קִינָה (qi.nah)
qi.nah
dirge
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 5 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun qinah refers to a formal lament or dirge, typically composed in a distinctive rhythmic pattern to express grief over death or national disaster. It appears five times in the Hebrew Bible, most notably in 2 Chronicles and the prophetic books of Amos and Jeremiah. This term designates more than casual mourning; it implies a structured poetic composition intended for public recitation.
The word is closely associated with specific historical tragedies. For instance, King Josiah’s death is marked by a qinah that Jeremiah himself composed (2 Chronicles 35:25), and Amos uses the term to describe the mourning over Israel’s impending fall (Amos 5:2). In these contexts, the dirge serves as a communal response to catastrophe, giving voice to collective sorrow through established literary forms.
Translators often render qinah as "lamentation" or "dirge," though neither English word fully captures its technical nature as a specific poetic genre. The sources emphasize that this term identifies a recognized type of literature within the biblical corpus, one that preserves memory and processes grief through structured art rather than spontaneous outburst.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word qinah describes a formal dirge, a structured poem of grief used in ancient Israel to process loss. It was not just spontaneous crying but a composed lament intended for public recitation. This shows that the Bible validates deep sorrow and gives it a place within the community's life.
When we face tragedy, like the death of King Josiah or the fall of nations, this concept reminds us that grief can be expressed through art and shared ritual. It honors the reality of pain while pointing toward communal support. We are not alone in our mourning, as Scripture itself preserves these songs of lament.
Understanding qinah helps us see that expressing sorrow is part of our faith journey. It invites us to bring our heaviest burdens into the light, trusting that God hears the cries of His people even in their darkest moments.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 5 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- a lamentation2×
- the/ lamentations1×
- the/ lamentation1×
- into/ lamentation1×
- in/ lamentations/ their1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- קִינָ֖ה1×
- קִינָ֑ה1×
- לְ/קִינָ֔ה1×
- הַ/קִּינֽוֹת\׃1×
- הַ/קִּינָ֖ה1×
- בְּ/קִינ֨וֹתֵי/הֶ֤ם1×
Key Verses
-
II Samuel 1:17
David lamented with this lamentation over Saul and over Jonathan his son
David composes this lament over Saul and Jonathan, showing how qinah preserves the memory of fallen leaders and validates royal grief.
-
Amos 5:1
Listen to this word which I take up for a lamentation over you, O house of Israel:
Amos uses this term to announce a poetic judgment on Israel, linking national disaster with the formal structure of a funeral song.
-
II Chronicles 35:25
Jeremiah lamented for Josiah, and all the singing men and singing women spoke of Josiah in their lamentations to this day; and they made them an ordinance in Israel. Behold, they are written in the lamentations.
Jeremiah’s lament for Josiah becomes an established ordinance in Israel, demonstrating how qinah institutionalizes communal mourning for righteous leaders.