עָיֵף (a.yeph)
a.yeph
faint
H:AQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 16 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:A
Definition
Definition
Brown-Driver-Briggs
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word ayeph describes a state of physical exhaustion that often mirrors spiritual depletion. It appears in Genesis when Esau returns from the field, utterly famished and unable to function. This raw depiction reminds us that human frailty is real. We are not designed to carry our burdens alone without rest or sustenance.
In Isaiah 28:12, God offers Himself as the place of rest for those who are faint. This promise acknowledges our limits while providing a source of strength beyond ourselves. When we feel worn out by life’s demands, this word invites us to seek refreshment in divine care rather than pushing through in our own power.
Understanding this term helps us approach others with compassion. Scripture frequently links being ayeph with the need for basic needs like food and water. It calls the community to practical kindness, recognizing that physical exhaustion can cloud our spiritual vision and emotional stability.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 16 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- weary2×
- exhausted2×
- [were] exhausted2×
- [the] weary2×
- to the/ weary1×
- for/ a weary [animal]1×
- and/ weary1×
- [was] exhausted1×
- [is] a weary [one]1×
- [he is] faint1×
- [are] exhausted1×
- [am] exhausted1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- עָיֵ֣ף2×
- עֲיֵפָ֑ה2×
- עָיֵֽף\׃1×
- עָיֵ֤ף1×
- עָיֵ֖ף1×
- עָיֵ֔ף1×
- עֲיֵפָֽה\׃1×
- עֲיֵפָ֖ה1×
- עֲיֵפִ֣ים1×
- עֲיֵפִ֖ים1×
- עֲיֵפִ֑ים1×
- לַ/עֲיֵפָֽה\׃1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 25:30
Esau said to Jacob, “Please feed me with some of that red stew, for I am famished.” Therefore his name was called Edom.
Esau uses this term to describe his immediate physical need for food after hunting, highlighting how bodily weakness can drive desperate decisions.
-
Isaiah 28:12
to whom he said, “This is the resting place. Give rest to the weary,” and “This is the refreshing;” yet they would not hear.
God explicitly identifies Himself as the resting place for the faint, contrasting human weariness with divine provision.
-
Judges 8:4
Gideon came to the Jordan and passed over, he and the three hundred men who were with him, faint, yet pursuing.
Gideon and his men are described as faint yet still pursuing their enemies, showing that exhaustion does not necessarily end a mission but requires endurance.
-
Jeremiah 31:25
For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.”
God promises to satiate the weary soul, linking physical fatigue with spiritual restoration and comfort.