Lamentations 1:4 — Word Study
WLCדַּרְכֵ֨י צִיּ֜וֹן אֲבֵל֗וֹת מִבְּלִי֙ בָּאֵ֣י מוֹעֵ֔ד כָּל־ שְׁעָרֶ֙יהָ֙ שֽׁוֹמֵמִ֔ין כֹּהֲנֶ֖יהָ נֶאֱנָחִ֑ים בְּתוּלֹתֶ֥יהָ נּוּג֖וֹת וְהִ֥יא מַר־ לָֽהּ׃ ס
BSAThe roadsderek [ways, paths] to ZionTsîyôwn [the mountain, the city of God] mournʼâbêl [are in lament, grieving] because no onebᵉlîy comesbôwʼ [attends, travels] to her appointed feastsmôwʻêd [solemn assemblies, sacred festivals] Allkôl her gatesshaʻar [city entrances, doors] are desertedshâmêm [desolate, empty] her priestskôhên [spiritual leaders, ministers] groanʼânach [sigh, mourn] her maidensbᵉthûwlâh [virgins, young women] grieveyâgâh [are afflicted, suffer] ◂and she herselfhûwʼ is bitter with anguishmar [filled with sorrow, in anguish]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| דַּרְכֵ֨י | [the] roads of | Noun common, both plural construct |
| צִיּ֜וֹן | Zion | Noun proper |
| אֲבֵל֗וֹת | [are] mourning | Adj |
| מִבְּלִי֙ | because not | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct |
| בָּאֵ֣י | [those who] come | Verb, Qal, participle (active) masculine plural common |
| מוֹעֵ֔ד | an appointed feast | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| כָּל־ | all | Noun common, masculine singular construct |
| שְׁעָרֶ֙יהָ֙ | gates her | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| שֽׁוֹמֵמִ֔ין | [are] desolate | Verb, Qal, participle (active) masculine plural |
| כֹּהֲנֶ֖יהָ | priests her | Noun common masculine plural construct, suffix |
| נֶאֱנָחִ֑ים | [are] groaning | Verb, Niphal, participle (active) masculine plural |
| בְּתוּלֹתֶ֥יהָ | virgins her | Noun common feminine plural construct, suffix |
| נּוּג֖וֹת | [are] grieving | Verb, Niphal, participle (active) feminine plural |
| וְהִ֥יא | and she | Conjunction, pronoun |
| מַר־ | it is bitter | Verb, Qal, perfect third person masculine singular |
| לָֽהּ׃ ס | to her | Preposition, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | The roads to Zion mourn, because no one comes to her appointed feasts. All her gates are deserted; her priests groan, her maidens grieve, and she herself is bitter with anguish. |
| KJV | The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: all her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness. |
| ASV | The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn assembly; All her gates are desolate, her priests do sigh: Her virgins are afflicted, and she herself is in bitterness. |
| YLT | The ways of Zion are mourning, Without any coming at the appointed time, All her gates are desolate, her priests sigh, Her virgins are afflicted — and she hath bitterness. |
| WEB | The roads to Zion mourn, because no one comes to the solemn assembly. All her gates are desolate. Her priests sigh. Her virgins are afflicted, and she herself is in bitterness. |
| BBE | The ways of Zion are sad, because no one comes to the holy meeting; all her doorways are made waste, her priests are breathing out sorrow: her virgins are troubled, and it is bitter for her. |
The translations agree on the emotional tone and meaning of the verse, particularly concerning the mourning expressed.
The sentence is structured around a main clause with several descriptive and causal clauses that elaborate on the state of Zion.







8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectהִיא
verbבּוֹא
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Lamentations 1:4
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — The Lament for Ziongenerated
Lamentations 1:4 captures the profound grief of Jerusalem as it reflects on the absence of worshippers during its appointed feasts. The city, personified as a mourning woman, experiences desolation and abandonment, highlighting the emotional and spiritual devastation following exile. This lamentation serves as a poignant reminder of the consequences of sin and the longing for restoration, echoing themes found throughout the prophetic literature.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lamentations 2:6–7 | He has laid waste His tabernacle like a garden booth; He has destroyed His place of meeting. The LORD has made Zion forget her appointed feasts and Sabbaths. In His fierce anger He has despised both king and priest. |
| 2 | Lamentations 5:13 | Young men toil at millstones; boys stagger under loads of wood. |
| 3 | Isaiah 24:4–6 | The earth mourns and withers; the world languishes and fades; the exalted of the earth waste away. |
| 4 | Jeremiah 14:2 | “Judah mourns and her gates languish. Her people wail for the land, and a cry goes up from Jerusalem. |
| 5 | Micah 3:12 | Therefore, because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, and the temple mount a wooded ridge. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 13 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — אֲבֵל֗וֹת, 'a.ve.Lotgenerated
The word אָבֵל (abel) means mourning or lamenting, and it is particularly associated with grief for the dead or calamity. In this verse, it emphasizes the collective sorrow experienced by Zion and its inhabitants due to the absence of worshippers at sacred gatherings.
