יָפַח (ya.phach)
ya.phach
to breathe
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb yaphach means to breathe, often with an emphasis on breathing hard or puffing. In Scripture, it appears only once, in Jeremiah 4:31, where it describes a person gasping for breath. This rare usage captures the physical sensation of struggling to draw air, whether from exertion, fear, or distress.
The word’s force lies in its vivid imagery of labored respiration. In Jeremiah, the prophet uses it to depict the intense anxiety and shock of a nation facing invasion. The act of gasping becomes a metaphor for spiritual and emotional overwhelm, showing how deeply physical reactions can mirror inner turmoil. Translators typically render this as "gasp" or "breathe hard," preserving the raw, immediate quality of the original term.
Though limited in occurrence, yaphach offers a striking glimpse into how biblical language connects bodily experience with emotional states. Its single appearance in Jeremiah underscores the power of concrete, sensory details to convey profound human vulnerability before God.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word yaphach describes a sudden, sharp intake of breath when one is overwhelmed. It captures that physical moment when fear or shock makes it hard to breathe normally. In Jeremiah 4:31, the prophet uses this image to show how deep distress can feel in the body. This connection between our lungs and our spirit reminds us that God sees our whole person, including our physical reactions to trouble.
When you feel anxious or afraid, your body may react just like this. You might gasp for air or feel tightness in your chest. These are natural human responses, not signs of weak faith. Scripture acknowledges these feelings by using such vivid language. It shows that our emotions and physical states are part of how we experience life’s challenges.
Knowing this can bring comfort. God understands the weight of fear because He uses words like yaphach to describe it. You do not need to hide your panic or shame your physical reactions. Instead, you can bring these raw moments to Him. He is close to those who are overwhelmed and hears even the silent gasps of a troubled heart.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- she is gasping for breath1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- תִּתְיַפֵּ֖חַ1×
Key Verses
-
Jeremiah 4:31
For I have heard a voice as of a woman in travail, the anguish as of her who gives birth to her first child, the voice of the daughter of Zion, who gasps for breath, who spreads her hands, saying, “Woe is me now! For my soul faints before the murderers.”
This verse uses yaphach to depict the daughter of Zion's physical reaction to terror, linking her labored breathing directly to her spiritual anguish and sense of impending doom.