דָּאַב
to pine
Definition
The Hebrew verb דָּאַב (dâʼab) describes a state of deep emotional or physical languishing, often translated as 'to pine' or 'to mourn.' It conveys a sense of being worn out, sorrowful, or faint from distress. In Psalm 88:9, the psalmist uses it to describe his eyes growing dim or failing from grief. In Jeremiah 31:12 and 31:25, the prophet uses it to depict a reversal of sorrow, where God promises to refresh and satisfy the faint and weary soul, turning their pining into satisfaction.
Biblical Usage
This verb occurs only three times in the Old Testament, exclusively in poetic or prophetic literature. It is used to express profound personal distress in a lament (Psalm 88:9) and, more prominently, in prophetic promises of restoration. In Jeremiah 31, it appears twice within God's promise to transform the sorrow of His people into joy and fullness, specifically addressing those who are faint or languishing (Jeremiah 31:12, 25).
Etymology
Derived from a primitive root, דָּאַב is related to the idea of fading, languishing, or pining away. It shares a conceptual field with words for mourning and weariness. Cognates in other Semitic languages suggest a core meaning related to being faint or exhausted.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it captures the depth of human suffering and God's compassionate response. In the lament of Psalm 88, it honestly expresses the psalmist's despair before God. In Jeremiah, it becomes a key term in promises of the New Covenant, highlighting God's intent to personally address and satisfy the deepest spiritual and emotional weariness of His people (Jeremiah 31:25). Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading of these passages by emphasizing the contrast between human frailty and divine restoration.
In its ancient Near Eastern context, the experience of 'pining' or languishing was often associated with grief, sickness, or prolonged hardship. It described a tangible, draining condition affecting both body and spirit. The use in Jeremiah's prophecy would have resonated with an exiled people familiar with the exhaustion of displacement and loss, making God's promise to refresh the 'faint' soul a powerful image of holistic restoration.
אָבַל (ʼāḇal, H56) — broader term for mourning, often ritual or public. יָגָה (yāḡâ, H3013) — to grieve, suffer, often from affliction. כָּהָה (kāhâ, H3543) — to grow dim or faint, often used for eyes (as in Psalm 88:9).
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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