Heaviness, in a biblical context, often refers to a state of sorrow, burden, or spiritual weight that affects the heart and mind. This condition is frequently addressed in Scripture, where it is associated with trials, sin, and the human experience of suffering. The Bible provides both acknowledgment of this state and guidance for overcoming it through faith and reliance on God.

Old Testament References

In the Old Testament, heaviness is often linked to mourning and distress. The Hebrew word "כָּבֵד" (kaved), which can mean heavy or burdensome, is used in various contexts to describe the weight of sorrow. For instance, in Proverbs 12:25 , it is written, "Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up." This verse highlights the emotional burden that can accompany worry and the power of encouragement to alleviate it.

The Psalms frequently express the theme of heaviness, as the psalmists pour out their hearts to God in times of trouble. Psalm 69:20 states, "Scorn has broken my heart and left me helpless; I looked for sympathy, but there was none, for comforters, but I found no one." Here, the psalmist describes the profound sense of abandonment and emotional weight that can accompany scorn and rejection.

New Testament Insights

In the New Testament, heaviness is often associated with spiritual trials and the challenges of living a faithful Christian life. The Greek word "βαρύς" (barus), meaning heavy or burdensome, is used to describe the weight of certain experiences. In Matthew 11:28-30 , Jesus offers a profound invitation: "Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." This passage emphasizes the relief and rest found in Christ, contrasting the heaviness of worldly burdens with the lightness of His yoke.

The Apostle Paul also addresses the concept of heaviness in his epistles. In 2 Corinthians 4:17 , he writes, "For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal glory that is far beyond comparison." Paul acknowledges the reality of suffering but frames it within the context of eternal hope and glory, encouraging believers to maintain perspective amidst trials.

Spiritual Implications and Remedies

Heaviness, as a spiritual condition, is often linked to the consequences of sin and the trials of life. The Bible encourages believers to cast their burdens upon the Lord, as seen in 1 Peter 5:7 : "Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you." This act of casting burdens onto God is an expression of trust and reliance on His providence and care.

Prayer and worship are also presented as remedies for heaviness. In Isaiah 61:3 , the prophet speaks of the Messiah's mission "to console the mourners in Zion, to give them a crown of beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and a garment of praise for a spirit of despair." This exchange of heaviness for joy and praise underscores the transformative power of God's presence and promises.

Practical Application

Believers are encouraged to support one another in times of heaviness, as seen in Galatians 6:2 : "Carry one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." The Christian community is called to be a source of comfort and strength, reflecting the love and compassion of Christ.

In summary, heaviness is a multifaceted concept in the Bible, encompassing emotional, spiritual, and physical burdens. Scripture provides both acknowledgment of this condition and a pathway to relief through faith, community, and the promises of God.(n.) The state or quality of being heavy in its various senses; weight; sadness; sluggishness; oppression; thickness.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

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

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

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

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

What does the Bible say about anxiety? | GotQuestions.org

Heaviness: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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