As an adjective, it conveys the state of being in lament, capturing the emotional weight of the situation. The use of this term underscores the depth of anguish felt by the city and its people, marking a significant moment of mourning in the text.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
This study reads the verse in the Berean Standard Bible, which uses mourn for אֲבֵל֗וֹת, aligning with the KJV and ASV.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb of the sentence is אֲבֵל֗וֹת, are mourning, which governs the overall sentiment of the verse. Several clauses follow, describing the desolation of Zion and the emotional state of its inhabitants.
The structure highlights the interconnectedness of the city's physical and emotional desolation, with each clause contributing to the overarching theme of grief and abandonment.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew term אֲבֵל֗וֹת is rendered with the Greek word for mourning, emphasizing the continuity of this theme across translations. The choice of words in the Septuagint reflects a similar understanding of grief and lamentation.
This alignment shows that the translators recognized the profound sorrow expressed in the original Hebrew and sought to convey that same emotional weight in Greek.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Lamentations 1:4 expresses the deep sorrow of Zion, which mourns because no one attends her feasts. The gates are empty, the priests are groaning, and the young women are grieving, all reflecting the anguish of the city.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The roads symbolize the pathways to worship and community, and their mourning indicates the absence of people who once traveled to celebrate the feasts.
The gates represent the entrances to the city, and their desolation signifies the lack of visitors and worshippers, highlighting the city's abandonment.
The priests, as spiritual leaders, express the collective grief of the community, mourning not only for themselves but for the spiritual state of the people.
This verse encapsulates the themes of grief, loss, and longing for restoration that permeate Lamentations, emphasizing the consequences of sin and the hope for future redemption.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I feel a sense of mourning or loss, similar to Zion?
- How can I better appreciate the significance of communal worship and its absence?
- What steps can I take to support those who are grieving in my community?
- How does understanding the historical context of Lamentations enhance my reading of this verse?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early church fathers reflect on the themes of mourning and grief found in this verse, using it to illustrate the state of the church and its need for restoration.
DELETH: a fourfold species of planks is introduced according to anagogy. Through the service of which the house of the Lord rises, joined together in a fourfold cupola, namely by the ways, gates, priests and virgins.Early Church Fathers on Lamentations 1 →
In the early days of the church, all was well. The present elaborate, far-fetched and artificial treatment of theology had not made its way into the schools of divinity,Early Church Fathers on Lamentations 1 →
“Call for the mourning women,” the prophet Jeremiah says. In no other way can the burning heart cool down, swelling as it is with its affliction,Early Church Fathers on Lamentations 1 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Lamentations 1:4 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThe ways of Zion do mourn,.... Being unoccupied, as in Jude 5:6; or unfrequented: this is said by a rhetorical figure; as ways may be said to rejoice, or look pleasant and cheerful, when there are
Read John Gill on Lamentations 1 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThe ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: all her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness.
Read Robert Jamieson on Lamentations 1 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThe ways that lead to the temple have as unlovely a complexion as mourners, being overgrown, by reason that none goeth up as usually to the feasts of the passover, of tabernacles, &c. Either all the gates of Jerusalem, or the temple, or all her cities, are very thin of people, the places that use to be so full. Her priests that were wont to be so fully employed at festivals receiving the people’ s oblations, and offering sacrifices, they mourn, having now nothing to do. The virgins who in those feasts were wont to play with timbrels, , they now mourn, and persons of all ages and ranks are in bitterness.
Read Matthew Poole on Lamentations 1 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsLamentations 1:4 The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: all her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she [is] in bitterness.Ver. 4. The ways of Zion do mourn.] So they seem to do because unfrequented, overgrown with grass, and out of their kindly order. Her priests sigh.] For want of employment. The virgins were afflicted.] Or, Discomfited. Those that are usually set upon the merry pin, and were wont to make mirth at those festivities, And she is in bitterness.] Zion is; but for nothing so much as for the decay of religion, and the loss of holy exercises. When this befalleth, all things else are mere Ichabods to good people, See…
Read John Trapp on Lamentations 1 →
Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(4) The ways of Zion do mourn.—The words paint what we may call the religious desolation of Jerusalem. The roads leading to it, the “gates” by which it was entered, were no longer thronged with pilgrims and worshippers. “Virgins” are joined with “priests” as taking part in the hymns and rejoicing processions of the great festivals (Exodus 15:20; Psalms 68:25; Judges 21:19-21; Jeremiah 31:13).
Read Charles John Ellicott on Lamentations 1 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 4. The ways of Zion do mourn] A fine prosopopoeia. The ways in which the people trod coming to the sacred solemnities, being now no longer frequented, are represented as shedding tears; and the gates themselves partake of the general distress. All poets of eminence among the Greeks and Romans have recourse to this image. So Moschus, in his Epitaph on Bion, ver. 1-3: - Αιλιναμοιστροναχειτεναπαι, καιΔωριονὑδωρ ΚαιποταμοικλαιοιτετονἱμεροενταΒιωνα. Νυνφυταμοιμυρεσθε, καιαλσεανυνγοαοισθε, κ. τ. λ. "Ye winds, with grief your waving summits bow, Ye Dorian fountains, murmur as ye flow; From weeping urns your copious sorrows shed, And bid the rivers mourn for Bion dead. Ye shady groves, in…
Read AdamClarke on Lamentations 1 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges4. The ways of Zion do mourn] The approaches to Jerusalem are meant. They are desolate, without the usual throng of those coming up to the feasts. For the thought of inanimate objects as sympathising with human affairs cp. “Call it not vain—they do not err, Who say, that, when the Poet dies, Mute Nature mourns her worshipper, And celebrates his obsequies.” Lay of the Last Minstrel, Canto V. All her gates are desolate] See on Jeremiah 14:2. her priests do sigh] in the absence of sacrifices, their livelihood has disappeared. Her virgins are afflicted] They are mentioned as taking part in religious ceremonies. See Exodus 15:20; Judges 21:21; Psalms 68:25; Jeremiah 31:13. It is clear from this…
Read Cambridge on Lamentations 1 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleZion, as the holy city, is the symbol of the religious life of the people, just as Judah in the previous verse represents their national life.
Read Albert Barnes on Lamentations 1 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
The roads to Zion mourn, because no one comes to her appointed feasts. All her gates are deserted; her priests groan, her maidens grieve, and she herself is bitter with anguish.
The roads to Zion mourn, because no one comes to the solemn assembly. All her gates are desolate. Her priests sigh. Her virgins are afflicted, and she herself is in bitterness.
The roads to Zion mourn, because no one comes to her appointed feasts. All her gates are deserted; her priests groan, her maidens grieve, and she herself is bitter with anguish.
The roads to Zion mourn because no one travels to the festivals. All her city gates are deserted; her priests groan. Her virgins grieve; she is in bitter anguish!
Tyndale line
The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: all her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness.
The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn assembly; All her gates are desolate, her priests do sigh: Her virgins are afflicted, and she herself is in bitterness.
The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn assembly; all her gates are desolate, her priests do sigh: her virgins are afflicted, and she herself is in bitterness.
The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn feasts: all her gates are desolate: her priests sigh, her virgins are afflicted, and she is in bitterness.
The wayes of Zion lament, because no man commeth to the solemne feastes: all her gates are desolate: her Priests sigh: her virgins are discomfited, and she is in heauinesse.
Strictly literal
The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn assembly: all her gates are desolate; her priests sigh, her virgins are in grief; and as for her, she is in bitterness.
The ways of Zion are mourning, Without any coming at the appointed time, All her gates are desolate, her priests sigh, Her virgins are afflicted — and she hath bitterness.
The ways of Zion are mourning, || Without any coming at the appointed time, || All her gates are desolate, her priests sigh, || Her virgins are afflicted—and she has bitterness.
The ways to Zion are in mourning, because none come to the solemn feasts; all her gates are desolate; her priests sigh; her virgins moan, and she suffereth herself from bitter grief.
The roads of Zion mourn because none come to the appointed feasts. All her gates are desolate. Her priests groan. Her virgins are sorrowful and she herself is in complete distress.
From the Latin
Daleth. The ways of Sion mourn, because there are none that come to the solemn feast: all her gates are broken down: her priests sigh: her virgins are in affliction, and she is oppressed with bitterness.
Simplified
Even the roads to Zion are in mourning because no one travels on them to go to the religious festivals. All her gates are empty. Her priests groan in sadness. Her girls are suffering. She herself is in bitter distress.
The ways of Zion are sad, because no one comes to the holy meeting; all her doorways are made waste, her priests are breathing out sorrow: her virgins are troubled, and it is bitter for her.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Dead Sea Scrolls show agreement in the wording of this verse, although the scrolls contain some restored text. The Septuagint, while partially matching, presents a different word order and structure.
דַּרְכֵ֨י צִיּ֜וֹן אֲבֵל֗וֹת מִבְּלִי֙ בָּאֵ֣י מוֹעֵ֔ד כָּל־ שְׁעָרֶ֙יהָ֙ שֽׁוֹמֵמִ֔ין כֹּהֲנֶ֖יהָ נֶאֱנָחִ֑ים בְּתוּלֹתֶ֥יהָ נּוּג֖וֹת וְהִ֥יא מַר־ לָֽהּ׃ ס
7 of the 16 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
[דרכי] [ציון] [אבלות] [מבלי] באי מועד [כול] [שערי׳ה] [שוממים] [כוהני׳ה] נאנחים [בתולותי׳ה] [נוגות] [והיאה] [מר] [ל׳ה]
nothing on the leather here — 3 partly restored, 13 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Lamentations 1:4
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
דֶּ֫רֶךְ (derek) means way, road, or journey, and can refer to both literal paths and figurative courses of life or actions. It encompasses various aspects such as direction, manner, and moral character, often highlighting the nature of one's conduct. The term is used in both positive and negative contexts, reflecting the moral implications of one's path.
דֶּ֫רֶךְ 715 n.m. way, road, distance, journey, manner
way, road, path
journey
of direction, almost or quite = toward
way, manner
fig. of course of life, or action, undertakings
of moral action and character
of duty
specif.: in good sense
oftener in bad sense
way of י׳
base
H1870 דֶּ֫רֶךְ way, road, distance, journey, manner . way, road, path
. journey
. of direction, almost or quite = toward
. way, manner
. fig. of course of life, or action, undertakings
. . of moral action and character
. of duty
. specif.: in good sense
. oftener in bad sense
. way of י׳
1870 derek deh'-rek
from 1869; a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of
life or mode of action, often adverb:--along, away, because
of, + by, conversation, custom, (east-)ward, journey, manner,
passenger, through, toward, (high-) (path-)way(-side),
whither(-soever).
see HEBREW for 01869
דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — way: conduct.
: conduct/lifestyle
1) way, road, distance, journey, manner
1a) road, way, path
1b) journey
1c) direction
1d) manner, habit, way
1e) of course of life (fig.)
1f) of moral character (fig.)
דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — Way.
This name means way, road
דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — (King's) Highway.
This name means way, road
Combined with me.lekh (מֶ֫לֶךְ "King's" H4428I)
דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — way: direction.
: direction
1) way, road, distance, journey, manner
1a) road, way, path
1b) journey
1c) direction
1d) manner, habit, way
1e) of course of life (fig.)
1f) of moral character (fig.)
דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — way: road.
: road/route
1) way, road, distance, journey, manner
1a) road, way, path
1b) journey
1c) direction
1d) manner, habit, way
1e) of course of life (fig.)
1f) of moral character (fig.)
דֶּ֫רֶךְ (de.rekh) — way: journey.
: journey
N-cp — Noun common · both plural constructHNcbpc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
צִיּוֹן (Tsiyyôn) refers to Zion, often identified as a mountain in Jerusalem and a symbolic name for the city itself, particularly in prophetic contexts. The term is linked to the Hebrew word for Jerusalem and is noted for meaning 'parched place.' It is consistently recognized across lexicons as a proper noun.
צִיּוֹן 154 n.pr.loc. Ṣiyyôn, Zion
base
H6726 צִיּוֹן Ṣiyyôn, Zion
6726 Tsiyown tsee-yone'
the same (regularly) as 6725; Tsijon (as a permanent
capital), a mountain of Jerusalem:--Zion.
see HEBREW for 06725
צִיּוֹן (tsiy.yon) — Zion.
Zion = "parched place"
another name for Jerusalem especially in the prophetic books
Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
N-proper — Noun properHNpl
zi'-on (tsiyon; Sion):
1. Meaning of the Word
2. The Zion of the Jebusites
3. Zion of the Prophets
4. Zion in Later Poetical Writings and Apocrypha
5. Omission of Name by Some Writers
6. The Name "Zion" in Christian Times
LITERATURE
1. Meaning of the Word:
A name applied to Jerusalem, or to certain parts of it, at least since the time of David. Nothing certain is known of the meaning. Gesenius and others have derived it from a Hebrew root tsahah, "to be dry"; Delitzsch from tsiwwah, "to set up" and Wetzstein from tsin, "to protect." Gesenius finds a more hopeful suggestion in the Arabic equivalent cihw, the Arabic cahwat signifying "ridge of a mountain" or "citadel," which at any rate suitably applies to what we know to have been the original Zion (compare Smith, HGHL, under the word).
Zion
Sunny; height, one of the eminences on which Jerusalem was built. It was surrounded on all sides, except the north, by deep valleys, that of the Tyropoeon (q.v.) separating it from Moriah (q.v.), which it surpasses in height by 105 feet. It was the south-eastern hill of Jerusalem.
When David took it from the Jebusites (Josh. 15:63; 2 Sam. 5:7) he built on it a citadel and a palace, and it became “the city of David” (1 Kings 8:1; 2 Kings 19:21, 31; 1 Chr. 11:5). In the later books of the Old Testament this name was sometimes used (Ps. 87:2; 149:2;
[JERUSALEM]
monument; raised up; sepulcher
אָבֵל (abel) refers to mourning, particularly in the context of grief for the dead or calamity. It can also denote a mourner as a noun. The word is derived from a root related to lamenting, and its usage encompasses both the act of mourning and the rites associated with it.
אָבֵל adj. mourning—elsewhere as subst. mourner
base
H57 אָבֵל mourning—elsewhere as subst. mourner
57 'abel aw-bale'
from 56; lamenting:--mourn(-er, -ing).
see HEBREW for 056
אָבֵל (a.vel) — mourning.
1) mourning
1a) for the dead
1b) because of calamity
1c) of rites of mourning
2) mourner (subst.)
2a) for the dead
2b) for calamity
Adj — AdjHAafpa
morn'-ing.
See BURIAL; GRIEF.
