Sighing is a physical expression often associated with deep emotion, such as grief, longing, or relief. In the Bible, sighing is frequently mentioned as a response to suffering, oppression, or the weight of sin. It serves as a poignant reminder of the human condition and the longing for divine intervention and redemption.

Old Testament References

In the Old Testament, sighing is often linked to the suffering and oppression of God's people. In Exodus 2:23, the Israelites, under the harsh bondage of Egypt, "groaned and cried out under their bondage, and their cry for deliverance from slavery ascended to God." This sighing is a form of prayer, a non-verbal plea for God's deliverance.

The Psalms also capture the essence of sighing as an expression of deep distress. In Psalm 38:9, David writes, "O Lord, my every desire is before You; my groaning is not hidden from You." Here, sighing is a manifestation of David's inner turmoil and his reliance on God for relief and understanding.

The prophet Isaiah uses sighing to describe the sorrow and lamentation of the people. In Isaiah 21:2, he speaks of a "harsh vision" that causes him to sigh deeply, reflecting the burden of prophetic revelation and the impending judgment on the nations.

New Testament References

In the New Testament, sighing continues to be a significant expression of human emotion and spiritual longing. In Mark 7:34, Jesus sighs deeply before healing a deaf and mute man, indicating His compassion and the weight of human suffering that He bears. The sigh is a prelude to divine action, demonstrating Jesus' empathy and His power to heal and restore.

The Apostle Paul, in his epistle to the Romans, speaks of the whole creation groaning and sighing as it awaits redemption. Romans 8:22-23 states, "We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until the present time. Not only that, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies." Here, sighing is a metaphor for the anticipation of the fulfillment of God's promises and the ultimate restoration of all things.

Theological Significance

Sighing in the biblical context is more than a mere physical act; it is a profound expression of the human soul's yearning for God. It reflects the tension between the present suffering and the hope of future glory. Sighing is an acknowledgment of human frailty and the need for divine intervention. It is a form of prayer, a silent cry that reaches the heart of God, who is attentive to the groans of His people.

Throughout Scripture, sighing is portrayed as a natural and honest response to the trials of life. It is a reminder of the brokenness of the world and the hope that believers have in Christ, who hears their sighs and promises to wipe away every tear.1. (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Sigh.

2. (a.) Uttering sighs; grieving; lamenting.

4726. stenagmos -- a groaning
... Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine Transliteration: stenagmos Phonetic Spelling:
(sten-ag-mos') Short Definition: a groaning Definition: a groaning, sighing. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4726.htm - 6k

389. anastenazo -- to sigh deeply
... Mk 8:12. Word Origin from ana and stenazo Definition to sigh deeply NASB
Word Usage Sighing deeply (1). sigh deeply. From ana and ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/389.htm - 7k

585. anachah -- a sighing, groaning
... 584, 585. anachah. 586 . a sighing, groaning. Transliteration: anachah
Phonetic Spelling: (an-aw-khaw') Short Definition: sighing. ...
/hebrew/585.htm - 6k

603. anaqah -- a crying, groaning
... crying out, groaning, sighing. From 'anaq; shrieking -- crying out, groaning, sighing.
see HEBREW 'anaq. 602, 603. anaqah. 604 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/603.htm - 6k

1899. hegeh -- a rumbling, growling, moaning
... mourning, sound, tale. From hagah; a muttering (in sighing, thought, or as thunder) --
mourning, sound, tale. see HEBREW hagah. 1898, 1899. hegeh. 1900 . ...
/hebrew/1899.htm - 6k

Sinful, Sighing to be Blest
... THE CHRISTIAN YEAR Ash Wednesday and Lent 140. Sinful, sighing to be blest. Four
7's ... Arthur S. Sullivan, 1874. John SB Monsell, 1857. Sinful, sighing to be blest ...
/.../ash wednesday and lent 140.htm

What Life's Journey May Be
... the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their
heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/what lifes journey may be.htm

