δακρύω (dakruō)
dakruō
to weep
Quick Reference
- Language
- Koine Greek
- Testament
- New Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
Word Overview
The verb dakruō simply means to weep or shed tears. It appears only once in the New Testament, in John 11:35, where it describes Jesus’ reaction to the death of his friend Lazarus. This single usage captures a quiet, physical expression of sorrow rather than loud outcry.
Lexicographers distinguish it from other Greek words for crying. While klaio refers to audible weeping and olomai involves verbal lamentation, dakruō focuses on the shedding of tears itself. It is a specific term for the act of crying, often associated with deep grief or compassion.
The word’s presence in John’s Gospel highlights the humanity of Jesus. By using this simple term for weeping, the text emphasizes his genuine emotional response to loss. This brief verse remains one of the most cited examples of divine empathy in Christian scripture.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word dakruō means to weep or shed tears. It appears only once in the New Testament, in John 11:35. This short verse records Jesus’ reaction to the death of his friend Lazarus. The term focuses on the physical act of crying rather than loud outcry. Lexicographers distinguish it from other Greek words for crying, such as klaio, which refers to audible weeping.
This single usage captures a quiet expression of sorrow and compassion. It highlights the humanity of Jesus in his genuine emotional response to loss. By using this simple term, the text emphasizes his deep empathy for those who grieve. His tears show that God understands human pain firsthand.
For your faith, this verse offers comfort. You are not alone in your sorrow. The Creator of the universe wept with his friends. This quiet moment reminds us that our grief is seen and valued by God. It invites you to bring your own tears to him with honesty and trust.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- Wept1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- ἐδάκρυσεν1×
Key Verses
-
John 11:35
Jesus wept.
This verse uses dakruō to describe Jesus’ quiet, physical weeping at Lazarus’ tomb, emphasizing his genuine human sorrow rather than loud lamentation.