One marked feature of Oriental mourning is what may be called its studies publicity and the careful observance of the prescribed ceremonies. (Genesis 23:2; Job 1:20; 2:12) Among the particular forms observed the following may be mentioned: (a) Rending the clothes. (Genesis 37:29,34; 44:13) etc. (b) Dressing in sackcloth. (Genesis 37:34; 2 Samuel 3:31; 21:10) etc. (c) Ashes, dust or earth sprinkled on the person. (2 Samuel 13:19; 15:32) etc. (d) Black or sad-colored garments. (2 Samuel 14:2;
The Hebrews, at the death of their friends and relations, made striking demonstrations of grief and mourning. They wept, tore their clothes, smote their breasts, threw dust upon their heads, Jos 7:6, and lay upon the ground, went barefooted, pulled their hair and beards, or cut them, Ezr 9:3 Isa 15:2, and made incisions on their breasts, or tore them with their nails, Le 19:28 21:5 Jer 16:6 48:37. The time of mourning was commonly seven days, 1Sa 31:11-13; but it was lengthened or shortened according to circumstances,
בְּלִי (bli) refers to a state of wearing out or destruction, and serves as an adverb of negation meaning 'without' or 'not.' It is derived from the root meaning failure and can indicate absence or lack in various contexts.
בְּלִי subst. wearing out, hence
fig. destruction
defect, failure, hence adv. of negation
base
H1097 בְּלִי subst. wearing out, hence . fig. destruction
. defect, failure, hence adv. of negation
1097 bliy bel-ee'
from 1086; properly, failure, i.e. nothing or destruction;
usually (with preposition) without, not yet, because not, as
long as, etc.:--corruption, ig(norantly), for lack of, where
no...is, so that no, none, not, un(awares), without.
see HEBREW for 01086
בְּלִי (be.li) — without.
subst
1) wearing out
adv of negation
2) without, no, not
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular constructHR/Ncmsc
בּוֹא (bo) is a Hebrew verb meaning to come or go in, with a wide range of applications including entering, arriving, and bringing in. It can refer to both physical movement and abstract concepts like events coming to pass. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal (to come), Hiphil (to cause to come), and Hophal (to be brought). There is no significant disagreement among lexicons regarding its meanings.
בּוֹא 2569 vb. come in, come, go in, go
Qal
come in
come (approach, arrive)
go, i.e. walk, associate with
go from speaker, but with limit of motion given
Hiph.
cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)
cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)
Hoph.
be brought in (of pers. and things)
be brought
be introduced, put
base
H935 בּוֹא come in, come, go in, go .. come in
. come (approach, arrive)
. go, i.e. walk, associate with
. go from speaker, but with limit of motion given
. . cause to come in, bring in (conduct, lead, obj. persons and animals)
. cause to come, bring, bring near, etc. (animate obj.)
. . be brought in (of pers. and things)
. be brought
. be introduced, put
935 bow' bo
a primitive root; to go or come (in a wide variety of
applications):--abide, apply, attain, X be, befall, +
besiege, bring (forth, in, into, to pass), call, carry, X
certainly, (cause, let, thing for) to come (against, in, out,
upon, to pass), depart, X doubtless again, + eat, + employ,
(cause to) enter (in, into, -tering, -trance, -try), be
fallen, fetch, + follow, get, give, go (down, in, to war),
grant, + have, X indeed, (in-)vade, lead, lift (up), mention,
pull in, put, resort, run (down), send, set, X (well) stricken
(in age), X surely, take (in), way.
בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): come.
: come/go_in
1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to enter, come in
1a2) to come
1a2a) to come with
1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)
1a2c) to come to pass
1a3) to attain to
1a4) to be enumerated
1a5) to go
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to lead in
1b2) to carry in
1b3) to bring in, cause to come in, gather, cause to come, bring near, bring against, bring upon
1b4) to bring to pass
1c) (Hophal)
1c1) to be brought, brought in
1c2) to be introduced, be put
לְב֥וֹא (bo) — Lebo-(Hamath).
This name means to go in, enter
Combined with cha.mat (חֲמָת "Hamath" H2574)
בּוֹא (bo) — to come (in): towards.
: towards/entrance
1) to go in, enter, come, go, come in
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to enter, come in
1a2) to come
1a2a) to come with
1a2b) to come upon, fall or light upon, attack (enemy)
1a2c) to come to pass
1a3) to attain to
1a4) to be enumerated
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine plural commonHVqrmpc
kum: The translation of many Hebrew and Greek words. In the phrase "The Spirit of Yahweh came mightily upon him" (Jud 14:6,19; 15:14; 1Sa 10:10; 11:6; 16:13), the word is tsaleah; Jud 14:6; 15:14 "came mightily," which is the uniform translation of the Revised Version (British and American) (compare Jud 13:25 "to move," i.e. to disturb or stir up). In Jud 6:34; 1Ch 12:18; 2Ch 24:20, it is labhesh, "to clothe"; the Revised Version, margin "The Spirit .... clothed itself with Gideon" and .... "with Zechariah,"…
מוֹעֵד (mo'ed) refers to an appointed time, place, or meeting, often associated with festivals and sacred seasons. It can denote a specific appointment or assembly, and is linked to the concept of a tent of meeting. The word is derived from a root meaning to appoint, and encompasses a range of meanings related to scheduled gatherings and designated locations.