Psalm XII.
... 6. "Because of the wretchedness of the needy and the sighing of the poor, now I
will arise, saith the Lord" [463] (ver.5). For so the Lord Himself in the ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/augustine/exposition on the book of psalms/psalm xii.htm

From this Perfection of Our Restored Bodies Will Flow the ...
... "And sorrow and sighing," continues he, "shall flee away." [7729] The angel echoes
the same to John: "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes;" [7730 ...
/.../on the resurrection of the flesh/chapter lviii from this perfection of.htm

The Dead Church
... THE DEAD CHURCH. Wild wild wind, wilt thou never cease thy sighing? Dark
dark night, wilt thou never wear away? Cold cold church, in ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/andromeda and other poems/the dead church.htm

April.
... April. Wild, wild wind, wilt thou never cease thy sighing? Dark, dark night,
wilt thou never wear away? Cold, cold Church, in thy ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/daily thoughts /april.htm

Letter xi. --For 339. Coss. Constantius Augustus ii, Constans I ...
... But after this affliction, and sorrow, and sighing, when they depart from this world,
a certain divine gladness, and pleasure, and exultation receives them ...
/.../select works and letters or athanasius/letter xi for 339 coss constantius.htm

Of Contemplation
... To meditation belongs the inspiration of God, understanding, wisdom and sighing.
If it be asked what is contemplation it is hard to define. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/rolle/the fire of love/chapter xii of contemplation.htm

Fourth Sunday after Trinity Consolation in Suffering, and Patience ...
... anything elsewhere found in the Scriptures, that heaven and earth, sun, moon and
stars, leaf and blade, every living thing, waits with sighing and groaning for ...
/.../luther/epistle sermons vol iii/fourth sunday after trinity consolation.htm

The Antitype of the Christian Home.
... But in heaven "sighing grief shall weep no more;" and we "shall hunger no more,
neither shall we thirst any more; and we shall not say I am sick; and there ...
/.../philips/the christian home/chapter xxviii the antitype of.htm

Sighing (22 Occurrences)
... n.) of Sigh. 2. (a.) Uttering sighs; grieving; lamenting. Multi-Version Concordance
Sighing (22 Occurrences). ... (YLT). Job 3:24 For my sighing comes before I eat. ...
/s/sighing.htm - 13k

Groaning (27 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV). Job 3:24 For my sighing comes before I eat. ...
Psalms 31:10 For my life is spent with sorrow, my years with sighing. ...
/g/groaning.htm - 14k

Groan (32 Occurrences)
... (3) The manifestation of mental and spiritual distress as in Psalm 6:6; Psalm
102:20 (the Revised Version (British and American) "sighing"). ...
/g/groan.htm - 21k

Sigh (18 Occurrences)
... 3. (vi) To make a sound like sighing. ... 7. (n.) A deep and prolonged audible inspiration
or respiration of air, as when fatigued or grieved; the act of sighing. ...
/s/sigh.htm - 12k

Ransomed (27 Occurrences)
... heads. They will obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee
away." (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). Isaiah ...
/r/ransomed.htm - 15k

Obtain (63 Occurrences)
... on their heads. They will obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing
will flee away." (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS RSV). Isaiah 51 ...
/o/obtain.htm - 24k

Gladness (83 Occurrences)
... heads. They will obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing will flee
away." (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). Isaiah ...
/g/gladness.htm - 32k

Singing (65 Occurrences)
... on their heads. They will obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing
will flee away." (WEB JPS ASV DBY YLT RSV NIV). Isaiah 44 ...
/s/singing.htm - 29k

Joyfully (37 Occurrences)
... to those leading you, and be subject, for these do watch for your souls, as about
to give account, that with joy they may do this, and not sighing, for this 'is ...
/j/joyfully.htm - 16k

Groanings (4 Occurrences)
... vexed them. (KJV WBS). Job 3:24 For my sighing comes before I eat. My groanings
are poured out like water. (WEB ASV DBY RSV). Ezekiel ...
/g/groanings.htm - 7k

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