The Hebrew mehumah means confusion, panic, tumult, discomfiture — the chaotic state of those struck by divine judgment or military rout. It is related to hum (to murmur, to make an uproar).
Mehumah is a weapon in God's arsenal. YHWH strikes enemies with mehumah — Deuteronomy 28:20 lists it among the curses for disobedience: 'the LORD will send on you curses, confusion, and frustration in everything you put your hand to.' The famous routing of the Philistines in 1 Samuel 14 happens when 'a panic (mehumah) sent by God spread through the army.' This divine disorientation is the opposite of the peace (shalom) God gives to those who trust him. Proverbs 15:16 captures the contrast: 'Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great wealth with turmoil.' The world's systems promise order but deliver mehumah; God's kingdom offers the opposite.