Original Word: θρηνέω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: thréneó
Pronunciation: thray-neh'-o
Phonetic Spelling: (thray-neh'-o)
Definition: To lament, to wail, to mourn
Meaning: intrans: I lament, wail; trans: I bewail.

lament, mourn.

From threnos; to bewail -- lament, mourn.

see GREEK threnos

2354 thrēnéō (from threō, "cry out loud") – properly, mourn, lament (especially audibly); wail.

Word Origin
from thrénos
Definition
to lament
NASB Translation
lament (1), lamenting (1), sang a dirge (2).

STRONGS NT 2354: θρηνέω

θρηνέω, θρήνῳ: imperfect ἐθρήνουν; future θρηνήσω; 1 aorist ἐθρήνησα; (θρῆνος, which see); from Homer down; the Sept. for הֵילִיל, קונֵן, etc.;

1. to lament, to mourn: John 16:20; of the singers of dirges (to wail), Matthew 11:17; Luke 7:32.

2. to bewail, deplore: τινα, Luke 23:27. (On θρηνέω to lament, λόπτομαι to smite the breast in grief, λυπέομαι to be pained, saddened, πενθέω to mourn, cf. Trench, § 65, and see κλαίω at the end; yet note that in classic Greek λύπεσθαι is the most comprehensive word, designating every species of pain of body or soul; and that πενθέω expresses a self-contained grief, never violent in its manifestations; like our English word mourn it is associated by usage with the death of kindred, and like it used pregnantly to suggest that event. See Schmidt, vol. ii., chapter 83.)

Word Origin: Derived from θρῆνος (thrēnos), meaning "a lament" or "dirge."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: - H5594 סָפַד (saphad): To wail, lament, or mourn.
- H6969 קוֹנֵן (qonen): To chant a dirge or lament.
- H5091 נָהָה (nahah): To wail or lament.

These Hebrew terms share a similar semantic range with θρηνέω, emphasizing the act of mourning and lamentation in response to death or disaster.

Usage: The verb θρηνέω is used in the New Testament to describe the act of lamenting or mourning, typically in response to death or calamity. It conveys a deep, often vocal expression of sorrow.

Context: The Greek verb θρηνέω appears in the New Testament in contexts that emphasize profound grief and mourning. This term is often associated with traditional expressions of sorrow, such as wailing or lamentation, which were common in ancient Near Eastern cultures during times of loss or tragedy.

In the New Testament, θρηνέω is used to describe the mourning of individuals or groups in response to significant events. For example, in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus uses the term to describe the lamentation over Jerusalem: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her! How often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling!" (Matthew 23:37, BSB). Here, the term underscores the deep sorrow and regret over the city's rejection of the prophets and the impending judgment.

The act of θρηνέω is not merely a private expression of grief but often involves communal participation, reflecting the shared nature of sorrow in the biblical context. This communal aspect is evident in the mourning practices of the time, which included public displays of grief, such as tearing garments, wearing sackcloth, and wailing.

In Revelation, θρηνέω is used to describe the lamentation over the fall of Babylon: "And the kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her, will weep and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning" (Revelation 18:9, BSB). This passage highlights the dramatic and public nature of the mourning, as well as the profound impact of Babylon's downfall on those who were complicit in her sins.

Overall, θρηνέω captures the intensity and depth of human sorrow in response to sin, judgment, and loss, serving as a poignant reminder of the brokenness of the world and the hope for redemption.

εθρηνησαμεν εθρηνήσαμεν ἐθρηνήσαμεν εθρήνησε εθρήνησεν εθρηνουν εθρήνουν ἐθρήνουν θρηνείν θρηνείτε θρηνείτω θρηνηθήσεται θρηνηθήσονται θρήνημα θρηνήσατε θρηνήσει θρηνησετε θρηνήσετε θρήνησον θρηνήσουσιν θρηνούντων θρηνούσαι θρηνούσας ethrenesamen ethrenḗsamen ethrēnēsamen ethrēnḗsamen ethrenoun ethrēnoun ethrḗnoun threnesete threnḗsete thrēnēsete thrēnḗseteInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts