תְּלָאָה (te.la.ah)
te.la.ah
hardship
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 4 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun telā’ah describes a state of physical exhaustion or deep distress. It captures the feeling of being worn out by labor or burdened by difficult circumstances. The word appears in four verses, linking human fatigue with the heavier weight of suffering.
Its usage spans different genres of Scripture. In Numbers 11:11 and 14:29, it reflects the people’s weariness from their grumbling journey through the wilderness. Later, in Nehemiah 5:18, it describes the physical toll of the work on the builders. Lamentations 1:3 uses it to convey the profound hardship faced by Jerusalem during its fall.
This term highlights the biblical view that suffering is not just spiritual but deeply physical. It acknowledges the reality of human limits and the strain placed on bodies and spirits. The word serves as a reminder that endurance often comes at a cost, and that God sees the weight carried by His people.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
Life often brings moments when we feel physically and emotionally worn down. The Hebrew word telā’ah names this reality, describing a deep exhaustion that comes from carrying heavy burdens or facing difficult circumstances. It is not merely tiredness after a long day, but a profound weariness that touches the spirit as well as the body. Scripture acknowledges this weight without judgment, showing that even God’s people have faced seasons of intense hardship.
In Lamentations 3:5, the poet describes being surrounded by bitterness and telā’ah, capturing the raw pain of loss and displacement. This honest expression reminds us that feeling overwhelmed is part of the human experience, not a failure of faith. God sees the strain we carry and does not dismiss our fatigue as insignificant.
When you face your own trials, know that this word validates your struggle. You are not alone in feeling worn out by life’s demands. The Bible holds space for both your suffering and your hope, pointing to a God who understands physical limits and spiritual grief alike.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 4 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- the/ hardship3×
- and/ hardship1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וּ/תְלָאָֽה\׃1×
- הַ/תְּלָאָה֙1×
- הַ/תְּלָאָ֣ה1×
- הַ/תְּלָאָ֖ה1×
Key Verses
-
Lamentations 3:5
He has built against me, and surrounded me with bitterness and hardship.
This verse uses telā’ah alongside bitterness to depict the intense personal suffering experienced during Jerusalem’s destruction, showing how the word captures deep emotional and physical distress.
-
Exodus 18:8
Moses told his father-in-law all that Yahweh had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardships that had come on them on the way, and how Yahweh delivered them.
Moses recounts the hardships that came on Israel on their journey, using telā’ah to describe the cumulative toll of their wilderness wanderings before reaching the Promised Land.
-
Numbers 20:14
Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom, saying: “Your brother Israel says: You know all the travail that has happened to us;
Here, Moses reminds Edom of the travail that befell Israel, linking telā’ah to the historical memory of suffering endured during their exodus and wilderness period.