Understanding "TERUAH"

 

The King James Version of the Bible (KJV) provides 14 words or phrases for the term "teruah". Many of the words for teruah in the KJV have nothing to do with the actual meaning of the word. In the past I understood that it principally meant a loud battle cry or a shout for joy.

H8643 ter-oo-aw' From H7321 (roo-ah); clamor, that is, acclamation of joy or a battle cry; especially clangor of trumpets, as an alarum: - alarm, blow (-ing) (of, the) (trumpets), joy, jubile, loud noise, rejoicing, shout (-ing), (high, joyful) sound (-ing). 36 occurrences

But another principle way the word is used is for a loud shout expressing exuberance.

2Sa 6:15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting H8643, and with the sound of the trumpet.

Notice that the shout and the trumpet produce separate sounds. This occurs 7 of the 36 times teruah is used in the KJV. They are separate sounds in other verses of the YLT. Shout, shouting and shouted was used in 19 of the 36 verses and give the meaning of the word. The other 11 ways that the word is used in the KJV are questionable. Young's Literal Translation of the Bible provides the use of "shouting" for those 11 ways. The following is a testimony for the value of Young's translation.

https://www.gotquestions.org/Youngs-Literal-Translation-YLT.html

Young’s Literal Translation is very fitly named. It very likely is the most strictly literal English translation ever developed. The literal renderings of the verb tenses are especially unique and can be quite valuable in studying God’s Word.

Joshua 6:5 is a very important verse through which hard to understand verses using "teruah" can be understood.

Jos 6:5  And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shoutH7321 (roo-ah) with a great shoutH8643; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him. 

The sound of the trumpet was a signal for the people to "teruah" (shout). This verse shows that teruah is a great shout, not just a shout.

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I would like to first look at the term "alarm" as used in the KJV. The following are the origins of the word and the way it is presently used.

ALARM:

means literally "to arms" or "to your weapons." The call was borrowed into other languages and came to be shortened to alarme in early French and Middle English.

a warning; an anxious awareness of danger

The word "alarm" was used for teruah 6 times in 5 verses. Young's gives reasonable translations for the verses that use "alarm" for teruah in the KJV.

KJV - Num 10:5 When ye blow an alarm, then the camps that lie on the east parts shall go forward.

YLT - Num 10:5  `And ye have blown--a shout, and the camps which are encamping eastward have journeyed.

 

Young's translation indicates the blowing of the trumpet is a signal to teruah or shout. This is reasonable. God gives the order for the camp to move, not to go to get their weapons or to be warned of danger. When, as many have thought, the camp numbered in excess of 1,000,000 people there would be a need, after the signal was given, to have the people "shout" that the camp was moving. In verse 6 "blow an alarm" was used twice in the KJV.

The term "alarm" was also used in Jeremiah 4:19, Jeremiah 49:2 and in Zephaniah 1:15. In Jer 4:19 and Jer 49:2 the sound of the trumpet and the battle cry (teruah) was heard. One wouldn't hear a "warning" or "call to arms" as likely as one would hear a battle cry.

KJV - Jer 4:19   My bowels, my bowels! I am pained at my very heart; my heart maketh a noise in me; I cannot hold my peace, because thou hast heard, O my soul, the sound of the trumpet, the alarmH8643 (battle cry) of war. 

KJV - Jer 49:2  Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will cause an alarmH8643 (battle cry) of war to be heard in Rabbah of the Ammonites; and it shall be a desolate heap, and her daughters shall be burned with fire: then shall Israel be heir unto them that were his heirs, saith the LORD. 

Zephaniah 1:15 speaks of great devastation as a result of the day of war spoken of in verse 16. That devastation did not occur simply by an anxious awareness of danger or call to arms.

KJV - Zep 1:15  That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness, 

KJV - Zep 1:16  A day of the trumpet and alarmH8643 (battle cry) against the fenced cities, and against the high towers.

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    In the following two verses teruah has been exchanged by the word "joy". The word joy has no relevance to the actual meaning of teruah except that teruah can mean "a shout for joy". It must have seemed good for the translators to use a short cut.

    Job 33:26  He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him: and he shall see his face with joyH8643: for he will render unto man his righteousness. 

    Psa 27:6   And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joyH8643; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD. 

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    The word "sounding" was used for teruah twice --- once for "sounding trumpets" and once for "high sounding cymbals. Once again, "trumpets" in 2Ch 13:12 is understood in Young's translation as a "signal" to shout. To "cry alarm" should be to shoutH7321.

    Strong's: H7321 roo-ah' A primitive root; to mar (especially by breaking); figuratively to split the ears (with sound), that is, shout (for alarm or joy):

    KJV - 2Ch 13:12   And, behold, God himself is with us for our captain, and his priests with soundingH8643 trumpets to cry alarmH7321 against you. O children of Israel, fight ye not against the LORD God of your fathers; for ye shall not prosper.

    YLT - 2Ch 13:12 `And lo, with us--at our head-- is God, and His priests and trumpets of shouting to shout against you; O sons of Israel, do not fight with Jehovah, God of your fathers, for ye do not prosper.'

    In Psalm 150:5 the word cymbal can have a very interesting definition. When thinking of "reduplication" ululation comes to mind. The words "high sounding" should be shouting and the word "cymbals"H6767 in Strong's is a reduplicating sound that could easily be "ululation". The practice is referred to as being ancient and many of us are familiar with it.

    Psa 150:5   Praise him upon the loud cymbals:H6767 praise him upon the high soundingH8643 cymbals.H6767 (shoutingH8643 with ululationH6767)

    Strong's Concordance: H6767 From H6750 reduplicated; a clatter, that is, (abstractly) whirring (of wings); (concretely) a cricket; also a harpoon (as rattling), a cymbal (as clanging):

    [My question is; why doesn't Strong include "ululation" for a meaning?]

    https://www.arabamerica.com/lolololololeeesh-zaghrouta-the-arab-way-to-express-happy-emotions/"Zaghrouta" (زغروتة) is best described in English as "Ululation". It is a form of a long, wavering, high-pitched vocal sound representing trills of joy.  It is produced by emitting a high pitched loud voice accompanied by a rapid back and forth movement of the tongue.

    Ululation is usually used by women in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and is commonly performed in weddings, parties, celebrations and sometimes in funerals to honor someone and to express strong emotions.

    From Wikipedia - Ululation

    In Ancient Egypt, reference to ululation appears on the inscription of the pyramid texts of Unas.

    (Unas built his pyramid about 1000 years before Israel left Egypt)

    In trying to keep this paper three pages or less I will now deal with, by far, two of the most consequential miss translation of teruahH8643. Today, these two verses are largely responsible for a Holy Day to be kept incorrectly by most who keep the Holy Days in the various Churches of God.

    Lev 23:24  Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpetsH8643, an holy convocation.

    Num 29:1  And in the seventh month, on the first day of the month, ye shall have an holy convocation; ye shall do no servile work: it is a day of blowing the trumpetsH8643 unto you.  

    These verses are correctly translated by Young's Literal Translation.

    Lev 23:24 `Speak unto the sons of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, on the first of the month, ye have a sabbath, a memorial of shouting, a holy convocation;

    Num 29:1 `And in the seventh month, in the first of the month, a holy convocation ye have, ye do no servile work; a day of shouting it is to you;

    I believe that it is clear that the meaning of Strong's "8643" (teruah) is loud shouting. Most in the church have taken the very old Jewish translation, blowing of trumpets, as credible. And somehow, in the past, the church has equated that term as referencing the resurrection of the saints in the New Testament. We have seen that teruah is emphasized in three ways. It's used as a battle cry, a shout of joy and expressing exuberance in the Old Testament. As we know, all of the Holy Days provide the basic way or plan that God has determined to bring eternal life to those who qualify. The New Testament is all about people qualifying to be "saved" and given eternal life. In other words, the New Testament reveals the fulfillment of each of the Holy Days that were outlined in the Old Testament. So then how is teruah fulfilled? We know that we don’t have a need for a "battle cry" for God tells us that "vengeance is mine". Steven set an example by asking God to forgive those who stoned him to death. Our church services follow the admonition of 1Cor 14:33 and 40. We are to be peaceful,

    without confusion and things done decently and in order. So our challenge is to find where in the New Testament are there voices greatly raised with exuberance and or joy that relates to a fulfillment in the plan of God. The vast majority of the New Testament is dedicated to the ways and means of providing a "first fruit" to become the wife of Jesus the Christ. This will be fulfilled when Revelation 19:6 and 7 occurs. This will also be the fulfillment of Lev 23:24 and Num 29:1.

    Rev 19:6  And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.

    Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.