מוֹעֵד 223 n.m. appointed time, place, meeting
appointed time
appointed meeting
appointed place
appointed sign, signal
tent of meeting
base
H4150 מוֹעֵד appointed time, place, meeting . appointed time
. appointed meeting
. appointed place
. appointed sign, signal
. tent of meeting
4150 mow`ed mo-ade'
or moled {mo-ade'}; or (feminine) moweadah (2 Chronicles
8:13) {mo-aw-daw'}; from 3259; properly, an appointment, i.e.
a fixed time or season; specifically, a festival;
conventionally a year; by implication, an assembly (as
convened for a definite purpose); technically the
congregation; by extension, the place of meeting; also a
signal (as appointed beforehand):--appointed (sign, time),
(place of, solemn) assembly, congregation, (set, solemn)
feast, (appointed, due) season, solemn(-ity), synogogue, (set)
time (appointed).
see HEBREW for 03259
מוֹעֵד (mo.ed) — meeting: time appointed.
: time_appointed
1) appointed place, appointed time, meeting
1a) appointed time
1a1) appointed time (general)
1a2) sacred season, set feast, appointed season
1b) appointed meeting
1c) appointed place
1d) appointed sign or signal
1e) tent of meeting
מוֹעֵד (mo.ed) — meeting: festival.
: festival
1) appointed place, appointed time, meeting
1a) appointed time
1a1) appointed time (general)
1a2) sacred season, set feast, appointed season
1b) appointed meeting
1c) appointed place
1d) appointed sign or signal
1e) tent of meeting
מוֹעֵד (mo.ed) — meeting.
: meeting
1) appointed place, appointed time, meeting
1a) appointed time
1a1) appointed time (general)
1a2) sacred season, set feast, appointed season
1b) appointed meeting
1c) appointed place
1d) appointed sign or signal
1e) tent of meeting
מוֹעֵד (mo.ed) — meeting: signal appointed.
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
Feast
As a mark of hospitality (Gen. 19:3; 2 Sam. 3:20; 2 Kings 6:23); on occasions of domestic joy (Luke 15:23; Gen. 21:8); on birthdays (Gen. 40:20; Job 1:4; Matt. 14:6); and on the occasion of a marriage (Judg. 14:10; Gen. 29:22).
כֹּל (kol) means 'all' or 'the whole.' It can refer to totality, including every person or thing, and is often used with a following genitive to specify what is included. The term can also denote a broader sense of everything in existence or all circumstances of life. The lexicons do not show significant disagreement on its meanings.
כֹּל once כּוֹל n.m. the whole, all
with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
Absolutely:
without the art., all things, all
with the art. הַכֹּל
where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
base
H3605 כֹּל once כּוֹל the whole, all . with foll. gen. (as usually) the whole of, to be rendered, however, often in our idiom, to avoid stiffness, any or every
. Absolutely: . without the art., all things, all
. with the art. הַכֹּל . where the sense is limited by the context to things (or persons) just mentioned
. in a wider sense, all, whether of all mankind or of all living things, the universe, or of all the circumstances of life (chiefly late)
3605 kol kole
or (Jer. 33:8) kowl {kole}; from 3634; properly, the whole;
hence, all, any or every (in the singular only, but often in a
plural sense):--(in) all (manner, (ye)), altogether, any
(manner), enough, every (one, place, thing), howsoever, as
many as, (no-)thing, ought, whatsoever, (the) whole,
whoso(-ever).
see HEBREW for 03634
כֹּל (kol) — all.
1) all, the whole
1a) all, the whole of
1b) any, each, every, anything
1c) totality, everything
Aramaic equivalent: kol (כֹּל "all" H3606)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular constructHNcmsc
ol: Used in various combinations, and with different meanings.
(1) All along, "Weeping all along as he went" (Jer 41:6), i.e. throughout the whole way he went, feigning equal concern with the men from Shiloh, etc., for the destruction of the Temple, so as to put them off their guard.
(2) All in all, "That God may be all in all" (1Co 15:28, Greek: panta en pasin, "all things in all (persons and) things"). "The universe, with all it comprises, will wholly answer to God's will and reflect His mind" (Dummelow).
שַׁ֫עַר (sha'ar) means 'gate' and is derived from a root that signifies an opening. It encompasses various types of gates, including those of cities, palaces, and temples, as well as metaphorical uses like 'gate of heaven.' The entries consistently highlight its role as an entrance or threshold.
שַׁ֫עַר 373 n.m. gate
base
H8179 שַׁ֫עַר gate
8179 sha`ar shah'-ar
from 8176 in its original sense; an opening, i.e. door or
gate:--city, door, gate, port (X -er).
see HEBREW for 08176
שַׁ֫עַר (sha.ar) — gate.
: gate
1) gate
1a) gate (of entrance)
1b) gate (of space inside gate, i.e. marketplace, public meeting place)
1b1) city, town
1c) gate (of palace, royal castle, temple, court of tabernacle)
1d) heaven
שַׁ֫עַר (sha.ar) — gate: town.
