זָרַם
𐤆𐤓𐤌
zâram
H2229 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To pour out, to gush forth, especially of water or liquid flowing rapidly and forcefully. Used metaphorically to describe overwhelming force or destruction, as in being swept away by a torrent. The verb may connote both the act of pouring out and the result of something or someone being carried away violently, particularly by water or similar forces.
Semantic Range
to pour out forcibly, to gush forth, to stream abundantly, to sweep or carry away (as by floodwaters), to overflow violently, to be overwhelmed by a torrent
Root / Etymology
From the root זרם, meaning 'to pour forth, gush, stream.' The verb form is causative and intensive, often used for forceful, abundant outpouring. Cognates in related Semitic languages are limited, and the root occurs rarely in Biblical Hebrew, primarily in poetic or prophetic contexts.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The verb זָרַם appears infrequently in the Hebrew Bible, with primary occurrences in poetic or prophetic passages (e.g., Job 6:15; Isaiah 44:3; Micah 7:12). The imagery is typically one of overwhelming waters or destructive forces, aligning with prophetic motifs of divine judgment or natural disaster. English translations often render the term as 'pour out,' 'gush,' or 'sweep away,' but these sometimes fail to capture the violent or forceful nuance inherent in the Hebrew. The word conveys more intensity than ordinary verbs for 'pour' such as יצק (yatzak) or שפך (shafakh); זָרַם implies abundance and energy, sometimes with catastrophic effect. It is not the standard term for regular pouring, but carries a sense of being overpowered or swept along by forces beyond control. This nuance is reinforced by its use in contrast to calmer water-related verbs. There is no development in the term's religious or ethnic associations; its contextual focus is on the force and destructiveness of the flow rather than on ritual or theological meaning.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to gush (as water); carry away as with a flood, pour out.
Bantu Hebrew
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+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
זרם (z-r-m) — to pour, to gush, to stream
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2229-02 |
זֹ֤רְמוּ | zoremu | HVmp3cp |
poured out | they gushed forth | 1 |
H2229-01 |
זְ֭רַמְתָּ/ם | zerametam | HVqp2ms/Sp3mp |
you sweep them away | you have torrent-swept them | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2229-02 |
Psalms 77:18 | זֹ֤רְמוּ | zoremu | HVmp3cp |
poured out | they gushed forth |
H2229-01 |
Psalms 90:5 | זְ֭רַמְתָּ/ם | zerametam | HVqp2ms/Sp3mp |
you sweep them away | you have torrent-swept them |