בֶּ֫כֶה (be.kheh)
be.kheh
bitterly
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun bekeh describes an act of weeping or crying out in grief. In the entire Old Testament, it appears only once, found in Ezra 10:1. This rare usage captures a moment of intense sorrow among the returned exiles who had intermarried with foreign peoples, a situation that threatened their covenant identity.
Its singular occurrence highlights the weight of communal repentance. The text portrays the people gathering together, weeping bitterly before the house of God. Here, the word signifies more than just shedding tears; it marks a public, collective expression of remorse and spiritual distress in response to disobedience.
Because this is the only time bekeh appears in Scripture, its meaning is anchored entirely by that specific historical event. It serves as a linguistic marker for deep, corporate lament rather than private sadness. The scarcity of the term underscores the uniqueness of that moment in post-exilic Israel, where grief became the catalyst for reform and renewed commitment to the Law.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word bekeh appears only once in Scripture, capturing a moment of profound communal sorrow in Ezra 10:1. It describes a bitter, heartfelt weeping that went beyond private sadness to become a public act of repentance. This rare term reminds us that genuine grief over sin can unite a community and lead to meaningful change.
When we face moments of deep regret or spiritual distress, this verse offers hope. It shows that honest lament before God is not a sign of weakness but a pathway to restoration. Your tears, offered in sincerity, are seen and valued by the Lord who desires your whole heart.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- weeping1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- בֶֽכֶה\׃\ \ס1×
Key Verses
-
Ezra 10:1
Now while Ezra prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before God’s house, there was gathered together to him out of Israel a very great assembly of men and women and children; for the people wept very bitterly.
This verse uses bekeh to describe the intense, collective weeping of the exiles as they repented for intermarriage, marking a pivotal moment of corporate spiritual renewal.