### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **ʻâshêsh**, represented by `{{H6244}}`, is a primitive root defined as to **shrink, i.e. fail; be consumed**. It appears only **3 times** across **3 unique verses**, making each usage significant. The term consistently describes a state of wasting away or failing, typically as a result of profound emotional or physical distress.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
All occurrences of `{{H6244}}` are found in the Psalms, painting a vivid picture of personal suffering. In [[Psalms 31:9]], the psalmist cries out that his "eye is **consumed** with grief," a state that affects his soul and belly. The next verse continues this theme, stating that because of his iniquity, his strength fails and his "bones are **consumed**" [[Psalms 31:10]]. Similarly, in [[Psalms 6:7]], the writer laments that his "eye is **consumed** because of grief" and that it "waxeth old because of all mine enemies." In these contexts, `ʻâshêsh` describes a physical decay brought on by sorrow, sin, and affliction.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help clarify the intense suffering associated with being consumed:
* `{{H3708}}` **kaʻaç** (grief): Defined as vexation or sorrow, this is the direct cause of the body being "consumed" in both [[Psalms 6:7]] and [[Psalms 31:9]]. It points to a deep, provoking anguish.
* `{{H5771}}` **ʻâvôn** (iniquity): This term for perversity or sin is cited as the reason for the body's failure in [[Psalms 31:10]], where strength fails and bones are consumed.
* `{{H3015}}` **yâgôwn** (grief): This word for affliction and sorrow describes the state that spends one's life and leads to the physical consumption detailed in [[Psalms 31:10]].
* `{{H6275}}` **ʻâthaq** (waxeth old): Used in conjunction with `{{H6244}}` in [[Psalms 6:7]], it reinforces the idea of premature aging and decay brought on by deep distress.
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H6244}}` lies in its depiction of the relationship between the spirit and the body.
* **Physical Toll of Grief and Sin:** The use of `ʻâshêsh` demonstrates that spiritual and emotional states like grief `{{H3708}}` and iniquity `{{H5771}}` have tangible, destructive consequences on the physical body, causing the eyes and even bones to waste away.
* **A Basis for Lament:** The descriptions of being "consumed" are not abstract complaints; they form the basis of a desperate plea for divine help. The lament in [[Psalms 31:9]] begins with an appeal to the LORD for mercy in the midst of trouble.
* **The Weight of Affliction:** The word highlights how profoundly external pressures, such as enemies `{{H6887}}`, and internal corruption can lead to physical deterioration, illustrating the heavy burden of a life beset by sorrow and sin.
### Summary
In summary, **ʻâshêsh** `{{H6244}}` is a powerful and specific term for being consumed or wasting away. Though rare, its usage in the Psalms provides a stark illustration of the biblical understanding of human nature, where the anguish of the soul and the consequences of sin are written on the body itself. It shows that grief and iniquity are not merely feelings or moral states but are consuming forces that can cause a person to fail and shrink physically.
TRV