Word Study for H535 (אָמַל) | Strong's Concordance

ʼâmal /aw-mal'/ Ask about this word

Roota primitive root

Meaningto droop; by implication to be sick, to mourn

KJV usagelanguish, be weak, wax feeble.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ʼâmal — 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 ʼâmal, represented by H535, is a primitive root meaning to droop, be sick, or mourn. It is often translated as languish, be weak, or wax feeble. It appears 16 times across 14 unique verses, primarily in the prophetic books, where it describes a state of withering, decay, and powerlessness.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical usage, H535 depicts the effects of divine judgment or human frailty upon both nature and people. The term is frequently applied to the natural world, describing how fertile regions like Bashan and Carmel languish under God's rebuke Nahum 1:4. Similarly, the fig tree languisheth Joel 1:12, the fields of Heshbon languish Isaiah 16:8, and the oil languisheth Joel 1:10 as a result of desolation. It is also used to describe human weakness and sorrow, as when the gates of Judah languish in mourning Jeremiah 14:2 or a once-fruitful woman is waxed feeble 1 Samuel 2:5.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words are often used in conjunction with H535 to paint a fuller picture of decay and sorrow:

H56 ʼâbal (to bewail; lament, mourn): This word is frequently paired with H535, directly linking the physical state of languishing with the emotional response of mourning. The earth mourneth and languisheth together in response to judgment Isaiah 33:9.
H3001 yâbêsh (to dry up or wither): This term often identifies the physical cause of the languishing. In Joel 1:12, the vine is dried up, and as a consequence, the fig tree languisheth.
H5034 nâbêl (to wilt; generally, to fall away, fail, faint): This word is used to intensify the description of decay, such as when the world languisheth and fadeth away Isaiah 24:4.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H535 is significant, highlighting several key themes.

A Sign of Divine Judgment: Languishing is consistently portrayed as a tangible result of sin and God's subsequent judgment. The land and its inhabitants languish as a direct consequence of their deeds Hosea 4:3, and the entire earth languisheth because its people have transgressed Isaiah 24:4.
The Frailty of Creation and Humanity: The word illustrates the inherent weakness and dependency of both the natural world and human strength. The most productive lands languish Nahum 1:4, and a woman once strong and secure is waxed feeble, demonstrating the temporary nature of earthly blessings 1 Samuel 2:5.
Spiritual and Moral Weakness: Beyond physical withering, H535 is used to describe a state of moral sickness. In a piercing address to Jerusalem, God asks, "How weak is thine heart," pointing to its spiritual infidelity and corruption Ezekiel 16:30.

Summary

In summary, H535 is a powerful and descriptive term used by the prophets to illustrate the consequences of sin and the reality of divine judgment. Whether describing a withered field, a mourning city, or a morally weak heart, ʼâmal consistently points to a state of decline, decay, and powerlessness. It serves as a stark reminder of the frailty of all things apart from God and the inevitable withering that follows disobedience.

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 a verb across 16 occurrences, inflected in 5 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.

אֻמְלְלָה
אֻמְלָלוּ
אֻמְלָל
אֻמְלַל
אֲמֻלָה

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 14 verses across 8 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Isaiah (5 verses); never once in the other 31.

1 Samuel

Isaiah

Jeremiah

Lamentations

Ezekiel

Hosea

Joel

Nahum

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.