rua · shout, sound an alarm

What it means

rua (רוּעַ) is a Hebrew word of the Bible that means “shout, sound an alarm”.

Make a loud sound: shout for joy or in alarm, acclaim, sound the signal with the trumpet.

How to say it

Approximate pronunciation. Vowels sound as in Spanish (a as in father, e as in bed, i as in machine, o as in note, u as in rule); the syllable in bold is stressed. The voice is your device's.

Its senses in the Bible

1. To lift a loud cry, for joy or for war.

From Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906)

Word study

To give a loud cry: the shout of a people that acclaims, the war cry and the alarm sounded with the trumpet. From the same root is תְּרוּעָה, ‘acclamation, trumpet blast’.

• The acclamation before Jericho Joshua 6:5Joshua 6:20
• Acclaiming the king or the ark 1 Samuel 10:241 Samuel 4:5Ezra 3:11
• “Raise a shout to YHWH, all the earth” Psalms 100:1Psalms 47:1Isaiah 44:23
• Sounding an acclamation with the trumpets Numbers 10:9
• “Sound the alarm” Hosea 5:8Joel 2:1

Historical and cultural background

At Jericho the people kept silent six days and on the seventh, at the sound of the horns, “raised a great acclamation, and the wall fell in its place” (Joshua 6:20). When the foundations of the temple were laid, “all the people shouted with a great shout” (Ezra 3:11).

How we translate it

In the Law, Joshua and Chronicles, “raise the acclamation” or “sound an acclamation” (“the people raised the acclamation”, Joshua 6:20; Numbers 10:9), as with the noun תְּרוּעָה (“the acclamation of a king”, Numbers 23:21). In the Psalms and in Samuel, “shout” (12 times) or “Raise a shout” (8): “Raise a shout to YHWH, all the earth” (Psalm 100:1); “all the people shouted” (1 Samuel 10:24). When it is the war signal in the prophets, “sound the alarm” (Hosea 5:8; Joel 2:1).

How it is translated

The words this translation uses for it, most frequent first.

• shout ×12
• Raise a shout ×8
• shouted ×7
• Raise the acclamation ×4
• raised the acclamation ×3
• shouting ×3
• sound an acclamation ×3
• sound the alarm ×2
• raised ×1
• shall raise ×1

Related words

Words of the same family, by Strong’s numbering.

Where it appears

• Numbers×2
• Joshua×7
• Judges×2
• 1 Samuel×4
• 2 Chronicles×3
• Ezra×2
• Job×2
• Psalms×12
• Isaiah×4
• Jeremiah×1
• Hosea×1
• Joel×1
• Micah×1
• Zephaniah×1
• Zechariah×1

• Numbers 10:7

  But when assembling the assembly, you shall blow, but not sound an acclamation.

• Numbers 10:9

  And when you go to war in your land against the adversary who harasses you, you shall sound an acclamation with the trumpets, and you will be remembered before YHWH your Elohim, and you will be saved from your enemies.

• Joshua 6:5

  And it shall be, when they make a long blast with the horn of the ram, when you hear the sound of the horn, that all the people shall raise a great acclamation, and the wall of the city will fall in its place, and the people shall go up, each man straight ahead.”

• Joshua 6:10

  But Joshua had commanded the people, saying, “You shall not raise the acclamation or let your voice be heard, and no word shall go out of your mouth until the day I say to you, ‘Raise the acclamation!’ Then you shall raise the acclamation.”

• Joshua 6:16

  And it came about, at the seventh time, when the priests blew the horns, that Joshua said to the people, “Raise the acclamation! For YHWH has given you the city.

• Joshua 6:20

  So the people raised the acclamation, and they blew the horns. And it came about, when the people heard the sound of the horn, that the people raised a great acclamation, and the wall fell in its place; and the people went up into the city, each man straight ahead, and they took the city.

• Judges 7:21

  They stood, each in his place, all around the camp, and all the camp ran; and they shouted and fled.

• Judges 15:14

  He came as far as Lehi, and the Philistines shouted in triumph to meet him. And the spirit of YHWH came powerfully upon him, and the ropes that were on his arms became like flax that has burned in fire, and his bonds melted from off his hands.

• 1 Samuel 4:5

  And it happened, as the ark of the covenant of YHWH came into the camp, that all Israel shouted a great shout, and the earth was in an uproar.

• 1 Samuel 10:24

  And Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see the one whom YHWH has chosen, that there is no one like him among all the people?” And all the people shouted and said, “Long live the king!”

