אָבַל (a.val)
a.val
to mourn
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 34 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb aḇal means to mourn or lament, describing a deep expression of grief. It appears thirty-four times in the Old Testament, with significant usage in Isaiah and Jeremiah. The word covers both human sorrow and figurative mourning by nature itself. For instance, Amos describes the pastures of the shepherds as mourning (Amos 1:2), while Isaiah portrays the vine languishing and the new wine weeping (Isaiah 24:7).
Its root likely conveys a sense of languidness or drooping, reflecting the physical posture of mourners who walk with heads cast down. This imagery connects the internal feeling of loss to external signs of distress. The term is used in various verb forms, including the Hithpael, which emphasizes acting as a mourner. In 2 Samuel 13:37, Absalom is told to feign mourning, showing how the word could be performed or simulated.
Translators often render aḇal as "mourn" or "lament," capturing its emotional weight. The word highlights that grief in Scripture is not hidden but expressed openly, whether by people or by the land itself. This usage underscores the profound impact of sin and judgment on all creation.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
Grief is a natural part of the human experience, and Scripture acknowledges this with honesty. The Hebrew word aḇal describes mourning as an outward expression of deep inner sorrow. It is not merely a feeling but a visible posture, often involving sackcloth or silence, that signals to others that something precious has been lost. This transparency allows the community to witness pain and offer support rather than leaving individuals to suffer in isolation.
In moments of heavy loss, such as Jacob mourning for his son Joseph, this word captures the intensity of a heart broken by absence. Yet it also reminds us that God sees our tears. When Nehemiah heard bad news, he did not hide his grief; he sat down, wept, and prayed. This model shows that bringing our sorrow into the light of prayer is a valid and holy response to hardship.
Even when circumstances seem bleak, there is hope in knowing that God understands our lament. The biblical writers do not shy away from describing the weight of grief, whether it is personal or communal. By naming our mourning, we invite God’s comfort into our darkest hours, trusting that He walks with us through the valley of shadow.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 34 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- it has dried up4×
- and/ they mourned3×
- and/ he mourned3×
- mourning2×
- it will mourn2×
- it is in mourning2×
- and/ they will mourn2×
- you mourn1×
- will it dry up1×
- those/ [who] mourn1×
- they are in mourning1×
- play [the] mourner1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- תֶּאֱבַ֣ל3×
- וַ/יִּתְאַבֵּ֥ל2×
- וְ/אָבְל֖וּ2×
- אָבְלָ֣ה2×
- תֶּאֱבָֽל\׃\ \פ1×
- תִּֽתְאַבְּל֖וּ1×
- מִתְאַבֶּ֖לֶת1×
- מִתְאַבֵּ֣ל1×
- מִתְאַבֵּ֖ל1×
- מִתְאַבֵּ֔ל1×
- מִֽתְאַבְּלִ֖ים1×
- וָ/אֶתְאַבְּלָ֖/ה1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 37:34
Jacob tore his clothes, and put sackcloth on his waist, and mourned for his son many days.
This verse illustrates the depth of Jacob's grief, showing how mourning was expressed through physical acts like tearing clothes and wearing sackcloth.
-
Nehemiah 1:4
When I heard these words, I sat down and wept, and mourned several days; and I fasted and prayed before the God of heaven,
Nehemiah combines mourning with fasting and prayer, demonstrating that lament can be a direct pathway to seeking God's intervention.
-
Isaiah 24:7
The new wine mourns. The vine languishes. All the merry-hearted sigh.
Here the personification of nature mourning highlights how sin and judgment affect the entire created order, not just human hearts.