: town
1) gate
1a) gate (of entrance)
1b) gate (of space inside gate, i.e. marketplace, public meeting place)
1b1) city, town
1c) gate (of palace, royal castle, temple, court of tabernacle)
1d) heaven
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp3fs
שָׁמֵם (shamem) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be desolated or appalled. It is built from a primitive root and encompasses a range of meanings including to stun, devastate, and cause horror. The verb appears in various forms, such as Qal, Niphal, and Hiphil, indicating different nuances like being made desolate or causing desolation.
[שָׁמֵם] vb. be desolated, appalled
Qal
be desolated
be appalled, awestruck
Niph.
be desolated
be appalled
Pō‛.
I sat appalled
transit. appalling, causing horror
Hiph.
devastate, ravage
appal
inwardly trans., shewing horror
Hoph. all the days of (its) being desolate
Hithpō‛.
be appalled, astounded
cause oneself desolation, ruin
base
H8074 [שָׁמֵם] be desolated, appalled
8074 shamem shaw-mame'
a primitive root; to stun (or intransitively, grow numb),
i.e. devastate or (figuratively) stupefy (both usually in a
passive sense):--make amazed, be astonied, (be an)
astonish(-ment), (be, bring into, unto, lay, lie, make)
desolate(-ion, places), be destitute, destroy (self), (lay,
lie, make) waste, wonder.
שָׁמֵם (sha.mem) — be desolate: destroyed.
: destroyed/deserted
1) to be desolate, be appalled, stun, stupefy
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be desolated, be deflowered, be deserted, be appalled
1a2) to be appalled, be awestruck
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be desolated, be made desolate
1b2) to be appalled
1c) (Polel)
1c1) to be stunned
1c2) appalling, causing horror (participle)
1c2a) horror-causer, appaller (subst)
1d) (Hiphil)
1d1) to devastate, ravage, make desolated
1d2) to appal, show horror
1e) (Hophal) to lay desolate, be desolated
1f) (Hithpolel)
1f1) to cause to be desolate
1f2) to be appalled, be astounded
1f3) to cause oneself desolation, cause oneself ruin
שָׁמֵם (sha.mem) — be desolate: appalled.
: appalled
1) to be desolate, be appalled, stun, stupefy
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be desolated, be deflowered, be deserted, be appalled
1a2) to be appalled, be awestruck
1b) (Niphal)
V-Qal — Verb · Qal · participle (active) masculine pluralHVqrmpa
des'-o-lat (very frequently in the Old Testament for shamem, and its derivatives; less frequently, charebh, and its derivatives, and other words. In the New Testament it stands for eremos (Mt 23:38; Ac 1:20; Ga 4:27) eremoo (Re 17:16), and monoo (1Ti 5:5)): From Latin de, intens., solus, alone. Several shades of meaning can be distinguished:
(1) Its primary sense is "left lonely," "forlorn," e. g. Ps 25:16, "Have mercy upon me; for I am desolate" (Hebrew yachidh, "alone"); 1Ti 5:5, "she that is a widow indeed, and…
כֹּהֵן (kohen) means 'priest' and is derived from the active participle of a related root. It encompasses various types of priests, including Levitical, Aaronic, and even pagan priests, as well as chief rulers or principal officers. The term is used in contexts referring to both Jewish and non-Jewish priestly roles.
כֹּהֵן 750 n.m. priest
base
H3548 כֹּהֵן priest
3548 kohen ko-hane'
active participle of 3547; literally, one officiating, a
priest; also (by courtesy) an acting priest (although a
layman):--chief ruler, X own, priest, prince, principal
officer.
see HEBREW for 03547
כֹּהֵן (ko.hen) — priest.
1) priest, principal officer or chief ruler
1a) priest-king (Melchizedek, Messiah)
1b) pagan priests
1c) priests of Jehovah
1d) Levitical priests
1e) Zadokite priests
1f) Aaronic priests
1g) the high priest
Aramaic equivalent: ka.hen (כָּהֵן "priest" H3549)
N-mp | Suff — Noun common masculine plural construct · suffixHNcmpc/Sp3fs
אָנַח (anach) is a Hebrew verb that primarily appears in the Niphal form, meaning to sigh or groan, often in contexts of pain or grief. It can also refer to the moaning of cattle. The entries consistently emphasize its emotional and physical connotations without significant disagreement.
[אָנַח] vb. only Niph. sigh, groan
sigh, in token of grief
in physical distress
groan of cattle
base
H584 אָנַח only Niph. sigh, groan
584 'anach aw-nakh'
a primitive root; to sigh:--groan, mourn, sigh.
אָנַח (a.nach) — to sigh.
1) (Niphal) sigh, groan (in pain or grief), gasp
1a) moan (of cattle)
V-Niphal-Inf-c — Verb · Niphal · participle (active) masculine pluralHVNrmpa
בְּתוּלָה (bthuwlah) means 'virgin' and is derived from a passive participle of an unused root that suggests separation. It can also refer to a bride and, in a figurative sense, to a city or state. The term appears in contexts related to purity and marital status.
בְּתוּלָה 60 n.f. virgin
base
H1330 בְּתוּלָה virgin
1330 bthuwlah beth-oo-law'
feminine passive participle of an unused root meaning to
separate; a virgin (from her privacy); sometimes (by
continuation) a bride; also (figuratively) a city or
state:--maid, virgin.
