Original Word: עַצֶּבֶת
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: `atstsebeth
Pronunciation: ats-tseh'-beth
Phonetic Spelling: (ats-tseh'-beth)
KJV: sorrow, wound
NASB: pains, sad, sorrows, trouble, wounds
Word Origin: [from H6087 (עָצַב - To grieve)]

1. a idol
2. also, a pain or wound

sorrow, wound

From atsab; a idol; also, a pain or wound -- sorrow, wound.

see HEBREW atsab

Word Origin
from atsab
Definition
a hurt, injury, pain
NASB Translation
pains (1), sad (1), sorrows (1), trouble (1), wounds (1).

[עַצֶּ֫בֶת] noun feminine hurt, injury, pain; — עַצָּ֑בֶת Proverbs 10:10 he that winketh with the eye causeth hurt (stirs up strife, etc.); construct עַצְּבַתלֵֿב pain of heart Proverbs 15:13 (opposed to לֵב שָׂמֵחַ); plural suffix עַצְּבֹתָ֫י Job 9:28 my pains, so read perhaps also Job 7:15 (for ᵑ0 עַצְמוֺתָ֫י); עַצְּבוֺתָם Psalm 16:4 (due to idolatry; > idols ᵑ7 ᵑ9 We and others); ׳מְחַבֵּשׁ לְע Psalm 147:3 binding up their hurts.

Overview

Strong’s Hebrew 6094 conveys a cluster of ideas—sorrow, grief, pain, wounds—which arise from both external affliction and inward turmoil. The term appears five times in Scripture, spanning wisdom literature, poetry, and narrative reflection. Each occurrence underscores the reality of human anguish while simultaneously revealing the Lord’s response to it.

Semantic Range and Usage

1. Emotional distress: internal anguish that affects countenance and spirit (Proverbs 15:13).
2. Physical or circumstantial suffering: hardships that provoke dread (Job 9:28).
3. Moral or spiritual repercussion: sorrow that multiplies when people pursue false gods (Psalm 16:4).
4. Relational fallout: grief caused by deceit or malicious conduct (Proverbs 10:10).
5. Wounds in need of healing: injuries, whether literal or figurative, addressed by divine compassion (Psalm 147:3).

Occurrences and Contexts

Job 9:28

“I dread all my sufferings; I know that You will not acquit me.”

Job employs the word to describe relentless trials that expose his insufficiency before a holy God. The verse locates sorrow inside the larger question of righteousness and justice.

Psalm 16:4

“Sorrows will multiply to those who chase other gods; I will not pour out their libations of blood or speak their names with my lips.”

David contrasts covenant loyalty with idolatry. The multiplication of sorrows is not arbitrary but the predictable yield of misplaced worship.

Psalm 147:3

“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”

Here the same noun is translated “wounds.” The verse shifts attention from human pain to divine restoration, offering a covenant promise to the repentant and crushed.

Proverbs 10:10

“He who winks the eye causes grief, and a chattering fool comes to ruin.”

Deceitful gestures seed grief in community life. Wisdom literature links integrity with peace, duplicity with sorrow.

Proverbs 15:13

“A joyful heart makes a cheerful countenance, but sorrow of the heart crushes the spirit.”

The proverb diagnoses how unchecked grief can fracture the inner person, setting the stage for wisdom’s call to cultivate joy rooted in reverence for the LORD.

Theological and Devotional Insights

1. Sin’s Consequence: Psalm 16:4 teaches that idolatry carries built-in sorrow; judgment is not merely punitive but intrinsic.
2. Divine Compassion: Psalm 147:3 assures believers that God does not leave sorrow unaddressed; He heals and binds.
3. Human Agency: Proverbs 10:10 shows that personal choices can inflict sorrow on others, highlighting the ethical dimension of grief.
4. Whole-Person Impact: Proverbs 15:13 portrays sorrow as a force that can “crush the spirit,” demonstrating Scripture’s integrated view of body, mind, and soul.

Ministry Applications

Pastoral Care: Those overwhelmed by grief (Job 9:28; Proverbs 15:13) should be led to the Healer who “binds up their wounds” (Psalm 147:3). Scripture offers both honest lament and concrete hope.

Discipleship: Teaching on Psalm 16:4 warns believers against modern idols—materialism, status, self—by pointing to the inevitable sorrow they spawn.

Community Ethics: Proverbs 10:10 informs church discipline and relational accountability; deceptive practices sow communal grief and must be addressed in love and truth.

Christological and Gospel Connections

Isaiah foretells a “Man of sorrows” who would carry our griefs (Isaiah 53:3–4). Though a different Hebrew term is used, the thematic resonance is clear: Jesus Christ embodies and ultimately bears the sorrow described by 6094, purchasing healing through His atoning work (1 Peter 2:24). In Him, sorrows that originate from sin, oppression, or deceit find their remedy, fulfilling the trajectory set by Psalm 147:3.

Summary

Hebrew 6094 paints sorrow in its manifold expressions yet anchors it within the redemptive arc of Scripture. Human choices may multiply pain, but the Lord stands ready to heal, demonstrating His steadfast love and sovereignty over every wound.

וּבְעַצְּבַת־ ובעצבת־ לְעַצְּבוֹתָֽם׃ לעצבותם׃ עַצְּבֹתָ֑י עַצְּבוֹתָם֮ עַצָּ֑בֶת עצבותם עצבת עצבתי ‘aṣ·ṣā·ḇeṯ ‘aṣ·ṣə·ḇō·ṯāy ‘aṣ·ṣə·ḇō·w·ṯām ‘aṣṣāḇeṯ ‘aṣṣəḇōṯāy ‘aṣṣəḇōwṯām atzTzavet atztzevoTai atztzevoTam lə‘aṣṣəḇōwṯām lə·‘aṣ·ṣə·ḇō·w·ṯām leatztzevoTam ū·ḇə·‘aṣ·ṣə·ḇaṯ- ūḇə‘aṣṣəḇaṯ- uveatztzevatInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts