mirages; Christ supplies living water. • Pastoral Care: For believers walking through seasons of spiritual drought, Isaiah’s vision offers assurance that the Lord not only removes the oppressive heat but replaces it with sustaining refreshment. • Missions: The global reach of Isaiah 49:10 encourages laborers that the same God who shepherded Israel will shepherd nations, overcoming every desert—literal or metaphorical. Summary Though rare in the biblical text, שָׁרָב carries rich theological weight. It portrays the worst the wilderness can offer and, by reversal, showcases the best God gives: refreshment, guidance, and consummate restoration in the Kingdom where no scorching heat will ever threaten His people again. Forms and Transliterations הַשָּׁרָב֙ השרב שָׁרָ֖ב שרב haš·šā·rāḇ hashshaRav haššārāḇ šā·rāḇ šārāḇ shaRavLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Isaiah 35:7 HEB: וְהָיָ֤ה הַשָּׁרָב֙ לַאֲגַ֔ם וְצִמָּא֖וֹן NAS: The scorched land will become a pool KJV: And the parched ground shall become a pool, INT: will become the scorched A pool and the thirsty Isaiah 49:10 2 Occurrences |
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