### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **kᵉʼêb**, represented by `{{H3511}}`, is a term for **suffering, pain, and sorrow**. It appears **6 times** across **6 unique verses** in the Bible. This word powerfully conveys both physical and mental suffering, encompassing concepts of adversity and profound grief.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In scripture, `{{H3511}}` is used to express deep personal and communal anguish, primarily within poetic and prophetic books. It describes the overwhelming nature of Job's suffering, a **grief** so great that his friends sat with him in silence for seven days and nights [[Job 2:13]]. The psalmist uses it to describe an internal, unexpressed **sorrow** that was "stirred" within him [[Psalms 39:2]]. The prophet Jeremiah uses it in a desperate plea, asking why his **pain** is perpetual and his wound refuses to be healed [[Jeremiah 15:18]]. It is also used to depict the consequence of turning away from God, where people will "cry for **sorrow** of heart" [[Isaiah 65:14]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help define the scope and nature of the suffering described by `{{H3511}}`:
* `{{H605}}` **ʼânash** (to be frail, feeble, or (figuratively) melancholy; desperate(-ly wicked), incurable, sick, woeful): This word often describes the intensity of the pain, characterizing it as "desperate **sorrow**" [[Isaiah 17:11]] or an "incurable" wound [[Jeremiah 15:18]].
* `{{H4347}}` **makkâh** (a blow... a wound; figuratively, carnage, also pestilence): This term frequently identifies a specific cause of the pain, such as the physical or metaphorical **wound** that Jeremiah laments alongside his perpetual pain [[Jeremiah 15:18]].
* `{{H7667}}` **sheber** (a fracture, figuratively, ruin; ... affliction, breach, ... vexation): This word is used to describe the crushing result of sorrow, such as the "**vexation** of spirit" that will accompany the cry for sorrow [[Isaiah 65:14]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H3511}}` is significant, highlighting key aspects of the human condition and God's judgment.
* **Sorrow as Divine Judgment:** In the prophets, this sorrow is often presented as a consequence of disobedience. Isaiah foretells a "day of grief and of desperate **sorrow**" in the face of a failed harvest [[Isaiah 17:11]] and contrasts the joy of God's servants with those who will "cry for **sorrow** of heart" [[Isaiah 65:14]].
* **The Lament of the Righteous:** The word is central to the laments of the faithful. Job expresses that speaking does not assuage his **grief** [[Job 16:6]], and Jeremiah questions God about his perpetual **pain** [[Jeremiah 15:18]], illustrating that deep suffering is a genuine part of the spiritual journey.
* **Pain Beyond Human Remedy:** The description of the pain as incurable and refusing to be healed `{{H7495}}` points toward a suffering so profound that it cannot be resolved by human means [[Jeremiah 15:18]], thereby underscoring a deep need for divine intervention.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H3511}}` is more than a simple word for pain; it is a profound expression of physical, emotional, and spiritual anguish. From the personal laments of Job and Jeremiah to the prophetic warnings of Isaiah, **kᵉʼêb** captures the depth of human suffering. It powerfully portrays a grief and adversity that often feels endless and incurable, highlighting the biblical themes of judgment, faithful lament, and the ultimate need for divine healing.
TRV