Hebrew word · H7481

רָעַם

tar'em

to thunder

In the simple form, to roar or rumble (Psalm 96:11 “let the sea roar”). In the causative form used here (hiphil), to make thunder, to thunder. The related noun ra‘am means thunder.

Appears 13 times in 13 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

1) to thunder

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to make the sound of thunder, thunder

1a2) to rage

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to thunder, cause thunder

1b2) to tremble, cause to tremble (by extension)

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 Psalm 18:13

Range of meaning

In the simple form, to roar or rumble (Psalm 96:11 “let the sea roar”). In the causative form used here (hiphil), to make thunder, to thunder. The related noun ra‘am means thunder.

Against the English

“Thundered” is accurate. What English can miss is the verb’s narrative force (“and then he thundered”) and the fact that God is the one who does it, not just a storm that happens.

Used elsewhere in the period

1 Samuel 2:10: “against them he thunders in heaven.” 1 Samuel 7:10: Yahweh “thundered with a great voice” against the Philistines and threw them into panic, a battle won by thunder. Job 37:4–5 and Psalm 29:3: “the God of glory thunders.”

From the study of Ezekiel 27:35

Range of meaning

Rāʿam usually means to thunder (of God, 1 Sam 2:10; Ps 18:13) or to roar (of the sea, Ps 96:11; 98:7). The causative form means 'to provoke, irritate' in 1 Sam 1:6. Here, with 'faces', it is generally taken to mean faces that are agitated, convulsed, troubled or darkened.

Against the English

KJV/YLT 'troubled in countenance', BSB 'faces are contorted', ESV 'convulsed', NIV 'distorted with fear'. All are reasonable guesses at a rare figurative use. None can show the 'thunder' root.

Used elsewhere in the period

This exact use with faces is unique to this verse, which is why some lexicons list a separate meaning ('be agitated'). The Septuagint appears to read 'their face wept', which may reflect a different reading or interpretive guesswork.

From the study of Psalm 29:3

Range of meaning

Basic stem: to roar, resound, tremble (of the sea: 'let the sea roar,' Ps 96:11; 98:7; 1 Chr 16:32). The Hiphil stem used here means 'to make thunder, to cause to thunder.' The related noun raʿam means 'thunder' (Ps 77:18; 81:7; 104:7).

Against the English

English 'thunders' is accurate. What it can hide is that the Hebrew form means making something happen: God produces the thunder, he is not simply 'loud'.

Used elsewhere in the period

1 Sam 2:10; 7:10 (Yahweh thundered against the Philistines); 2 Sam 22:14 // Ps 18:13; Job 37:4–5; 40:9 ('Can you thunder with a voice like his?'). In Ugaritic poetry the storm god is the one who thunders, and the verb is part of the standard picture of Baal.

Where it appears

1 Samuel · 3

  1. 1 Samuel 1:6 הַרְּעִמָ֑הּ to disconcert her

    Because the LORD had closed Hannah’s womb, her rival would provoke her viciously to taunt her.

  2. 1 Samuel 2:10 יַרְעֵ֔ם he will thunder

    Those who oppose the LORD will be shattered. He will thunder from heaven against them. The LORD will judge the ends of the earth and will give power to His king. He will exalt the horn of His anointed.”

    Here: The causative form: 'he makes it thunder.' This is battle language. In Israel's poetry God's thunder is his war cry against enemies (Ps 18:13; 1 Sam 7:10). The short verb form can be read as a statement ('he thunders') or a wish ('may he thunder').

  3. 1 Samuel 7:10 וַיַּרְעֵ֣ם and he thundered

    As the Philistines drew near to fight against Israel, Samuel was offering up the burnt offering. But that day the LORD thundered loudly against the Philistines and threw them into such confusion that they fled before Israel.

    Here: The causative form of 'thunder': 'he made it thunder' or 'he thundered.' The narrative turns here. This is the action that answers the prayer of verse 9.

2 Samuel · 1

  1. 2 Samuel 22:14 יַרְעֵ֥ם he thundered

    The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded.

1 Chronicles · 1

  1. 1 Chronicles 16:32 יִרְעַ֤ם let it thunder

    Let the sea resound, and all that fills it; let the fields exult, and all that is in them.

Job · 3

  1. Job 37:4 יַ֭רְעֵם he thunders

    Then there comes a roaring sound; He thunders with His majestic voice. He does not restrain the lightning when His voice resounds.

  2. Job 37:5 יַרְעֵ֤ם he thunders

    God thunders wondrously with His voice; He does great things we cannot comprehend.

    Here: The causative form of the verb: God makes the thunder sound. It picks up the same word from verse 4, so the thunder keeps rolling across two verses of the poem.

  3. Job 40:9 תַרְעֵֽם׃ will you thunder?

    Do you have an arm like God’s? Can you thunder with a voice like His?

    Here: A causative verb, "make it thunder," addressed to Job: "can you thunder?" Elihu has just used the same verb of God (37:4–5), and God is speaking to Job out of a storm as he says it.

Psalms · 4

  1. Psalm 18:13 וַיַּרְעֵ֬ם and he thundered

    The LORD thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded—hailstones and coals of fire.

    Here: “And he thundered.” The verb form tells a story in sequence: after the dark cloud of verses 11–12 comes the thunderclap. In this form (hiphil) the verb means to make thunder roar, so Yahweh is the one who does it.

  2. Psalm 29:3 הִרְעִ֑ים he thunders

    The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders; the LORD is heard over many waters.

    Here: 'He thunders' or 'he has thundered.' The verb form means he causes or makes the thunder. It is the only finite verb in the verse, and it says outright what 'voice' only hints at.

  3. Psalm 96:11 יִֽרְעַ֥ם let it thunder

    Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice; let the sea resound, and all that fills it.

    Here: "Let it thunder." The verb is used of thunder, the kind of noise that elsewhere is God's voice in the storm. Here the sea's crashing noise is called for as loud applause, not anger.

  4. Psalm 98:7 יִרְעַ֣ם let it thunder

    Let the sea resound, and all that fills it, the world, and all who dwell in it.

    Here: "Let it thunder." This is the verb used elsewhere for God's own thunder (Ps 18:13; 29:3). Here the sea is invited to make that deep, booming noise as its cheer for the King. One verb covers both halves of the verse: sea and world alike are told to roar.

Ezekiel · 1

  1. Ezekiel 27:35 רָעֲמ֖וּ they have been disconcerted

    All the people of the coastlands are appalled over you. Their kings shudder with fear; their faces are contorted.

    Here: The root normally means thunder or the roar of the sea. Here it is used of faces, which are convulsed and darkened like a storm. The sea imagery continues in the reaction to a city that has just sunk beneath the waves.

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