Bible Dictionaries
Hiss

Holman Bible Dictionary

A sound made by forcing breath between the tongue and teeth in mockery or to ward off demons. In the Old Testament an army or nation hissed at their enemy's city or land that suffered defeat or disaster (Jeremiah 19:8 ). Most often the reference is to astonishment at the fate of Israel, Jerusalem, or the Temple lying in ruins (1 Kings 9:8; Jeremiah 18:16 , Jeremiah 19:8; Lamentations 2:15-16 ).

Other nations and cities were also the objects of hissing: Edom (Jeremiah 49:17 ); Babylon (Jeremiah 50:13 ); Tyre (Ezekiel 27:36 ); and Nineveh (Zephaniah 2:15 ). Hissing was sometimes accompanied by wagging the head, clapping hands, gnashing teeth (Lamentations 2:15-16 ), and shaking the fist (Zephaniah 2:15 ).