H3286 H3286
To grow weary, become faint from exertion or lack; also (Hofal) to be caused to fly swiftly.
Primarily a verb of human exhaustion — the bone-deep weariness that overtakes even the young and strong. Isaiah 40:28–31 builds its famous crescendo around this word: YHWH does not grow weary (yi'af), youths grow weary and stumble, but those who wait on YHWH shall mount up with wings like eagles. The irony is exquisite when the Hofal participle mu'af appears in Daniel 9:21, where Gabriel arrives 'caused to fly swiftly' — the very root that elsewhere means 'to be exhausted' is here repurposed for supernatural speed. Spanish captures the primary sense with 'se cansarán' (they will tire) and the flight sense with 'volando' (flying), marking the semantic leap clearly.
Senses
1. grow weary / become exhausted — To grow weary, become exhausted, be faint from exertion or deprivation. The Qal verb and its derived forms cover physical and spiritual tiredness: the blacksmith who grows faint from thirst while forging an idol (Isa 44:12), youths who stumble in exhaustion (Isa 40:30), nations who 'weary themselves' for nothing (Hab 2:13; Jer 51:58, 64), the wild donkey panting in heat until spent (Jer 2:24), and the weary men of Succoth whom Gideon encounters (Judg 8:15). Isaiah 40:28 negates it theologically — the Creator 'does not grow weary,' unlike all human and even youthful strength. 9×
AR["الـ-مُتْعَبِينَ","فَيَكِلُّ","وَيَتْعَبُ","وَيَكِلُّونَ","يَتعَبونَ","يَتْعَبُونَ","يَكِلُّ","يَكِلُّونَ"]·ben["আর-তারা-ক্লান্ত-হবে","এবং-ক্লান্ত-হবে","এবং-ক্লান্ত-হয়","ক্লান্ত-হন","ক্লান্ত-হবে","ক্লান্ত-হয়","ক্লান্তদের"]·DE["[וייעף]","[ויעפו]","[ייעף]","[ייעפו]","[יעפו]","der-exhausted"]·EN["Grow-faint","and-is-weary","and-not","and-they-grow-weary","and-they-will-grow-weary","grow-faint","the-exhausted","weary-themselves","will-grow-weary"]·FR["et-se-fatiguer","ils-voleront","le-exhausted","se-fatiguer"]·heb["ה-יעפים","ו-ייעף","ו-ייעפו","ו-יעפו","ייעף","ייעפו","יעפו"]·HI["और-थक-जाएँगे","और-थकते-हैं","और-थका","और-वे-थक-जाएँगे","थकता-है","थकेंगे","थकेंगे-वे","थकेहुओंको"]·ID["Dan-menjadi-lelah","akan-lelah","dan-ia-menjadi-lelah","dan-mereka-akan-menjadi-lelah","dan-mereka-menjadi-lelah","lelah","menjadi-lelah","mereka-kelelahan?","yang-lelah"]·IT["[יעפו]","affaticarsi","e-affaticarsi","il-exhausted"]·jav["Lan-dados-kesel","ingkang-sayah","kesel","lan-kesel","lan-piyambakipun-badhé-sayah","lan-sayah","lelès","sayah"]·KO["그-피곤한","그리고-지치느니라","그리고-지치리라-그들이","그리고-피곤하리라","피곤케-되느니라","피곤하리라","피곤하시며"]·PT["cansam-se","e-desmaia","e-fatigar-se-ão","e-se-cansarão","os-exaustos","se-cansa","se-cansarão"]·RU["и-изнемогает","и-изнемогут","и-устанут","изнемогают","изнемогут","усталым","устанут","устаёт"]·ES["Y-se-cansarán","desfallece","los-cansados","se-cansan","se-cansarán","se-fatigarán","y-desfallece","y-se-fatigarán"]·SW["Na-wanachoka","choka","dhoofika","hachoki","na-akachoka","na-wamechoka","na-watachoka","waliochoka","wanachoka"]·TR["Ve-yorulur","bitkin-dusecekler","için-adamlarına","tükenir","ve-yorulacaklar","ve-yoruldu","ve-yoruldular","yorulacaklar","yorulur"]·urd["اور-تھک-جائیں-گے","اور-تھک-جاتا-ہے","اور-تھکیں-گے","اور-وہ-تھک-جائیں-گے","تھک-جاتے-ہیں","تھکتا","تھکیں-گے","تھکے-ہوئے"]
2. fly / caused to fly (Hofal) — To fly, be caused to fly swiftly (Hofal participle). Daniel 9:21 describes the angel Gabriel as mu'af bi'af — 'caused to fly in swift flight' or 'wearied with weariness' (the phrase is deliberately ambiguous). Most modern translations and the multilingual evidence favor 'flying swiftly': Spanish gives 'volando' (flying), and English renders 'caused to fly.' This may represent a distinct root (ya'af II = to fly), or a striking wordplay on the exhaustion root, suggesting Gabriel arrived in breathless haste from heaven. 1×
AR["طَائِرًا"]·ben["উড়ন্ত"]·DE["[מעף]"]·EN["caused-to-fly"]·FR["fatiguer"]·heb["מועף"]·HI["उड़ता-हुआ"]·ID["terbang"]·IT["[מעף]"]·jav["mabur"]·KO["날려"]·PT["voando"]·RU["летевший"]·ES["volando"]·SW["akiruka"]·TR["uçan"]·urd["اُڑتا-ہوا"]
Related Senses
H0935 1. come, arrive (Qal) (2413×)G1473 1. first person singular pronoun (2084×)H7200 1. Qal: to see, perceive (1257×)G4771 2. you (singular address) (1077×)H8085 1. Qal: hear, perceive aurally (921×)H3318 1. Qal: go out, depart, come forth (891×)H7725 1. to return, come/go back (Qal) (874×)H5927 1. go up, ascend (Qal) (779×)H0859a 1. you (2nd person masculine singular pronoun) (743×)H7971 1. to send, dispatch (Qal) (701×)H0398 1. eat (consume food) (697×)H4191 1. die (Qal: natural/general death) (645×)G2064 1. come / arrive (physical movement toward) (588×)G3708 1. see, perceive visually (419×)G0191 1. hear, perceive sound (360×)H???? 3. (352×)H5307 1. Qal: fall down physically (339×)H5375 1. Qal: to lift up, raise (330×)H1818 1. blood (physical substance) (327×)H5975 1. to stand, stand up (310×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† I. [יָעֵף] vb. be weary, faint (Arabic وَغَفَ run and shew weariness)— Qal Pf. וְיָעֵ֑פוּ consec. Je 51:58, 64; Impf. יִיעַף Is 40:28; וַיִּעָ֑ף 44:12; יִֽעֲפוּ 40:30; יִיעָ֑פוּ v 31 Je 2:24; יִעָ֑פוּ Hb 2:13;—be or grow weary Je 2:24 (in seeking); = exhaust oneself fruitlessly Hb 2:13 (‖ יגע), hence Je 51:58, 64 (repeated by error from v 58); of י׳ (neg.); Is 40:28 (‖ יגע); youth 40:30 (‖…