### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word `{{H3616}}` (כָּלֶה, *kâleh*) is a rare term, derived from the more common root `{{H3615}}` (כָּלָה, *kālāh*), which signifies "to complete, finish, bring to an end, consume, perish." While the root `{{H3615}}` encompasses a broad range of meanings related to cessation or completion, `{{H3616}}` specifically denotes a state of being consumed, wasted away, or failing, often with an underlying connotation of emotional distress or "pining." It describes a condition of utter depletion, where one is brought to the brink of an end not merely by time, but by an active process of decay or exhaustion, frequently linked to profound suffering or grief. Thus, it moves beyond simple cessation to describe a state of languishing or being spent.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The term `{{H3616}}` appears uniquely in the Masoretic Text in [[Lamentations 2:11]]. In this poignant verse, the prophet Jeremiah laments the devastation of Jerusalem: "My eyes fail with tears; my bowels are troubled; my liver is poured upon the earth, for the destruction of the daughter of my people; because the children and the sucklings swoon in the streets of the city." Here, "fail" translates `{{H3616}}`. The context is one of overwhelming national catastrophe and personal sorrow. The "failing" of the eyes is not merely a cessation of sight, but a description of eyes that are utterly spent, worn out, and dim from incessant weeping and profound grief. This vivid imagery conveys a state of complete physical and emotional exhaustion, a body consumed by sorrow. The prophet's very being is described as "pining away" or "wasting away" due to the unbearable sight of his people's suffering and the city's destruction. This singular occurrence powerfully encapsulates the depth of despair and the physical manifestation of overwhelming lament.
### Related Words & Concepts
The most direct lexical relation is to its root verb, `{{H3615}}` (כָּלָה, *kālāh*), which frequently describes the completion of a task (e.g., [[Genesis 2:2]]), the consumption of resources (e.g., [[Genesis 21:15]]), or the perishing of individuals or nations (e.g., [[Psalm 37:20]]). While `{{H3615}}` can be neutral, `{{H3616}}` specifically captures the state of being consumed or worn out. Other related concepts in the biblical lexicon include words describing languishing or fainting, such as `{{H535}}` (אָמַל, *āmēl*, "to languish") or `{{H1817}}` (דָּלַל, *dalal*, "to languish, waste away"). Thematic connections extend to concepts of profound grief, desolation, divine judgment, and the fragility of human life in the face of overwhelming adversity. The act of lament itself, as exemplified in the book of Lamentations, is a key related concept, as it is often an expression of a "failing" or "pining" heart before God.
### Theological Significance
The singular appearance of `{{H3616}}` in [[Lamentations 2:11]] carries profound theological weight. It serves as a stark descriptor of the human condition under severe judgment and immense suffering. The "failing" eyes underscore the physical and emotional toll that profound grief and national devastation can exact. This is not merely sadness, but a state of being utterly spent, consumed by sorrow to the point of physical collapse. Theologically, it highlights the devastating consequences of sin and the severity of God's righteous judgment upon a covenant-breaking people. It portrays a people brought to the brink of extinction, physically and spiritually "pining away." Yet, even in this state of utter brokenness and despair, the act of lament, which includes the expression of such profound "failing," becomes a means of acknowledging the depth of the crisis and, implicitly, a cry for divine mercy. It reveals the raw vulnerability of humanity before the Holy God, and the desperate need for His restorative hand even when all seems lost.
### Summary
`{{H3616}}` (כָּלֶה, *kâleh*) is a rare but potent Hebrew term derived from the root `{{H3615}}` (כָּלָה, *kālāh*), signifying a state of being consumed, wasted, or failing, particularly due to intense sorrow or distress. Its singular occurrence in [[Lamentations 2:11]] vividly portrays the prophet Jeremiah's eyes "failing with tears," a powerful image of utter physical and emotional exhaustion induced by the desolation of Jerusalem. This word underscores the profound depth of human suffering and the devastating consequences of divine judgment, depicting a state of pining away. Theologically, it encapsulates the abject despair and physical toll of national catastrophe, yet also implicitly points to the necessity of lament and the ultimate hope for divine intervention, even from the lowest depths of human experience.
TRV