H0060 H0060
mourning, lamentation — a period of formal grief for the dead or a communal expression of sorrow over calamity
Evel is a masculine noun denoting mourning in both its institutional and emotional dimensions — the formal period of grieving, the outward rites of lamentation, and the inner state of sorrow. Its 24 occurrences span patriarchal narrative, prophetic oracle, and wisdom literature. The great mourning for Jacob at the threshing floor of Atad was so intense that the Canaanites renamed the site Abel-mizraim, 'the mourning of Egypt' (Gen 50:10-11). The thirty-day mourning period for Moses at the plains of Moab established a pattern for national bereavement (Deut 34:8). In prophetic usage, evel frequently appears in reversal formulas: God will 'turn their mourning into joy' (Jer 31:13), festivals will become mourning (Amos 8:10), and ashes will be exchanged for a 'garment of praise instead of a spirit of mourning' (Isa 61:3). Lamentations summarizes the exile's desolation: 'our dancing has been turned to mourning' (Lam 5:15). Spanish 'duelo/luto,' French 'deuil,' and German 'Trauer' capture both the ritual period and the emotional state.
Senses
1. mourning, lamentation — A period or expression of grief, encompassing both the formal rites and the emotional weight of bereavement. Applied to mourning for the dead — the seven-day mourning at Abel-mizraim for Jacob (Gen 50:10-11), the thirty-day lamentation for Moses (Deut 34:8), and Ezekiel's commanded suppression of mourning rites for his wife (Ezek 24:17). Also used for communal grief over national calamity: Esther's Jews donned mourning in response to Haman's decree (Est 4:3; 9:22), and Job's harp 'is turned to mourning' (Job 30:31). Prophetically prominent in reversal oracles — mourning turned to joy (Jer 31:13; Isa 60:20; 61:3), or joy turned to mourning (Amos 8:10; Lam 5:15). Spanish 'duelo/luto,' French 'deuil,' German 'Trauer.' 24×
AR["-النَّوْحِ", "إِلَى-حُزْنٍ", "إِلَى-نَوْحٍ", "الحِدادُ", "النَّوْحَةَ", "النَّوْحِ", "بَيْتِ", "حُزنٍ", "حُزْنًا", "حُزْنٍ", "حِدادِ", "حِدَادٌ", "لِ-نَوحٍ", "لِ-نَوْحٍ", "نَوْحَةً", "نَوْحَةٌ-", "نَوْحِ", "وَ-نَوْحًا", "وَ‒مِنْ‒نَوْحٍ"]·ben["-জন্য", "এবং-শোক", "ও-শোক-থেকে", "শোক", "শোক-", "শোককাল", "শোকে", "শোকের"]·DE["[אבל]", "[ואבל]", "[ומאבל]", "[לאבל]", "der-Trauer", "der-mourning", "die-Trauer", "eine-Trauer", "hinein-mourning", "mourning", "mourning-von"]·EN["and-from-mourning", "and-mourning", "for-mourning", "into-mourning", "mourning", "mourning-", "mourning-of", "the-mourning", "to-mourning"]·FR["[אבל]", "[ומאבל]", "dans-deuil", "deuil", "et-deuil", "le-deuil", "le-mourning", "mourning", "mourning-", "mourning-de", "à-deuil"]·heb["אבל", "ה-אבל", "ו-אבל", "ו-מ-אבל", "ל-אבל"]·HI["और-विलाप-से", "और-शोक", "प्रशंसा-का-वस्त्र", "में-शोक", "शोक", "शोक-", "शोक-के", "शोक-के-लिए", "शोक-था", "शोक-में"]·ID["-perkabungan", "berkabung", "dan-dari-perkabungan", "dan-perkabungan", "dukacita", "menjadi-perkabungan", "perkabungan", "untuk-ratapan"]·IT["[אבל]", "[ומאבל]", "cordoglio", "dentro-cordoglio", "e-lamento", "il-cordoglio", "il-mourning", "lamento", "lutto", "mourning", "mourning-", "mourning-di", "per-per-mourning"]·jav["Tangisan", "dados-perkabungan", "dados-sedhih", "dados-sungkawa", "dhumateng-ratapan", "kanggé-prihatos", "kasusahan", "lan-saking-prihatin", "lan-tangis", "nangisakén", "prihatin", "prihatos", "pèngetan", "sang-kabela-sungkawa", "sedhih", "sedih", "tangisan"]·KO["그-애도가", "그-애도를", "그리고-애통-을", "그리고-에서-애도", "슬픔을", "애경을", "애곡(접)", "애곡이", "애공-의", "애도가-되었으니", "애도를", "애도의", "애도이다-", "애통-으로", "애통에", "애통이", "으로-애통"]·PT["Luto-", "e-de-luto", "e-luto", "em-luto", "luto", "luto-de", "o-luto", "para-lamento"]·RU["-траур", "в-скорбь", "для-траура", "и-из-траура", "и-траур", "плача,", "траур", "траур-", "траура", "трауре", "трауру"]·ES["a-luto", "duelo", "duelo-de", "duelo-por", "el-duelo", "el-luto", "en-luto", "luto", "y-de-luto", "y-duelo"]·SW["kutokufa", "kuwa-maombolezo", "kwa-maombolezo", "maombolezo", "maombolezo-ya", "na-huzuni", "na-kutoka-maombolezo", "wao", "za-maombolezo"]·TR["-yası", "Yas", "ve-yas", "ve-yastan-", "yas", "yasa", "yasin", "yasın", "yasının"]·urd["اور-سے-ماتم", "اور-نوحہ", "سوگ", "غم", "غم-کے", "ماتم", "ماتم میں", "ماتم-میں", "ماتم-کے"]
Gen 27:41, Gen 50:10, Gen 50:11, Gen 50:11, Deut 34:8, 2 Sam 11:27, 2 Sam 14:2, 2 Sam 19:2, Esth 4:3, Esth 9:22, Job 30:31, Eccl 7:2 (+12 more)
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
† אֵ֫בֶל n.m. Gn 50:11 mourning—abs. Gn 50:10 + 17 times; cstr. 27:41 + 3 times; אֶבְלֵךְ Is 60:20; אֶבְלָם Je 31:13—for dead, cstr. Gn 27:41 Dt 34:8 (‖ בּכי) so א׳ יָחִיד sim. for grievous mourning Am 8:10, id. metaph. Je 6:26 (‖ מִסְפַּד תַּמְרוּרִים); Gn 50:11(×2) Je 16:7 cf. 2 S 19:3 עשה א׳ Ez 24:17 (v. Co) sq. לְ Gn 50:10 (v. also ii. אָבֵל ad fin.); for calamity, Est 4:3; 9:22 (‖ יָגוֹן;…