תִּגְרָה
strife, i.e. infliction
Definition
The Hebrew noun תִּגְרָה (tigrâh) refers to a blow or stroke, specifically one that inflicts harm or suffering. It denotes a physical affliction or a severe, painful impact, often understood as a divine chastisement or a consequence of human sin. In its sole biblical occurrence in Psalm 39:10, the psalmist pleads with God to remove this 'blow' from him, describing it as a punishment that has wasted him away. The word carries a sense of a targeted, disciplinary infliction rather than a random misfortune.
Biblical Usage
This word appears only once in the Old Testament, in Psalm 39:10. It is used in a prayerful lament context, where the psalmist (David) is enduring severe suffering. He directly addresses God, acknowledging that the affliction ('blow') comes from God's hand as a form of correction. The usage is deeply personal and theological, framing suffering within the context of a relationship with God and a plea for mercy.
Etymology
תִּגְרָה (tigrâh) is derived from the root גָּרָה (gārâ, H1624), which means 'to stir up, provoke, or cause strife.' This root often describes inciting conflict or quarrel. The noun form תִּגְרָה thus develops from the concept of 'provocation' to signify the resulting 'blow' or 'infliction'—the concrete outcome of stirred-up hostility or strife, particularly from a divine agent.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it portrays suffering not as meaningless but as a potential instrument of God's discipline. In Psalm 39:10, the psalmist's acknowledgment that the 'blow' is from God's hand reflects a biblical view of God's sovereignty even in hardship. It enriches the reading of lament psalms by showing how ancient believers could interpret personal affliction as a call to repentance and a catalyst for crying out to God for relief, connecting human suffering to divine purpose and mercy.
In the ancient Near Eastern cultural context, physical ailments and misfortunes were often interpreted as signs of divine displeasure or the consequence of broken covenant obligations. The plea to 'remove your blow' in Psalm 39:10 reflects a common understanding of a direct causal link between human behavior and divine retribution, where the sought-after remedy was divine forgiveness and intervention, not merely medical treatment.
נֶגַע (negaʿ, H5061) — a broader term for plague, stroke, or affliction, often used for divine judgments. מַכָּה (makkâh, H4347) — a general word for a blow, wound, or slaughter, more frequently used. יָגוֹן (yāgôn, H3015) — grief or sorrow, focusing on the internal emotional result rather than the external infliction.
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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