θρην-έω G2354
To wail, mourn, or sing a dirge; ritualized vocal lamentation for the dead or for grief.
Rooted in the noun θρῆνος (dirge), this verb denotes formal, often vocal mourning — the kind of stylized weeping heard at funerals. Jesus invokes it in the parable of the children in the marketplace who complain 'we sang a dirge and you did not mourn' (Matt 11:17; Luke 7:32). Women along the Via Dolorosa θρηνέω over Jesus (Luke 23:27), and he warns the disciples that their grief will be real while the world rejoices (John 16:20). French 'se lamenter' and Spanish 'lamentar' both capture the sustained, vocal quality of this mourning.
Senses
1. sense 1 — To perform vocal lamentation, wail, or sing a funeral dirge, typically in a ritualized or public setting. The word appears in Jesus' parable about children calling out 'we sang a dirge and you did not lament' (Matt 11:17; Luke 7:32), underscoring the expected social response to mourning. At Luke 23:27 women θρηνέω along the road to Golgotha, and at John 16:20 Jesus warns the disciples they will θρηνέω while the world celebrates. Spanish 'lamentar' and French 'se lamenter' preserve the sustained, vocal, deeply emotional register of this grief. 4×
AR["تَنُوحُونَ", "نُحنا", "يَنُحْنَ"]·ben["বিলাপ-করবে", "বিলাপ-করলাম", "শোক-করছিল"]·DE["klagen", "ἐθρήνουν", "ἐθρηνήσαμεν"]·EN["lament", "we-mourned", "were-lamenting"]·FR["se-lamenter"]·heb["מְקוֹנְנוֹת", "קוֹנַנְנוּ", "קוֹנַנּוּ", "תִסְפְּדוּ"]·HI["विलअप-किय", "विलाप-करती-थीं", "विलाप-करोगे", "विलाप-किया"]·ID["Kami-meratap", "kami-meratap", "kamu-akan-meratap", "menangisi"]·IT["ethrenesamen", "ethrenoun", "threnesete"]·jav["badhé-sambat", "kita-nangis", "kula-sedaya-sampun-sesambat,", "sesambat"]·KO["슬퍼할-것이다", "애공했다", "애통했다", "우리가-애곡했는데"]·PT["lamentamos", "lamentareis"]·RU["возрыдаете", "оплакивали", "пели-похоронную", "плакали"]·ES["lamentaban", "lamentamos", "lamentaréis"]·SW["mtaomboleza", "tuliomboleza", "wakejifanya"]·TR["ağıt-yaktık", "ağıt-yaktık,", "ağıt-yakıyorlardı", "yas-tutacaksınız"]·urd["روتی-تھیں", "ماتم کرو گے", "نوحہ-کیا", "نہ-روئے"]
Related Senses
H3548 1. priest, cultic officiant (750×)G5547 1. Christ, Messiah, Anointed One (540×)H5030 1. Prophet, divine spokesperson (317×)H5930a 1. burnt offering (sacrifice) (286×)H3881 1. Levites (priestly class) (283×)G4396 1. prophet, spokesperson of God (146×)H6944 1. sanctuary, holy place (129×)G0749 1. high priest, chief priest (123×)H6944 2. holiness, sacredness (abstract quality) (123×)G5330 1. Pharisee (99×)G4336 1. pray to God (86×)H6944 3. holy things, sacred offerings (plural) (86×)H3722a 1. make ritual atonement (Piel) (85×)H6912 1. bury (Qal active) (82×)H6419 1. pray (Hitpael) (80×)H6944 4. holiness (with possessive pronoun) (77×)H6942 1. sanctify, consecrate (Piel factitive) (76×)H2930a 1. Qal: be/become unclean (75×)H7819a 1. slaughter an animal (Qal active) (72×)H1486 1. lot (object cast for decisions) (71×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
θρην-έω, future -ήσωRefs 5th c.BC+: aorist 1 -ησαRefs 5th c.BC+:—middle (see. below Refs: impersonal in perfect passive (see. below): (θρῆνος):—sing a dirge, wail, Μοῦσαι δ᾽ ἐννέα πᾶσαι ἀμειβόμεναι ὀπὶ καλῇ θρήνεον Refs 8th c.BC+; τίς ὁ θρηνήσω; Refs 4th c.BC+[same place]; τίς.. ἔσθ᾽ ὁ θρηνῶ; Refs 5th c.BC+ were singing a doleful dirge, Refs 8th c.BC+; γόον θ. Refs 5th c.BC+; ὕμνους, of the…