בְּתוּלָה (be.tu.lah) — virgin.
virgin
N-fp | Suff — Noun common feminine plural construct · suffixHNcfpc/Sp3fs
יָגָה (yagah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to suffer or grieve. It encompasses various forms, including causing grief (Hiphil), grieving (Niphal), and to grieve (Piel). The entries consistently emphasize the themes of affliction and sorrow, with no significant disagreement among the lexicons.
[יָגָה] vb. suffer
Niph. grieved
Pi. grieve
Hiph. cause grief or sorrow
base
H3013 יָגָה suffer . grieved
. grieve
. cause grief or sorrow
3013 yagah yaw-gaw'
a primitive root; to grieve:--afflict, cause grief, grieve,
sorrowful, vex.
יָגָה (ya.gah) — to suffer.
1) to afflict, grieve, suffer, cause grief
1a) (Niphal) grieved, grieving (participle)
1b) (Piel) to grieve
1c) (Hiphil) to cause grief, cause sorrow
V-Niphal-Inf-c — Verb · Niphal · participle (active) feminine pluralHVNrfpa
הוּא (hu) is a third-person singular pronoun meaning he, she, or it, used for emphasis or when no verb is present. It can also refer to oneself or serve as a demonstrative pronoun. The word has various nuances, including resuming the subject with emphasis or expressing it unobtrusively. It can indicate 'that' or 'those' when used with the definite article.
הוּא m. הִיא f., pron. of the 3rd ps. sing. he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it
an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)
It resumes the subj. with emph.
Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible
It anticipates (as it seems) the subject
As an emph. predicate, of God
In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)
With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.
base
H1931 הוּא, הִיא he, she, used also (in both genders) for the neuter it . an emph. he (she, it, they), sometimes equivalent to himself (herself, itself, themselves), or (esp. with the art.) that (those)
. It resumes the subj. with emph.
. Where, however, the pron. follows the pred., its position gives it the minimum of emphasis, and it expresses (or resumes) the subject as unobtrusively as possible
. It anticipates (as it seems) the subject
. As an emph. predicate, of God
. In a neuter sense, that, it (of an action, occurrence, matte, etc.)
. With the art.: so regularly when joined to a subst. defined itself by the art.
1931 huw' hoo
of which the feminine (beyond the Pentateuch) is hiyw {he}; a
primitive word, the third person pronoun singular, he (she or
it); only expressed when emphatic or without a verb; also
(intensively) self, or (especially with the article) the same;
sometimes (as demonstrative) this or that; occasionally
(instead of copula) as or are:--he, as for her, him(-self),
it, the same, she (herself), such, that (...it), these, they,
this, those, which (is), who.
הוּא (hu) — he/she/it.
pron 3p s
1) he, she, it
1a) himself (with emphasis)
1b) resuming subj with emphasis
1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate)
1d) (anticipating subj)
1e) (emphasising predicate)
1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron
2) that (with article)
Conj | Pron — Conjunction · pronounHC/Pp3fs
מָרַר (marar) is a Hebrew verb meaning to be bitter, with various forms indicating actions like making something bitter or showing bitterness. It can express both literal and figurative bitterness, and can also imply provoking or vexing. The entries suggest its usage in different grammatical forms, including Qal, Piel, Hiphil, and Hithpalpel, but do not provide specific verse references.
מָרַר vb. be bitter
Qal be bitter
Pi. make bitter, shew bitterness
Hiph. make bitter, shew bitterness
Hithpalp. and the king of the south shall embitter himself (be enraged)
base
H4843 מָרַר be bitter
4843 marar maw-rar'
a primitive root; properly, to trickle (see 4752); but used
only as a denominative from 4751; to be (causatively, make)
bitter (literally or figuratively):--(be, be in, deal, have,
make) bitter(-ly, - ness), be moved with choler, (be, have
sorely, it) grieved(-eth), provoke, vex.
see HEBREW for 04752
see HEBREW for 04751
מָרַר (ma.rar) — to provoke.
1) to be bitter
1a) (Qal) to be bitter
1b) (Piel)
1b1) to show bitterness
1b2) to make bitter
1c) (Hiphil) to make bitter, embitter
1d) (Hithpalpel)
1d1) to embitter oneself
1d2) to be enraged
2) (TWOT) to be strong, strengthen
HVqp3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singularHVqp3ms
Bitter
Bitterness is symbolical of affliction, misery, and servitude (Ex. 1:14; Ruth 1:20; Jer. 9:15). The Chaldeans are called the “bitter and hasty nation” (Hab. 1:6). The “gall of bitterness” expresses a state of great wickedness (Acts 8:23). A “root of bitterness” is a wicked person or a dangerous sin (Heb. 12:15).
The Passover was to be eaten with “bitter herbs” (Ex. 12:8; Num. 9:11). The kind of herbs so designated is not known. Probably they were…
הָ (ha) — her.
Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person feminine singular
HR/Sp3fs — Preposition · suffixHR/Sp3fs
