### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew noun H3015 (yâgôwn) derives from the verbal root H3014 (yâgâh), meaning "to be grieved" or "to be sorrowful." At its core, yâgôwn signifies a profound and often oppressive emotional state of deep distress. Its semantic range encompasses 'grief,' 'sorrow,' 'affliction,' 'sadness,' and 'woe.' Unlike a fleeting feeling, yâgôwn often denotes a weighty, persistent, and consuming sorrow, frequently associated with loss, suffering, or the dire consequences of human actions and sin. It describes an inner anguish that can manifest outwardly.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The term H3015 appears approximately 16 times in the Old Testament, primarily in poetic and wisdom literature, as well as prophetic books. Its usage consistently highlights a deep emotional pain:
* **Personal Anguish:** In [[Genesis 42:38]], Jacob expresses his fear that bringing Benjamin to Egypt would "bring down my gray hairs with sorrow (yâgôwn) to Sheol," illustrating the profound grief associated with potential loss and death. Similarly, [[Psalm 13:2]] laments, "How long shall I have sorrow (yâgôwn) in my heart all the day?" articulating a pervasive inner struggle. [[Psalm 31:10]] links yâgôwn with physical and spiritual decline: "For my life is spent with sorrow (yâgôwn), and my years with sighing."
* **Consequence of Folly/Sin:** Wisdom literature often connects yâgôwn with the outcomes of unrighteousness or foolishness. [[Proverbs 17:21]] states, "He who begets a fool gets sorrow (yâgôwn)," highlighting the pain brought by a wayward child. [[Proverbs 14:13]] offers a poignant observation: "Even in laughter the heart may be in pain, and the end of joy may be sorrow (yâgôwn)," suggesting that superficial happiness can mask deep-seated anguish.
* **Prophetic Lament and Judgment:** Jeremiah uses yâgôwn to describe the overwhelming distress of the nation due to sin and impending judgment. In [[Jeremiah 8:18]], the prophet cries, "My sorrow (yâgôwn) is beyond healing, my heart is sick within me," reflecting the depth of Israel's spiritual malady and its consequences.
* **Eschatological Hope:** Crucially, yâgôwn is often contrasted with future joy and deliverance. The prophet Isaiah provides a powerful vision of a time when sorrow will be eradicated. [[Isaiah 35:10]] declares concerning the redeemed, "Everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow (yâgôwn) and sighing shall flee away." This promise is reiterated in [[Isaiah 51:11]]. This usage transforms yâgôwn from a mere description of present pain into a marker for the glorious, sorrow-free future promised by God.
* **Visible Manifestation:** In [[Nehemiah 2:2]], Nehemiah's face visibly betrays his inner yâgôwn, indicating that this deep sorrow was not merely an internal state but had external manifestations.
### Related Words & Concepts
The primary linguistic connection for H3015 is its verbal root, H3014 (yâgâh), which means "to grieve" or "to be sorrowful." This direct relationship underscores the active experience of grief that yâgôwn represents. Other related Hebrew terms that express aspects of distress, pain, or lament include:
* H6094 (ʻetseb): Often translated as 'pain,' 'sorrow,' or 'toil,' and notably used in connection with the curse in [[Genesis 3:16-17]]. It can denote the painful effort or the distress itself.
* H5999 ('abel): Pertains specifically to 'mourning' or 'lamentation,' often associated with death rituals or national calamity.
* H1943 (hoy): An interjection of 'woe!' or 'alas!', expressing lament or warning.
* H4523 (marah): Means 'bitterness,' which can be a component or outcome of yâgôwn.
The concept of yâgôwn is intrinsically linked to the broader biblical themes of human suffering, the consequences of the Fall, the lament of the righteous, and ultimately, the hope of divine comfort and future redemption from all pain.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of H3015 (yâgôwn) is multifaceted:
1. **The Reality of a Fallen World:** Yâgôwn powerfully underscores the pervasive reality of suffering and sorrow as a consequence of sin in a fallen world. It is a fundamental aspect of the human condition post-Eden ([[Genesis 3:16-19]]). The biblical narrative does not shy away from depicting the profound grief experienced by individuals and communities.
2. **Divine Empathy and Response:** While yâgôwn is a human experience, the biblical text often implies God's awareness and responsiveness to it. The laments in the Psalms, which frequently use yâgôwn, are addressed to God, indicating a belief that He hears and cares for the sorrowful ([[Psalm 13:2]], [[Psalm 31:10]]).
3. **Moral and Spiritual Consequences:** Yâgôwn is often presented as a just consequence of folly, sin, or disobedience, particularly in wisdom literature ([[Proverbs 17:21]]). This highlights God's moral order, where actions have spiritual and emotional repercussions.
4. **Eschatological Hope and Redemption:** Perhaps the most profound theological insight concerning yâgôwn is its promised, ultimate removal. The prophetic vision, particularly in Isaiah, paints a picture of a future where yâgôwn will "flee away" ([[Isaiah 35:10]], [[Isaiah 51:11]]), replaced by everlasting joy. This promise finds its ultimate fulfillment in the New Testament vision of the new heavens and new earth, where God Himself will wipe away every tear and there will be no more sorrow or pain ([[Revelation 21:4]]). This transforms yâgôwn from an inescapable human burden into a temporary reality that will be utterly vanquished by divine redemption.
5. **Messianic Foreshadowing:** While yâgôwn itself is not directly applied to the "Man of Sorrows" in Isaiah 53 (which uses H4045 *mak'ob* for pains and H2478 *choli* for griefs/sicknesses), the concept of deep sorrow and affliction is central to the Suffering Servant, who bears the sorrows of humanity, ultimately providing the means for the removal of all yâgôwn.
### Summary
H3015 (yâgôwn) denotes a deep, oppressive sorrow, grief, or affliction, stemming from the root H3014 (yâgâh), "to grieve." It describes a pervasive aspect of the human condition in a fallen world, evidenced in personal laments, as a consequence of sin and folly, and in prophetic pronouncements of judgment. The biblical witness, however, does not leave yâgôwn as the final word. Crucially, biblical theology presents yâgôwn as a temporary state for God's people, with a strong emphasis on its ultimate removal in the eschatological future, when it will be replaced by everlasting joy. Thus, yâgôwn underscores both the reality of human suffering and the glorious hope of divine redemption that promises a future utterly free from sorrow.
TRV