פָּעָה (pa.ah)
pa.ah
to groan
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb pa‘ah describes a guttural sound of distress, translated as groaning, crying out, or screaming. With only one occurrence in the Hebrew Bible, it appears in Isaiah 24:7 where the wine mourns and the vine languishes. The word captures a raw, physical reaction to loss or suffering rather than a quiet sigh.
Its usage is stark and singular, emphasizing the suddenness of grief. In that specific context, the groaning accompanies the failure of the harvest, linking human emotion directly to agricultural ruin. This rare term highlights how intense sorrow can manifest as an involuntary vocalization, marking a moment of profound disruption in the natural order.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When life brings sudden loss, our grief can feel too deep for ordinary words. The rare Hebrew word pa‘ah captures this raw, physical reaction to suffering. It describes a guttural cry that rises from the depths of distress, marking a moment when sorrow disrupts the natural order.
In Isaiah 24:7, this groaning accompanies the failure of the harvest. The wine mourns and the vine languishes, reflecting how intense grief can manifest as an involuntary vocalization. This stark image reminds us that even creation itself cries out in pain during times of profound disruption.
Knowing that such deep lament is part of our spiritual language offers comfort. You do not need to hide your pain or force a quiet strength when you are broken. Your honest cry before God is heard and valued, meeting you in your darkest moments with grace.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- I groan1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- אֶפְעֶ֔ה1×