Word Study for G2799 (κλαίω) | Strong's Concordance

klaíō /klah'-yo/ Ask about this word

Rootof uncertain affinity

Meaningto sob, i.e. wail aloud (whereas 1145 is rather to cry silently)

KJV usagebewail, weep.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of klaíō — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Greek word klaíō, represented by G2799, is defined as to sob or wail aloud, in contrast to crying silently. It appears 41 times across 34 unique verses in the Bible. This term captures a deep and audible expression of emotion, ranging from intense grief to profound repentance, and is used to describe both human and divine responses to sorrow and loss.

The nuance of G2799 extends beyond mere audibility; it often implies an active, observable, and sometimes communal demonstration of deep emotion. Unlike a silent tear (G1144 dákry) or a general state of grief (G3996 penthéō), G2799 describes a profound, often uncontrollable, outward response to a specific event or realization. This active expression of sorrow was culturally significant in the ancient world, where public lamentation was a common and expected aspect of mourning and repentance, distinguishing it as a performative act of grief that engages not just the individual, but also those witnessing it.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, G2799 is used in several key contexts. It signifies mourning over death, as when the widows wept for Dorcas Acts 9:39 or when Jesus wept over the city of Jerusalem Luke 19:41. The word also portrays the deep sorrow of repentance, most notably when Peter went out and wept bitterly after denying Christ Matthew 26:75. Furthermore, it is used in prophetic warnings, where kings and merchants are said to bewail the fall of Babylon Revelation 18:9, and the rich are instructed to weep for the miseries that will come upon them James 5:1. Jesus also uses the term in commands, telling a grieving widow "Weep not" before raising her son Luke 7:13.

Beyond the contexts of death and repentance, G2799 is also employed to convey deep spiritual concern and longing. The Apostle Paul uses it to express his profound sorrow for those who walk as "enemies of the cross of Christ," telling the Philippians of his concern "even weeping" Philippians 3:18. This highlights G2799 as an indicator of apostolic burden and pastoral empathy for the lost. Similarly, the disciple John is depicted weeping "much" in Revelation, not out of personal grief, but because no one was found worthy to open the scroll, revealing an intense spiritual longing for God's redemptive plan to unfold Revelation 5:4. The term also captures the communal nature of shared sorrow among believers, as enjoined by the exhortation to "weep with them that weep" Romans 12:15, fostering solidarity in affliction.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words expand upon the concept of sorrow and its expression:

G2805 klauthmós (lamentation): This noun form is directly derived from G2799 and describes the act of wailing or weeping. It appears alongside it in the description of Rachel's grief Matthew 2:18.
G3996 penthéō (to grieve): Often paired with G2799, this word refers to the feeling or act of mourning. It is contrasted with laughter in a warning of future sorrow Luke 6:25.
G1070 geláō (to laugh): This word serves as the direct opposite of weeping. Scripture promises a reversal where those who weep now will later laugh Luke 6:21.
G1144 dákry (a tear): This term denotes the physical product of weeping. A woman washes Jesus's feet with her tears while weeping behind him Luke 7:38.
G2842 koinōnía (fellowship): While not directly descriptive of the act of weeping, this term highlights the communal aspect often associated with G2799. Believers are exhorted to participate in the sorrows of others, "weep with them that weep" Romans 12:15, demonstrating shared empathy and solidarity in grief.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of G2799 is significant, highlighting different facets of the spiritual life.

Sign of Repentance: The act of weeping is closely tied to sincere repentance. Peter's bitter weeping demonstrates profound remorse for his denial Luke 22:62, and believers are called to weep and mourn as a sign of turning from sin James 4:9.
Expression of Divine Compassion: Jesus's own weeping reveals His deep compassion and empathy for human suffering. He wept upon seeing the grief of others John 11:33 and in anticipation of Jerusalem's destruction Luke 19:41.
A Temporary State for the Faithful: Weeping is presented as a temporary condition for believers. Jesus promises that those who weep now will laugh in the future Luke 6:21, and that their sorrow will be turned into joy John 16:20.
Consequence of Judgment: For the unrepentant, weeping is a sign of judgment. It is the response of those who lose everything in the fall of "Babylon" Revelation 18:11 and the fate of those who reject God's ways Luke 6:25.
Expression of Apostolic Burden: The act of weeping is also a poignant indicator of the deep spiritual burden carried by apostles and believers for the lost or for the spiritual state of others. Paul speaks of telling others "even weeping" about those who are "enemies of the cross of Christ" Philippians 3:18, revealing his profound sorrow and concern for their spiritual condition. Similarly, the community of believers weeps at the prospect of losing Paul Acts 21:13, underscoring the emotional weight of ministry and fellowship.

Summary

The Greek term G2799 klaíō signifies a profound, audible expression of sorrow, distinguishing itself as an active, often outward demonstration of grief rather than a silent internal state. This powerful verb captures the full spectrum of human and divine emotional responses to significant events, ranging from deep personal loss to spiritual anguish and prophetic lament. It consistently conveys a deep-seated emotion that breaks forth into an observable action, often inviting communal participation.

Throughout the New Testament, G2799 manifests in diverse and impactful contexts. It marks the intense sorrow of mourning for the departed, as seen in the widows weeping for Dorcas Acts 9:39, and the profound remorse of repentance, epitomized by Peter's bitter weeping after denying Christ Matthew 26:75. Beyond individual grief, G2799 also underscores divine empathy, as Jesus Himself wept over Jerusalem's impending destruction Luke 19:41 and at the sight of Mary's grief John 11:33. Furthermore, it expresses the heavy burden of apostolic concern, exemplified by Paul's weeping for those who oppose the cross Philippians 3:18, and the earnest spiritual longing for divine revelation, as John wept in Revelation Revelation 5:4. The communal dimension of this sorrow is also vital, reflecting the call for believers to share in one another's burdens and "weep with them that weep" Romans 12:15, fostering G2842 (fellowship) in shared suffering.

Theologically, G2799 functions as a multifaceted motif. It serves as a clear sign of sincere repentance and a visible expression of divine compassion. For the faithful, this audible sorrow is presented as a temporary condition, a present reality that anticipates a future reversal where weeping will be transformed into joy Luke 6:21. Conversely, for the unrepentant, G2799 foretells the lament and judgment that awaits those who reject God's ways and face the consequences of their actions, as depicted in the fall of Babylon Revelation 18:9. Thus, G2799 is a rich and vital term, capturing the depth of emotion inherent in the human spiritual journey, from personal grief and shared lament to divine empathy and eschatological reckoning.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Greek New Testament, this word appears as a verb across 40 occurrences, inflected in 23 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it. These are this word’s own inflections, not words built from it — for those, see Related Words.

κλαίοντες
ἔκλαυσεν
κλαίετε
κλαίουσα
κλαύσατε·
κλαύσετε
ἔκλαιεν
κλαῖε
κλαίεις;
κλαίοντας
ἐκλαύσατε
κλαύσῃ
κλαύσουσιν
ἔκλαιον
ἔκλαιον
κλαίετε;
κλαίουσιν
κλαίειν
κλαίουσαν
κλαίουσιν
κλαιόντων
κλαίουσαι
κλαίων

Related Words

1 entry in Strong’s name this word as its origin. These are its derivatives — a different relationship from the inflected forms above, which are this same word bent by grammar.

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 34 verses across 10 of the 27 books. Most frequent in Luke (9 verses); never once in the other 17.

Matthew

Mark

Luke

John

Acts

Romans

1 Corinthians

Philippians

James

Revelation

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.