Lexical Summary thréneó: To lament, to wail, to mourn Original Word: θρηνέω Strong's Exhaustive Concordance lament, mourn. From threnos; to bewail -- lament, mourn. see GREEK threnos HELPS Word-studies 2354 thrēnéō (from threō, "cry out loud") – properly, mourn, lament (especially audibly); wail. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom thrénos Definition to lament NASB Translation lament (1), lamenting (1), sang a dirge (2). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 2354: θρηνέωθρηνέω, 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. The verb θρηνέω expresses audible, public mourning—an outcry of grief that moves beyond silent sorrow to communal lament. It is more than sadness; it is the vocal, often ritualized, articulation of loss before God and others. Old Testament and Jewish Background In the Septuagint θρηνέω regularly translates Hebrew roots for lamentation (e.g., Jeremiah 9:17-18; 2 Samuel 3:32-34), frequently linked with funerary rites or national catastrophe. These precedents shaped first-century expectations: lament was a covenant people’s appropriate response to sin, exile, oppression, and death, while seeking divine intervention. Occurrences in the New Testament 1. Matthew 11:17; Luke 7:32 – In Jesus’ critique of His generation, children complain, “We sang a dirge, and you did not mourn”. Here θρηνέω represents an invitation to recognize guilt and repent, which was spurned. Christological Dimension The verb surfaces at pivotal moments in the life of Christ: His unheeded call to repentance, His passion, and His farewell discourse. Lament becomes the interface between human brokenness and divine restoration, ultimately validated by the resurrection. Theology of Lament Scripture portrays lament as faith’s protest in the face of evil, yet always tethered to hope in God’s covenant fidelity. θρηνέω reminds believers that vocalizing anguish is neither unbelief nor despair; it is a spiritually legitimate path toward consolation and renewal (cf. Psalms 6, 13, 77). Pastoral Implications • Worship: Corporate lament songs and prayers give voice to communal pain and intercede for societal repentance. Eschatological Perspective John 16:20 anchors θρηνέω in the already-not-yet tension: present sorrow is real, yet temporary. Revelation 21:4 anticipates the day when “mourning or crying or pain” will cease, assuring the faithful that every lament uttered now will be answered by everlasting comfort. Key Related Passages Jeremiah 9:17-18; 2 Samuel 1:17-27; Psalm 30:11; Matthew 5:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14. Summary θρηνέω encapsulates the biblical pattern of voiced grief that leads to repentance, solidarity, and ultimately joy. Its four New Testament occurrences trace a trajectory from unmet calls to lament, through the mourning of the cross, to the promise of resurrection-secured rejoicing, thereby inviting the church to practice godly lament while looking to the day when sorrow is swallowed up in victory. Englishman's Concordance Matthew 11:17 V-AIA-1PGRK: οὐκ ὠρχήσασθε ἐθρηνήσαμεν καὶ οὐκ NAS: for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.' KJV: danced; we have mourned unto you, INT: not you did dance we sang a dirge and not Luke 7:32 V-AIA-1P Luke 23:27 V-IIA-3P John 16:20 V-FIA-2P Strong's Greek 2354 |
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