Original Word: קִינָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: qiynah
Pronunciation: kee-naw'
Phonetic Spelling: (kee-naw')
KJV: lamentation
NASB: lamentation, dirge, lamentations, lament
Word Origin: [from H6969 (קוּן - chant)]

1. a dirge (as accompanied by beating the breasts or on instruments)

lamentation

From quwn; a dirge (as accompanied by beating the breasts or on instruments) -- lamentation.

see HEBREW quwn

Word Origin
from the same as qayin
Definition
an elegy, dirge
NASB Translation
dirge (3), lament (1), lamentation (11), Lamentations (1), lamentations (2).

II. קִינָה noun feminine elegy, dirge; — absolute ׳ק 2 Samuel 1:17 +; plural קִינִים Ezekiel 2:10 (but read קינה Co — not Berthol Toy Krae), קִינוֺת2Chronicles 35:25; suffix קִינוֺתֵיהֶם 2 Chronicles 35:25; — elegy, dirge 2 Samuel 1:17; Ezekiel 19:14 (twice in verse); Ezekiel 32:16, plural 2Chronicles 35:25; singular "" אֵבֶל Amos 8:10, "" הֶגֶה וָהִי Ezekiel 2:10, ׳נשׂא ק Jeremiah 7:29, with עַל for, Amos 5:1; Jeremiah 9:9; Ezekiel 26:17; Ezekiel 27:2; Ezekiel 28:12; Ezekiel 32:2; with אֶל Ezekiel 19:1; Ezekiel 27:32; ׳למּד ק Jeremiah 9:19 ("" נֶהִי); plural as collection of written dirges 2 Chronicles 35:25. — Bu^{ZAW ii (1882), 1 ff.} compare iii (1883), 299 ff. thinks Kina rhythm always 3 2tone-beats, but book Lamentations (Hebrew קִינוֺת) is in all parts pentameter, 3 2 varying sometimes with 2+ 3, yet always 5 in line, with caesura; of other קִינוֺת, Amos 5:2; Ezekiel 19:2ff. Ezekiel 26:17b ff. are pentameter, 2 Samuel 1:19ff. 2 Samuel 3:33f. tetrameter, Ezekiel 27:3ff. Ezekiel 28:12ff. Ezekiel 32:2ff. hexameter; see Br^{Gen.Intr. 379 ff}.

Definition and Scope of קִינָה

קִינָה denotes a formal lament—an articulated dirge of grief that may be personal (mourning the dead) or corporate (mourning national calamity). It is poetry shaped for public recitation or singing, conveying sorrow, protest, and theological reflection on judgment.

Cultural Setting of Lament in Ancient Israel

In Israel a funeral or national crisis called forth women skilled in wailing (Jeremiah 9:20), professional singers, and prophets. The lament provided orderly space for grief, acknowledged God’s sovereignty in tragedy, and appealed for mercy. Its cadence often followed a distinctive three-two stress pattern that underscored the broken heart of the community.

Historical Illustrations

1. David’s Lament (2 Samuel 1:17–27). After Saul and Jonathan fell on Mount Gilboa, David “took up this lament” (verse 17). He weaves national honor (“How the mighty have fallen!”) with personal affection, teaching Israel to remember its leaders with dignity while recognizing the heavy cost of sin and strife.

2. Jeremiah for Josiah (2 Chronicles 35:25). The prophet “chanted a dirge over Josiah,” and singers “to this day” memorialized it. The lament preserved the memory of a righteous king and implicitly contrasted him with leaders whose unfaithfulness soon brought exile.

3. Jeremiah’s Communal Cries (Jeremiah 7:29; 9:10, 20). These laments mourn the devastation about to befall Judah: “Raise a lament on the barren heights” (7:29). The prophet summons daughters to learn the art of lament, signaling that judgment would touch every household.

4. Amos and the Northern Kingdom (Amos 5:1; 8:10). Amos intones a funeral song over a living nation: “Hear this word… this lament I take up against you” (5:1), warning that festive songs will turn into קִינָה unless Israel repents.

5. Ezekiel’s Series of Dirges (Ezekiel 2:10; 19; 26–28; 32). Ezekiel receives a scroll “written on it were words of lamentation” (2:10). He laments the princes of Israel (19), the city of Tyre (26–27), its king (28:12), and Pharaoh of Egypt (32:2). Each dirge is a theological commentary: pride precedes downfall, and Yahweh rules the destinies of nations.

Liturgical and Communal Function

The קִינָה taught Israel to process grief communally. By reciting a known lament, worshipers affirmed shared loss, confessed sin, and opened a path to hope. 2 Chronicles indicates that laments were preserved in Israel’s liturgical repertoire, functioning much like the Psalms of lament do today.

Prophetic Function

Prophets employed the lament not merely to mourn but to foretell. By speaking in funeral tones before the death occurred, they declared judgment as certain. The genre therefore served as a vivid call to repentance: if people would heed, the impending funeral could be averted (Amos 5:4–6).

Theological Themes

• Sovereignty of God: Every lament is addressed to or grounded in the LORD, recognizing His right to judge (Ezekiel 26:17).

• Human Frailty: “How the mighty have fallen” sums up the message that power apart from God perishes.

• Covenant Accountability: Laments recall the curses forewarned in Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28, demonstrating Scripture’s internal consistency.

• Hope through Mourning: Even in judgment, laments anticipate restoration. Ezekiel’s dirges are followed by visions of future glory (Ezekiel 37; 40–48).

Christological and Eschatological Trajectory

The laments prepare the way for the Man of Sorrows. Jesus weeps over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41), echoing Jeremiah, and on the cross He prays Psalm 22, the quintessential lament. Revelation transforms the dirges of Ezekiel into the final “Alas, alas” over Babylon (Revelation 18), after which mourning ceases and every tear is wiped away (Revelation 21:4).

Application for Ministry Today

1. Pastoral Care. קִינָה validates grief; believers may mourn honestly while anchored in God’s faithfulness.

2. Corporate Worship. Incorporating lament songs and prayers fosters a balanced liturgy that speaks to suffering congregants.

3. Prophetic Witness. Lament can expose social sin and call communities to repentance with biblical gravity rather than shrill outrage.

4. Evangelism. Honest acknowledgment of brokenness opens doors for proclaiming the comfort found in Christ’s resurrection.

Summary

קִינָה threads through Scripture as the Spirit-inspired language of sorrow. From David to Ezekiel, from national funerals to prophetic warnings, the lament both expresses grief and proclaims hope. Properly embraced, it equips the Church to weep with those who weep, confront sin, and await the day when lamentation will give way to everlasting praise.

בְּקִינ֨וֹתֵיהֶ֤ם בקינותיהם הַקִּינָ֖ה הַקִּינֽוֹת׃ הקינה הקינות׃ וְק֣וֹנְנ֔וּהָ וקוננוה לְקִינָ֔ה לְקִינָֽה׃ לקינה לקינה׃ קִ֥ינָה קִינָ֑ה קִינָ֔ה קִינָ֖ה קִינָֽה׃ קִינָה֙ קִנִ֥ים קינה קינה׃ קנים bə·qî·nō·w·ṯê·hem bekiNoteiHem bəqînōwṯêhem hakkiNah hakkiNot haq·qî·nāh haq·qî·nō·wṯ haqqînāh haqqînōwṯ kiNah kiNim lə·qî·nāh lekiNah ləqînāh qî·nāh qi·nîm qînāh qinîm veKonNuha wə·qō·wn·nū·hā wəqōwnnūhāInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts