Bible Dictionary: Heaviness

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary

(n.) The state or quality of being heavy in its various senses; weight; sadness; sluggishness; oppression; thickness.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

HEAVY; HEAVINESS

hev'-i, hev'-i-nes (kabhedh, de'aghah; lupe):

1. Literal:

Heavy (heave, to lift) is used literally with respect to material things, as the translation of kobhedh, "heaviness" (Proverbs 27:3, "a stone is heavy"); of kabhedh, "to be weighty" (1 Samuel 4:18 2 Samuel 14:26 Lamentations 3:7); of `amac, "to load" (Isaiah 46:1 the King James Version; compare Matthew 26:43 Mark 14:40 Luke 9:32, "Their eyes were heavy"); bareomai, "to be weighed down."

2. Figuratively:

It is used

(1) for what is hard to bear, oppressive, kabhedh (Exodus 18:18 Numbers 11:14 1 Samuel 5:6, 11 Psalm 38:4 Isaiah 24:20); motah, a "yoke" (Isaiah 58:6, the Revised Version (British and American) "bands of the yoke"); qasheh, "sharp," "hard" (1 Kings 14:6, "heavy tidings"); barus, "heavy" (Matthew 23:4);

(2) for sad, sorrowful (weighed down), mar, "bitter" (Proverbs 31:6, the Revised Version (British and American) "bitter"); ra`, "evil" (Proverbs 25:20); ademoneo, literally, "to be sated," "wearied," then, "to be very heavy," "dejected" (Matthew 26:37, of our Lord in Gethsemane, "(he) began to be sorrowful and very heavy," the Revised Version (British and American) "sore troubled"); "ademonein denotes a kind of stupefaction and bewilderment, the intellectual powers reeling and staggering under the pressure of the ideas presented to them" (Mason, The Conditions of our Lord's Life on Earth); compare Mark 14:33;

(3) morose, sulky, as well as sad, car, "sullen," "sour," "angry" (1 Kings 20:43; 1 Kings 21:4, "heavy and displeased");

(4) dull, kabhedh (Isaiah 6:10, "make their ears heavy"; Isaiah 59:1, "neither (is) his ear heavy");

(5) "tired" seems to be the meaning in Exodus 17:12, "Moses' hands were heavy" (kabhedh); compare Matthew 26:43 and parallels above.

Heavily is the translation of kebhedhuth, "heaviness" (Exodus 14:25), meaning "with difficulty"; of qadhar, "to be black," "to be a mourner" (Psalm 35:14 the King James Version, the Revised Version (British and American) "I bowed down mourning"); of kabhedh (Isaiah 47:6).

Heaviness has always the sense of anxiety, sorrow, grief, etc.; de'aghah, "fear," "dread," "anxious care" (Proverbs 12:25, "Heaviness in the heart of a man maketh it stoop," the Revised Version margin "or care"); kehah, "to be feeble," "weak" (Isaiah 61:3, "the spirit of heaviness"); panim, "face," "aspect" (Job 9:27 the King James Version, "I will leave off my heaviness," the Revised Version (British and American) "(sad) countenance"; compare 2 Esdras 5:16; The Wisdom of Solomon 17:4; Ecclesiasticus 25:23); ta'aniyah, from 'anah, "to groan," "to sigh" (Isaiah 29:2, the Revised Version (British and American) "mourning and lamentation"); tughah, "sadness," "sorrow" (Psalm 119:28 Proverbs 10:1; Proverbs 14:13); ta`anith, "affliction of one's self," "fasting" (Ezra 9:5, the Revised Version (British and American) "humiliation," margin "fasting"); katepheia, "dejection," "sorrow" (literally, "of the eyes") (James 4:9, "your joy (turned) to heaviness"); lupe, "grief" (Romans 9:2, the Revised Version (British and American) "great sorrow"; 2 Corinthians 2:1, the Revised Version (British and American) "sorrow"); lupeomai (1 Peter 1:6, the Revised Version (British and American) "put to grief"); for nush, "to be sick," "feeble" (Psalm 69:20, the Revised Version margin "sore sick"), and ademoneo (Philippians 2:26 the Revised Version (British and American) "sore troubled"), the King James Version has "full of heaviness." "Heaviness," in the sense of sorrow, sadness, occurs in 2 Esdras 10:7, 8, 24; Tobit 2:5; lupe (Ecclesiasticus 22:4, the Revised Version (British and American) "grief"; 30:21, "Give not thy soul to heaviness," the Revised Version (British and American) "sorrow"; 1 Maccabees 6:4); lupeo (Ecclesiasticus 30:9, the Revised Version (British and American) "will grieve thee"; penthos (1 Maccabees 3:51, etc.).

The Revised Version has "heavier work" for "more work" (Exodus 5:9); "heavy upon men" for "common among men" (Ecclesiastes 6:1); for "were heavy loaden" (Isaiah 46:1), "are made a load"; for "the burden thereof is heavy" (Isaiah 30:27), "in thick rising smoke."

W. L. Walker

Greek

2726. katepheia -- dejection
... From a compound of kata and perhaps a derivative of the base of phaino (meaning
downcast in look); demureness, ie (by implication) sadness -- heaviness. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2726.htm - 6k

3076. lupeo -- to distress, to grieve
... From lupe; to distress; reflexively or passively, to be sad -- cause grief, grieve,
be in heaviness, (be) sorrow(-ful), be (make) sorry. see GREEK lupe. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3076.htm - 8k

85. ademoneo -- to be distressed
... to be distressed, troubled. From a derivative of adeo (to be sated to loathing);
to be in distress (of mind) -- be full of heaviness, be very heavy. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/85.htm - 6k

3077. lupe -- pain of body or mind, grief, sorrow
... grief, pain, sorrow. Apparently a primary word; sadness -- grief, grievous, +
grudgingly, heaviness, sorrow. (lupas) -- 1 Occurrence. (lupe) -- 7 Occurrences. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3077.htm - 6k

Strong's Hebrew

3514. kobed -- heaviness, mass
... 3513, 3514. kobed. 3515 . heaviness, mass. Transliteration: kobed Phonetic
Spelling: (ko'-bed) Short Definition: dense. Word Origin ...
/hebrew/3514.htm - 6k

3517. kebeduth -- heaviness
... 3516, 3517. kebeduth. 3518 . heaviness. Transliteration: kebeduth Phonetic
Spelling: (keb-ay-dooth') Short Definition: difficulty. ...
/hebrew/3517.htm - 6k

4946. mishqol -- heaviness, weight
... 4945b, 4946. mishqol. 4947 . heaviness, weight. Transliteration: mishqol
Phonetic Spelling: (mish-kole') Short Definition: weight. ...
/hebrew/4946.htm - 6k

1674. deagah -- anxiety, anxious care
... carefulness, fear, heaviness, sorrow. From da'ag; anxiety -- care(-fulness), fear,
heaviness, sorrow. see HEBREW da'ag. 1673, 1674. deagah. 1675 . ...
/hebrew/1674.htm - 6k

3544. keheh -- dim, dull, faint
... somewhat dark, darkish, wax dim, heaviness, smoking. From kahah; feeble, obscure --
somewhat dark, darkish, wax dim, heaviness, smoking. see HEBREW kahah. ...
/hebrew/3544.htm - 6k

5136. nush -- to be sick
... be full of heaviness. A primitive root; to be sick, ie (figuratively) distressed --
be full of heaviness. 5135, 5136. nush. 5137 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/5136.htm - 5k

8589. taanith -- humiliation
... heaviness. From anah; affliction (of self), ie Fasting -- heaviness. see HEBREW
anah. 8588, 8589. taanith. 8590 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/8589.htm - 6k

8387. Taanath Shiloh -- perhaps "approach to Shiloh," a city of ...
... Word Origin from taanah and Shiloh Definition perhaps "approach to Shiloh," a city
of Ephraim NASB Word Usage Taanath-shiloh (1). heaviness, mourning. ...
/hebrew/8387.htm - 6k

8424. tugah -- grief
... Tubal-cain. From yagah; depression (of spirits); concretely a grief -- heaviness,
sorrow. see HEBREW yagah. 8423, 8424. tugah. 8425 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/8424.htm - 6k

8386. taaniyyah -- mourning
... Word Origin from anah Definition mourning NASB Word Usage lamenting (1). occasion.
From 'anah; lamentation -- heaviness, mourning. see HEBREW 'anah. ...
/hebrew/8386.htm - 6k

Library

The Christian's Heaviness and Rejoicing
... The Christian's Heaviness and Rejoicing. A Sermon (No.222). ... "Ye greatly
rejoice," and yet "ye are in heaviness." Is that possible? ...
/.../spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/the christians heaviness and rejoicing.htm

Heaviness through Manifold Temptations
... First Series Sermon 47 Heaviness through Manifold Temptations. "Now for a season,
if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations." 1:Pet.1:6. ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 47 heaviness through manifold.htm

Blowing the Clouds Away
... As I looked back at the beginning of that season of heaviness and darkness, I could
not see anything that I had done to bring it; it had just settled down upon ...
//christianbookshelf.org/naylor/heart talks/talk forty blowing the clouds.htm

The Programme of the Society
... THE GARMENT OF PRAISE FOR THE SPIRIT OF HEAVINESS. ... Who would have expected to find
among the special objects of Christ's solicitude the Spirit of Heaviness? ...
/.../the programme of the society.htm

Psalm CXVI.
... 4. But after "I too found trouble and heaviness, I called upon the Name of the Lord"
(ver.4). For trouble and profitable sorrow I did not feel; trouble ...
/.../augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm cxvi.htm

Letter cclxiii. To Sapida
... and begin to lament as if thou hadst suffered great harm thyself;" but adds, a little
further on, this counsel, "and then comfort thyself for thy heaviness. ...
/.../augustine/the confessions and letters of st/letter cclxiii to sapida.htm

That Perfect Love Binds to God Without Loosing and Makes Man ...
... Sorrow certain and all heaviness would pass from me, and that I desire come to
me, if my soul had received or heard the song of Thy praise. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/rolle/the fire of love/chapter xi that perfect love.htm

The Desire of a Lover after God is Shown: and the Cursed Love of ...
... Sic defecit in dolore vita mea, et anni in gemitibus: thus fails my life in heaviness,
and my years in lamenting; for from my love I am put back, and desire of ...
//christianbookshelf.org/rolle/the fire of love/chapter viii the desire of.htm

Sorrowful, yet Always Rejoicing
... 'Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are
in heaviness through manifold temptations.'"1 Peter 1:6. ...
/.../sorrowful yet always rejoicing.htm

Messiah Unpitied, and Without a Comforter
... Psalm 69:20. Reproach [Rebuke] hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: ...
It is not surprising, therefore, that He says, I am full of heaviness. ...
/.../newton/messiah vol 1/sermon xxii messiah unpitied and.htm

Thesaurus

Heaviness (14 Occurrences)
... weight; sadness; sluggishness; oppression; thickness. Int. Standard Bible
Encyclopedia. HEAVY; HEAVINESS. hev'-i, hev'-i-nes (kabhedh ...
/h/heaviness.htm - 16k

Heavy (110 Occurrences)
... 14. (adv.) Heavily; -- sometimes used in composition; as, heavy-laden. 15. (vt)
To make heavy. Int. Standard Bible Encyclopedia. HEAVY; HEAVINESS. ...
/h/heavy.htm - 44k

Weight (143 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) The quantity of heaviness; comparative tendency to the center of the earth;
the quantity of matter as estimated by the balance, or expressed ...
/w/weight.htm - 43k

Weigh (24 Occurrences)
... by the balance; to ascertain the weight of, that is, the force with which a thing
tends to the center of the earth; to determine the heaviness, or quantity of ...
/w/weigh.htm - 14k

Mantle (35 Occurrences)
... Ezra 9:5 And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent
my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands ...
/m/mantle.htm - 21k

Heavily (17 Occurrences)

/h/heavily.htm - 11k

Oppression (67 Occurrences)
... 3. (n.) A sense of heaviness or obstruction in the body or mind; depression; dullness;
lassitude; as, an oppression of spirits; an oppression of the lungs. ...
/o/oppression.htm - 29k

Laughter (14 Occurrences)
... Proverbs 14:13 Even in laughter the heart may be sorrowful, and mirth may
end in heaviness. (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). ...
/l/laughter.htm - 13k

Garland (6 Occurrences)
... to those who mourn in Zion, to give to them a garland for ashes, the oil of joy
for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may ...
/g/garland.htm - 9k

Gloom (29 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) A shady, gloomy, or dark place or grove. 3. (n.) Cloudiness or heaviness
of mind; melancholy; aspect of sorrow; low spirits; dullness. ...
/g/gloom.htm - 15k

Bible Concordance

Heaviness (14 Occurrences)

Romans 9:2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart.
(KJV WBS)

2 Corinthians 2:1 But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness.
(KJV WBS)

Philippians 2:26 For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick.
(KJV WBS YLT)

James 4:9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.
(KJV ASV DBY WBS YLT)

1 Peter 1:6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
(KJV WBS)

Ezra 9:5 And at the evening sacrifice I arose up from my heaviness; and having rent my garment and my mantle, I fell upon my knees, and spread out my hands unto the LORD my God,
(KJV WBS)

Job 9:27 If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself:
(KJV WBS)

Psalms 69:20 Reproach has broken my heart, and I am full of heaviness. I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; for comforters, but I found none.
(WEB KJV ASV WBS)

Psalms 119:28 My soul melteth for heaviness: strengthen thou me according unto thy word.
(KJV JPS ASV WBS)

Proverbs 10:1 The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother.
(KJV ASV WBS)

Proverbs 12:25 Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.
(KJV ASV DBY WBS)

Proverbs 14:13 Even in laughter the heart may be sorrowful, and mirth may end in heaviness.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV WBS)

Isaiah 29:2 Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be heaviness and sorrow: and it shall be unto me as Ariel.
(KJV WBS)

Isaiah 61:3 to appoint to those who mourn in Zion, to give to them a garland for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of Yahweh, that he may be glorified.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS)

Subtopics

Heaviness

Related Terms

Heavy (110 Occurrences)

Weight (143 Occurrences)

Weigh (24 Occurrences)

Mantle (35 Occurrences)

Heavily (17 Occurrences)

Oppression (67 Occurrences)

Laughter (14 Occurrences)

Garland (6 Occurrences)

Gloom (29 Occurrences)