כְּאֵב
suffering (physical or mental), adversity
Definition
The Hebrew noun כְּאֵב (kᵉʼêb) refers to a deep, distressing pain, encompassing both physical suffering and mental anguish. It describes the intense grief experienced by Job's friends as they sat with him in silence for seven days (Job 2:13), as well as the physical and emotional pain Job himself cries out against (Job 16:6). The word can also denote the adversity or sorrow that results from human sin or divine discipline, as seen in the grief of heartache mentioned in Isaiah 17:11 and the pangs of a distressed conscience in Isaiah 65:14.
Biblical Usage
כְּאֵב is used six times in the Old Testament, primarily in poetic and prophetic books (Job, Psalms, Isaiah, Jeremiah). It appears in contexts of profound personal suffering, whether from illness, loss, or spiritual distress. In Psalm 39:2, the psalmist describes holding his peace despite his 'pain,' while Jeremiah 15:18 uses the word to lament his persistent, wound-like suffering. The usage consistently conveys a sense of acute, often lingering, distress.
Etymology
The noun כְּאֵב derives from the root verb כָּאַב (kāʼaḇ, H3510), meaning 'to be in pain, to grieve.' This root connection emphasizes that the noun represents the state or experience produced by the action of the verb. Cognates in other Semitic languages also point to meanings associated with pain and sorrow, solidifying its core semantic field of deep affliction.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it gives voice to the raw reality of human suffering in dialogue with God. It appears in key texts where characters like Job, the Psalmist, and Jeremiah pour out their pain, modeling honest lament as part of a faithful relationship with God. Understanding כְּאֵb enriches reading by highlighting that biblical faith fully acknowledges physical and emotional agony, often within the context of seeking God's presence and justice in the midst of it.
In ancient Israelite culture, pain and grief were not merely private emotions but were often expressed communally and understood as part of the human condition under God's sovereign rule. The silent solidarity of Job's friends (Job 2:13) reflects a cultural practice of sharing in another's כְּאֵב. Pain was also seen as having potential spiritual causes, linked to sin or divine correction (as implied in prophetic uses), though not exclusively so, as Job's narrative powerfully argues.
מַכְאוֹב (mak'ôḇ, H4341) — Often used interchangeably for pain or sorrow, sometimes with a nuance of a painful wound or disease. נֶגַע (negaʿ, H5061) — Typically refers to a stroke, plague, or affliction, often as a direct blow or mark. יָגוֹן (yāḡôn, H3015) — Focuses more on mental grief, sorrow, or anguish.
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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