tsa.rah denotes acute hardship or adversity that comes upon people, nations, or individuals and prompts a cry for rescue.

The term denotes acute adversity that affects individuals or communities: it can be a “day” or “time” marked by danger, an affliction that comes upon someone, or a plight from which rescue is sought. The same broad use covers national crisis in 2 Chronicles 20:9, personal peril in Psalm 116:3, and multiplied hardships in Psalm 25:17.

1. Acute adversity, peril, or an afflicted plight · dominant

   The singular absolute form occurs for a “day” or “time” of hardship in Isaiah 33:2 and Jeremiah 30:7, while 2 Chronicles 20:9 places the singular construct form in a cry for help amid calamity. Plural forms present multiple such hardships in Deuteronomy 31:17 and Psalm 25:17; in Genesis 42:21, the construct form is used of a brother’s afflicted soul and of the hardship that has come upon the speakers.

   2 Chronicles 20:9Isaiah 33:2Jeremiah 30:7Deuteronomy 31:17Psalm 25:17Genesis 42:21

In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB commonly presents the term with “distress,” while other verses use “troubles,” “trouble,” or “adversity.” These renderings indicate the verse-level presentation rather than fixed English equivalents.