### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **taʼănîyâh**, represented by `{{H8386}}`, refers to **lamentation, heaviness, or mourning**. It is a rare term, appearing only **2 times** in **2 unique verses**, and is used to describe a profound state of sorrow brought about by divine action.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In its biblical appearances, `{{H8386}}` is always a consequence of God's judgment. In Isaiah, God declares He will distress Ariel, resulting in **heaviness** and sorrow [[Isaiah 29:2]]. Similarly, in Lamentations, the Lord acts as an enemy against Israel, destroying its strongholds and thereby increasing **mourning** and lamentation among the daughter of Judah [[Lamentations 2:5]]. In both instances, the word captures a deep, national grief.
### Related Words & Concepts
The meaning of `{{H8386}}` is clarified by several words used in direct connection with it:
* `{{H592}}` **ʼănîyâh** (lamentation, sorrow): This word appears alongside `{{H8386}}` in both of its occurrences, creating a powerful pairing that emphasizes the depth of the grief. It describes the audible and emotional expression of the "heaviness" and "mourning" ([[Isaiah 29:2]], [[Lamentations 2:5]]).
* `{{H6693}}` **tsûwq** (to distress, oppress, straiten): This term is the direct cause of the state described by `{{H8386}}` in Isaiah. God's action to **distress** Ariel is what leads to the "heaviness" [[Isaiah 29:2]].
* `{{H7843}}` **shâchath** (to destroy, ruin, corrupt): In Lamentations, the increase in "mourning" `{{H8386}}` is a direct result of the Lord having **destroyed** the strongholds of Judah, linking the feeling of grief to a tangible act of ruin [[Lamentations 2:5]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H8386}}` lies in its clear depiction of the consequences of divine judgment.
* **Sorrow from Divine Action:** The term is never used for ordinary grief. Instead, it exclusively describes a state of mourning that originates from God's deliberate actions against His people, whether to distress [[Isaiah 29:2]] or destroy [[Lamentations 2:5]].
* **A Response to Destruction:** The "heaviness" and "mourning" are not abstract feelings but are a direct response to the destruction of national and religious centers, such as Ariel's desolation and the ruin of Judah's palaces and strongholds.
* **Intensified Grief:** By always appearing with `{{H592}}` **ʼănîyâh**, the scripture emphasizes a complete and overwhelming state of sorrow. The pairing of "mourning and lamentation" or "heaviness and sorrow" signifies a grief that is both an internal state and an outward expression.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H8386}}` is a specific and powerful term for a state of profound mourning. Though used only twice, its context in Isaiah and Lamentations firmly establishes it as a word describing the heavy sorrow that follows divine judgment and national destruction. It illustrates that in the biblical view, deep lamentation can be a direct and purposeful outcome of the actions of God.
TRV