Word Study for H3023 (יָגֵעַ)

yâgêaʻ /yaw-gay'-ah/ Ask about this word

Meaningtired; hence (transitive) tiresome

KJV usagefull of labour, weary.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of yâgêaʻ — 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 Hebrew word yâgêaʻ, represented by H3023, describes a state of being tired, tiresome, full of labour, or weary. It appears 3 times in 3 unique verses, highlighting its specific application to physical exhaustion and existential toil.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The word H3023 is used to convey both physical and existential exhaustion. In a strategic context, it describes a state of vulnerability, as when Ahithophel advised attacking David while he was weary and weak handed 2 Samuel 17:2. It is also used to describe the Israelites who, being faint and weary, were attacked by the Amalekites Deuteronomy 25:18. On a more philosophical level, it characterizes the nature of existence itself, where "All things are full of labour" to the point that man cannot fully express it Ecclesiastes 1:8.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words clarify and expand upon the state of being weary:

H7504 râpheh (weak): Often paired with weariness, this term signifies being slack in body or mind. It is used alongside H3023 to describe David's vulnerable state as "weak handed" 2 Samuel 17:2.
H5889 ʻâyêph (faint, weary): This word describes a state of being languid or thirsty. It appears with H3023 to emphasize the exhaustion of the Israelites in the wilderness when they were "faint and weary" Deuteronomy 25:18.
H2826 châshal (feeble): Meaning to be unsteady or weak, this word describes those who were attacked from behind in the wilderness because they were feeble Deuteronomy 25:18.
H1697 dâbâr (word, matter, thing): This versatile term is used in Ecclesiastes to frame the universal nature of weariness, stating that "All things are full of labour" Ecclesiastes 1:8.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H3023 is tied to its depiction of human vulnerability and the nature of earthly toil.

A Mark of Vulnerability: Being weary is presented as a condition that invites attack. The Amalekites' assault on the faint and weary Israelites is condemned as an act of those who "feared not God" Deuteronomy 25:18. Similarly, Ahithophel's plot against David targets him in a state of weariness 2 Samuel 17:2.
The Toil of Existence: In Ecclesiastes, the word moves beyond physical exhaustion to describe a universal state. The declaration that "All things are full of labour" frames weariness as an inherent part of a world where human effort is endless and unsatisfying Ecclesiastes 1:8.
Moral Condition: The act of striking the weary is portrayed as a significant moral and spiritual failing. The account in Deuteronomy contrasts the vulnerability of the people with the godlessness of their attackers, setting the stage for divine judgment Deuteronomy 25:18.

Summary

In summary, H3023 yâgêaʻ is more than a simple descriptor for being tired. It is a potent term that conveys a state of profound weariness, marking individuals as physically vulnerable to attack and symbolizing the endless, tiresome labor inherent in the human condition. Its few appearances in scripture are significant, highlighting moments of strategic weakness and deep philosophical reflection.

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 Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as an adjective across 3 occurrences, inflected in 2 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.

יָגֵעַ
יְגֵעִים

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 3 verses across 3 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Deuteronomy, 2 Samuel, and Ecclesiastes (1 verse each); never once in the other 36.

Deuteronomy

2 Samuel

Ecclesiastes

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.