דִּמְעָה

weeping

Definition

דִּמְעָה (dimʻâh) refers to tears, specifically the physical drops of liquid produced by weeping. It most commonly denotes the tangible evidence of grief, sorrow, or distress, as seen when Hezekiah weeps at his impending death (2 Kings 20:5) or the psalmist describes tears as his food day and night (Psalm 42:3). The word can also represent tears of joy or relief in the context of God's deliverance, such as the joyful 'tears' of those who sow in Psalm 126:5. In some poetic passages, tears are personified or collected by God as a sign of His intimate care for the sufferer (Psalm 56:8).

Biblical Usage

This noun appears 22 times, predominantly in the poetic and prophetic books, especially the Psalms (e.g., Psalm 6:6, 39:12, 80:5, 116:8). It is used to express profound human emotion—often grief, repentance, or desperate prayer—directed toward God. The contexts are typically prayers of lament or songs of thanksgiving, highlighting the raw, physical reality of suffering and hope within a covenantal relationship with Yahweh. Its usage underscores the honesty of biblical prayer, where tears are not hidden but presented before God.

Etymology

Derived from the root ד־מ־ע (d-m-ʻ), which relates to weeping or dripping. דִּמְעָה is the feminine form of the less common דֶּמַע (demaʻ, H1831), meaning 'a tear.' The root conveys the idea of a liquid drop, connecting the physical act of crying to the emotional state that produces it. Cognates in other Semitic languages also relate to dripping or flowing liquid.

Semantic Range

Tears (דִּמְעָה) hold significant theological weight as they represent authentic human experience brought before God. They are a non-verbal language of prayer, expressing depths of sorrow, repentance, and sometimes joy that words cannot fully capture. God's response to tears—such as hearing Hezekiah's prayer (2 Kings 20:5) or storing tears in a bottle (Psalm 56:8)—reveals His compassion and personal involvement in human suffering. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches reading by emphasizing that biblical faith engages the whole person, including embodied emotion, and that God attends to the most vulnerable expressions of the heart.

In ancient Near Eastern culture, weeping was often a public and demonstrative act, not merely private. Tears could signify mourning, supplication before a superior (like a king or deity), or profound distress. The biblical portrayal aligns with this, showing tears as a legitimate and powerful form of communication with God, sometimes accompanied by fasting, sackcloth, or loud cries. The image of God collecting tears in a bottle (Psalm 56:8) may allude to a practice of keeping tear-flasks as memorials, underscoring that no suffering is forgotten by Him.

בְּכִי (bekhi, H1065) — weeping as the act or sound of crying, more general than the physical tears themselves. אֲנָחָה (anachah, H585) — sighing or groaning, often accompanying tears but focusing on the audible expression of grief.

Word Details

Scripture References