### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **nᵉhîy**, represented by `{{H5092}}`, is derived from the root `nâhâh` and describes an elegy, lamentation, or wailing. It appears 7 times across 7 unique verses in the Bible. This term signifies a deep and often audible expression of sorrow, typically in response to a great tragedy or national judgment.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the prophetic writings, `{{H5092}}` is used to convey the profound grief of Israel in the face of desolation. Jeremiah describes "a voice of wailing" being heard from Zion as the people lament being spoiled and cast out of their land [[Jeremiah 9:19]]. This grief is so pervasive that there is a call to "teach your daughters wailing" as a necessary response to the impending doom [[Jeremiah 9:20]]. The term also captures the heart-wrenching sorrow of Rahel weeping for her children, a "lamentation, and bitter weeping" heard in Ramah [[Jeremiah 31:15]]. In Amos, the word is used to describe a professional skill, calling for "such as are skilful of lamentation" to participate in a public display of mourning [[Amos 5:16]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help define the scope of biblical grief and mourning:
* `{{H5091}}` **nâhâh** (lament, wail): This primitive root is the verb from which `nᵉhîy` is derived, signifying the act of groaning or bewailing. It is used alongside its derivative in the phrase "lament with a doleful lamentation" [[Micah 2:4]].
* `{{H5093}}` **nihyâh** (lamentation; doleful): The feminine form of `nᵉhîy`, emphasizing the sorrowful and doleful quality of the lament. It appears with `nᵉhîy` in Micah's prophecy of Israel being spoiled [[Micah 2:4]].
* `{{H1065}}` **Bᵉkîy** (a weeping): This noun describes the act of weeping itself and is often paired with `nᵉhîy` to intensify the expression of grief, as in the "bitter weeping" that accompanies Rahel's lamentation [[Jeremiah 31:15]].
* `{{H4553}}` **miçpêd** (a lamentation): This word for lamentation is used in parallel with `nᵉhîy` in the call for professional mourners, indicating a formal and public wailing [[Amos 5:16]].
* `{{H7015}}` **qîynâh** (a dirge): This term refers to a specific type of lamentation, a dirge, often used in response to judgment. It is paired with `nᵉhîy` in Jeremiah's call to take up "a weeping and wailing" for the mountains [[Jeremiah 9:10]].
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of `{{H5092}}` is tied to the consequences of sin and the experience of divine judgment.
* **A Response to Judgment:** The wailing of `nᵉhîy` is consistently presented as a reaction to desolation and being "spoiled" by enemies, a direct result of the people forsaking the land and God's covenant ([[Jeremiah 9:19]], [[Micah 2:4]]).
* **A Communal Duty:** The grief is not merely personal but a shared, societal experience. The command to teach wailing to the next generation underscores the depth of the national catastrophe [[Jeremiah 9:20]]. Furthermore, the call for skilled lamenters suggests a structured, communal expression of repentance and sorrow [[Amos 5:16]].
* **A Prophetic Sign:** The audible sound of `nᵉhîy` serves as a prophetic signpost. The "voice of wailing" from Zion is tangible evidence of judgment's arrival [[Jeremiah 9:19]], and the call to take up a wailing is a prophetic summons to recognize the severity of the times [[Jeremiah 9:18]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H5092}}` is a powerful and specific term for a formal, audible lament or elegy. It is not a silent or private sorrow but a public and often professional wailing that gives voice to the profound grief of a nation under judgment. Through its use in the prophets, `nᵉhîy` captures the sound of a people grappling with the devastating consequences of their separation from God.
TRV