אָמַל (a.mal)
a.mal
to weaken
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 12 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb amal describes a state of physical exhaustion or weakness, often depicted as drooping or languishing. In the Old Testament, it appears twelve times, with a significant concentration in prophetic books like Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Joel. The word captures the tangible fatigue that sets in when strength is depleted, moving beyond simple tiredness to a deeper sense of being worn out.
Its most vivid usage occurs when describing the human heart. In passages such as Psalm 38:10, the psalmist prays, "Lord, all my longing is known to You; my sighing is not hidden from You," but elsewhere, like in Isaiah 13:7, it paints a picture of faces becoming pale and hearts melting away in fear. This specific application suggests that amal is not just about muscle fatigue, but about the spirit or inner self losing its vitality under pressure.
Translators often render this word as "weary," "faint," or "melted," depending on the context of the suffering. Whether describing soldiers in battle or individuals burdened by grief, amal conveys a loss of strength that is visible and profound. It serves as a raw description of human limitation, highlighting moments where physical and emotional reserves are completely drained.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When life drains your energy until you feel hollow, this word reminds you that such exhaustion is seen. It describes a deep weariness where strength simply runs out, leaving the spirit faint and the body heavy. You do not have to hide this feeling from God. He notices when your heart grows weak under pressure.
In Psalm 38, the writer acknowledges that his longing and sighing are known to the Lord. This suggests that your fatigue is not a sign of failed faith but a human reality God understands intimately. He sees the weight you carry when you have nothing left to give.
There is comfort in knowing that this weakness does not go unnoticed. Even when you feel faint, you are held by one who sustains you. Your vulnerability is met with divine attention, offering peace in your most drained moments.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 12 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- it has languished3×
- they have languished2×
- it has dried out2×
- they will languish1×
- they are languishing1×
- she languishes1×
- she has grown feeble1×
- it has withered1×
- and/ he will wither1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וְ/אֻמְלַל֙1×
- אֻמְלָֽלוּ\׃\ \ס1×
- אֻמְלָֽלוּ\׃1×
- אֻמְלָֽלָה\׃1×
- אֻמְלָ֜ל1×
- אֻמְלָ֖לוּ1×
- אֻמְלָ֑לָה1×
- אֻמְלַ֥ל1×
- אֻמְלְלָה֙1×
- אֻמְלְלָה\־1×
- אֻמְלְלָ֥ה1×
- אֻמְלְלָ֞ה1×
Key Verses
-
I Samuel 2:5
Those who were full have hired themselves out for bread. Those who were hungry are satisfied. Yes, the barren has borne seven. She who has many children languishes.
This verse contrasts those who are full with those who languish, highlighting how God balances the scales of human strength and need.
-
Isaiah 16:8
For the fields of Heshbon languish with the vine of Sibmah. The lords of the nations have broken down its choice branches, which reached even to Jazer, which wandered into the wilderness. Its shoots were spread abroad. They passed over the sea.
The land itself is described as languishing, showing that physical decay affects the entire environment when judgment comes.
-
Jeremiah 15:9
She who has borne seven languishes. She has given up the spirit. Her sun has gone down while it was yet day. She has been disappointed and confounded. I will deliver their residue to the sword before their enemies,” says Yahweh.
Here the word describes a mother who has borne seven but now languishes and gives up her spirit, emphasizing total emotional collapse.
-
Joel 1:10
The field is laid waste. The land mourns, for the grain is destroyed, The new wine has dried up, and the oil languishes.
The oil is said to languish alongside the grain, illustrating how agricultural failure leads to a complete loss of vitality and joy.