### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **ʼâbal**, represented by `{{H56}}`, is a primitive root meaning to **bewail, lament, or mourn**. It appears 39 times across 38 unique verses, describing a deep sense of grief or sorrow that can be experienced by individuals, entire nations, and even the land itself.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In biblical narratives, `{{H56}}` is used to express grief over personal loss, divine judgment, and national sin. Jacob mourned for his son for many days, putting on sackcloth as an outward sign of his grief [[Genesis 37:34]]. The people of Israel mourned when they heard the "evil tidings" from the LORD [[Exodus 33:4]]. The word is also used to personify the land, which mourns as a result of wickedness [[Jeremiah 23:10]] or divine judgment [[Joel 1:10]]. This mourning is so profound that the prophets describe the earth itself mourning and the heavens growing black [[Jeremiah 4:28]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words expand on the concept of mourning and its associated actions:
* `{{H1058}}` **bâkâh** (to weep): This word for weeping often appears alongside mourning. In response to hearing the words of the law, the people wept, and Nehemiah commanded them, "mourn not, nor weep" [[Nehemiah 8:9]].
* `{{H535}}` **ʼâmal** (to languish): This term describes a state of drooping or weakness and is frequently paired with `{{H56}}`. In times of judgment, the land is said to "mourn" and the people within it to "languish" [[Hosea 4:3]], and even the city gates "languish" [[Jeremiah 14:2]].
* `{{H60}}` **ʼêbel** (lamentation; mourning): As the noun form of `{{H56}}`, this word describes the state or act of mourning itself. A woman is instructed to feign being a mourner by putting on "mourning apparel" [[2 Samuel 14:2]].
* `{{H6684}}` **tsûwm** (to fast): Fasting is an act of devotion often accompanying mourning. After hearing distressing news, Nehemiah "wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed" [[Nehemiah 1:4]].
* `{{H8242}}` **saq** (sackcloth): This coarse cloth was a common garment worn to express deep mourning. When Jacob believed his son was dead, he "put sackcloth upon his loins, and mourned" [[Genesis 37:34]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H56}}` is significant, often tying sorrow directly to sin and separation from God.
* **Response to Judgment:** Mourning is a natural and expected response to God's judgment. After the LORD smote the people of Bethshemesh, the people "lamented" [[1 Samuel 6:19]]. Ezekiel prophesied that as a consequence of sin, "The king shall mourn, and the prince shall be clothed with desolation" [[Ezekiel 7:27]].
* **Act of Repentance:** The act of mourning is often connected with repentance and seeking God. Nehemiah's mourning was accompanied by fasting and prayer before God [[Nehemiah 1:4]], and Ezra mourned because of the people's transgression [[Ezra 10:6]].
* **Consequence of Sin:** The Bible portrays mourning as an effect of sin that extends beyond humanity. The land itself mourns "for the wickedness of them that dwell therein" [[Jeremiah 12:4]] and is described as desolate, mourning to the LORD [[Jeremiah 12:11]].
* **Contrast to Divine Joy:** Mourning is presented as the opposite of the joy and rejoicing that come from God. In a future time of restoration, God calls on "all ye that mourn for her" to "rejoice for joy with her" [[Isaiah 66:10]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H56}}` conveys a profound sorrow that goes beyond simple sadness. It is a reaction to personal loss, a national response to sin and judgment, and a condition that can affect the created order itself. It serves as a powerful expression of the consequences of sin while also being an integral part of repentance and the path toward the restoration and joy promised by God.
TRV