Hebrew word · H2198

זָעֵף

veza'ef

vexed

The adjective appears only in 1 Kgs 20:43 and 21:4. The root covers two related things. (2) A gloomy, out-of-sorts look: the dejected faces of Pharaoh's officials (Gen 40:6) and the poor-looking faces of Dan 1:10.

Appears 2 times in 2 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

angry, raging, out of humour, vexed

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of 1 Kings 21:4

Range of meaning

The adjective appears only in 1 Kgs 20:43 and 21:4. The root covers two related things. (1) Raging, storming anger: the noun zaʿaf is the 'raging' of the sea (Jonah 1:15) and a king's wrath like a lion's roar (Prov 19:12), and the verb is used of Uzziah raging at the priests (2 Chr 26:19) and of a heart that 'rages against the LORD' (Prov 19:3). (2) A gloomy, out-of-sorts look: the dejected faces of Pharaoh's officials (Gen 40:6) and the poor-looking faces of Dan 1:10.

Against the English

BSB/WEB 'angry' and YLT 'wroth' catch the first sense. KJV 'displeased' is far too mild. Some modern versions say 'vexed', which comes closer to the mixture.

Used elsewhere in the period

Gen 40:6; Prov 19:3, 12; Jonah 1:15; 2 Chr 16:10; 26:19; Dan 1:10.

Where it appears

1 Kings · 2

  1. 1 Kings 20:43 וְזָעֵ֑ף and furious

    Sullen and angry, the king of Israel went home to Samaria.

  2. 1 Kings 21:4 וְזָעֵ֗ף and furious

    So Ahab went to his palace, sullen and angry because Naboth the Jezreelite had told him, “I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers.” He lay down on his bed, turned his face away, and refused to eat.

    Here: 'And fuming': from a root used of raging storms and an angry king, and also of faces that look gloomy and out of sorts. It is anger and dejection in one.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.