• 1 Samuel 17:20

  David rose early in the morning, left the flock with a keeper, loaded up and went, as Jesse had commanded him. He came to the encampment as the army that was going out to the battle line was shouting for war.

• 1 Samuel 17:52

  The men of Israel and of Judah rose and shouted and pursued the Philistines as far as the entrance of the valley and as far as the gates of Ekron. And the dead of the Philistines fell on the road of Shaaraim, as far as Gath and as far as Ekron.

• 2 Chronicles 13:12

  And look, with us at the head is Elohim, and his priests with the trumpets of acclamation, to sound an acclamation against you. Sons of Israel, do not fight against YHWH, Elohim of your fathers, for you will not succeed.”

• 2 Chronicles 13:15

  The men of Judah raised the acclamation; and it happened, when the men of Judah raised the acclamation, that Elohim struck Jeroboam and all Israel before Abijah and Judah.

• Ezra 3:11

  And they answered one another praising and giving thanks to YHWH: “For he is good, for his loyal love is forever over Israel.” And all the people shouted with a great shout, praising YHWH, because the house of YHWH had been founded.

• Ezra 3:13

  And the people did not distinguish the sound of the shout of joy from the sound of the weeping of the people, for the people were shouting with a great shout, and the sound was heard far away.

• Job 30:5

  From the midst they are driven out; they shout at them as at a thief.

• Job 38:7

  when the stars of the morning shouted for joy together, and all the sons of Elohim shouted in acclamation?

• Psalms 41:11

  By this I know that you delight in me: that my enemy does not shout over me.

• Psalms 47:1

  For the director. Of the sons of Korah. A psalm. All you peoples, clap your hands; shout to Elohim with the voice of shouts of joy.

• Psalms 60:8

  Moab is the pot I wash in; upon Edom I will throw my sandal; because of me, Philistia, shout aloud.”

• Psalms 65:13

  The meadows have put on flocks, and the valleys are covered with grain; they shout aloud, and also they sing.

• Psalms 66:1

  For the director. A song. A psalm. Shout aloud to Elohim, all the earth;

• Psalms 81:1

  For the director. On the Gitit. Of Asaph. Shout for joy to Elohim our strength; raise a shout to the Elohim of Jacob.

• Psalms 95:1

  Come, let us shout for joy to YHWH; let us raise a shout to the Rock of our salvation.

• Psalms 95:2

  Let us come to meet his face with thanksgiving; with songs let us raise a shout to him.

• Psalms 98:4

  Raise a shout to YHWH, all the earth; break forth and shout for joy and sing psalms.

• Psalms 98:6

  With trumpets and the voice of the horn raise a shout before the king, YHWH.

• Psalms 100:1

  A psalm for thanksgiving. Raise a shout to YHWH, all the earth.

• Psalms 108:9

  Moab is the pot I wash in; upon Edom I will throw my sandal; over Philistia I will shout aloud.”

• Isaiah 15:4

  And Heshbon cries out, and Elealeh; as far as Jahaz their voice is heard; therefore the armed men of Moab shout; his soul trembles within him.

• Isaiah 16:10

  And joy and gladness are gathered away from the orchard, and in the vineyards there is no singing, no shouting; the treader does not tread out wine in the presses; the shout I have made cease.

• Isaiah 42:13

  YHWH like a mighty man will go out; like a man of wars he will stir up zeal; he will shout, indeed, he will raise the war cry; against his enemies he will show himself mighty.

• Isaiah 44:23

  Shout for joy, heavens, for YHWH has done it; shout aloud, depths of the earth; break forth, mountains, into a shout of joy, forest and every tree in it; for YHWH has redeemed Jacob, and in Israel he glorifies himself.

• Jeremiah 50:15

  Raise a shout against her all around; she has given her hand; her bulwarks have fallen, her walls are torn down; for it is the vengeance of YHWH: take vengeance on her; as she has done, do to her.

• Hosea 5:8

  Blow the horn in Gibeah, the trumpet in Ramah; sound the alarm at Beth-aven: “After you, Benjamin.”

• Joel 2:1

  Blow the horn in Zion, and sound the alarm on my holy mountain; let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of YHWH is coming, for it is near;

• Micah 4:9

  Now why do you raise a shout? Is there no king in you? Or has your counselor perished, that pain has seized you like a woman giving birth?

• Zephaniah 3:14

  Shout for joy, daughter of Zion; shout aloud, Israel; rejoice and exult with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem.

• Zechariah 9:9

  Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion; shout, daughter of Jerusalem. Look, your king comes to you; righteous and saved is he, afflicted and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the son of donkeys.

And 4 more times.