English · KJV
H8424

תּוּגָה

tûwgâh /too-gaw'/ Ask about this word
Rootfrom יָגָה
Meaningdepression (of spirits); concretely a grief
KJV usageheaviness, sorrow.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of tûwgâh — 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 tûwgâh, represented by H8424, refers to depression (of spirits); concretely a grief; heaviness, sorrow. It appears 4 times across 4 unique verses in the Bible. This term captures a profound state of emotional and spiritual distress rooted in personal circumstances and the soul's condition.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, H8424 describes the deep grief that arises from familial relationships and internal spiritual states. It is the heaviness a mother feels because of a foolish son Proverbs 10:1 and the sorrow a father experiences from begetting a fool Proverbs 17:21. The word also portrays an intense personal anguish, where the psalmist's soul "melteth for heaviness" Psalms 119:28. Furthermore, it signifies the hollow end of worldly pleasure, where even in laughter, the eventual result is heaviness Proverbs 14:13.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help frame the context and impact of this sorrow:

  • H3684 kᵉçîyl (fool(-ish)): This word identifies the direct source of the grief in Proverbs. The actions of a foolish son are what bring heaviness to his mother Proverbs 10:1.
  • H1811 dâlaph (melt, pour out): This verb illustrates the overwhelming effect of heaviness. The psalmist's soul is said to melt, conveying a sense of being completely overcome by sorrow Psalms 119:28.
  • H7814 sᵉchôwq (laughter): This term stands in stark contrast to heaviness. Its use reveals a deeper truth that superficial laughter can mask sorrow, and that such mirth's end is heaviness Proverbs 14:13.
  • H517 ʼêm (mother): As the bond of the family, the mother is specifically mentioned as experiencing the heaviness caused by a foolish child, highlighting the deep familial impact of folly Proverbs 10:1.

Theological Significance

The theological significance of H8424 is centered on the sources of sorrow and its remedy.

  • The Sorrow of Folly: The word is twice linked to the consequences of foolishness. The heaviness and sorrow felt by a father H1 and mother H517 underscore the principle that a lack of wisdom brings profound grief, not just to the individual but to the entire family unit (Proverbs 10:1, Proverbs 17:21).
  • The Anguish of the Soul: Heaviness is portrayed as a condition that afflicts the very soul H5315. In Psalms 119:28, this state is so severe it causes the soul to melt H1811, and the specified antidote is to be strengthened by God's word H1697.
  • The Limit of Worldly Joy: The term exposes the transient nature of worldly happiness. It teaches that even amidst laughter H7814 and mirth H8057, an underlying sorrow can exist, and the ultimate end of such joy is heaviness Proverbs 14:13.

Summary

In summary, H8424 is more than a simple term for sadness; it represents a deep, consuming grief and depression. It is a poignant word within biblical wisdom literature that defines the sorrow stemming from foolishness, the internal anguish of a depleted soul, and the ultimate emptiness of fleeting, worldly pleasures. It powerfully illustrates how a single concept can connect the grief of a parent to a spiritual condition that requires divine strength to overcome.

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 noun across 4 occurrences, inflected in 2 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.

  • תוּגָה
  • תּוּגַת

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H3684 כְּסִיל from כָּסַל; properly, fat, i.e. (figuratively) stupid or silly; fool(-ish). H1811 דָּלַף a primitive root; to drip; by implication, to weep; drop through, melt, pour out. H7814 שְׂחוֹק or שְׂחֹק; from שָׂחַק; laughter (in merriment or defiance); derision, laughter(-ed to scorn, -ing), mocked, sport. H517 אֵם a primitive word; a mother (as the bond of the family); in a wide sense (both literally and figuratively (like father)); H1 אָב a primitive word; father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application; chief, (fore-) father(-less) H5315 נֶפֶשׁ from נָפַשׁ; properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accomm

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 4 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Proverbs (3 verses); never once in the other 37.

1
Psalms
3
Proverbs

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.