Lexical Summary bekeh: Weeping, Lamentation Original Word: בֶּכֶה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance sore From bakah; a weeping -- X sore. see HEBREW bakah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom bakah Definition a weeping NASB Translation bitterly* (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs בֶּ֫כֶה noun [masculine] a weeping, only Ezra 10:1 בכו ׳העם הַרְבֵּה בּ. Topical Lexicon Meaning and Nuance בֶּכֶה conveys an audible, visible outpouring of grief. It is not the silent tear but the public lament that registers both inward pain and outward confession before God. Biblical Occurrence and Context Ezra 10:1: “While Ezra prayed and confessed, weeping and throwing himself facedown before the house of God, a very large assembly of Israel—men, women, and children—gathered around him. And the people also wept bitterly.” Here the word stands at the pivot of the book’s narrative: the returned exiles discover they have violated the covenant by marrying foreign women, and Ezra’s prayerful “weeping” sparks a nationwide response of repentance. The verse portrays three concentric circles of contrition—Ezra himself, the assembly that joins him, and finally the whole nation—underscoring the contagious power of genuine sorrow over sin. Theological Themes 1. Corporate Responsibility for Sin Historical Background • Timeframe: Early fifth century B.C., during the reformation led by Ezra in Jerusalem. Intertextual Echoes of Weeping in Scripture • National crises: Judges 2:4–5; 1 Samuel 7:6. Pastoral and Devotional Application 1. Call to Corporate Prayer Meetings – Ezra 10 encourages congregations to gather publicly for confession, trusting God to unite hearts in genuine repentance. – The single occurrence of בֶּכֶה reminds believers that even practices tolerated by culture (intermarriage, syncretism) require radical correction when measured against Scripture. – Authentic weeping is not weakness; it signals the Spirit’s conviction and the gateway to restoration (James 4:8–10). – Ezra does not isolate himself; the people join him. True sorrow breeds a covenant community that bears one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:1–2). Eschatological Hope The Bible’s storyline moves from Ezra’s courtyard of tears to the New Jerusalem where tears cease. By tracing the arc from בֶּכֶה in Ezra 10:1 to Revelation 21:4, believers see that repentant sorrow now is a precursor to unfading joy later (Psalm 30:5). Key Passages for Further Study • Psalm 119:136 – Tears over broken law בֶּכֶה thus stands as a poignant reminder that heartfelt lament, when rooted in reverence for God’s word, becomes a catalyst for both personal renewal and communal reform, all pointing forward to the day when the weeping of repentance gives way to the joy of consummated redemption. Forms and Transliterations בֶֽכֶה׃ בכה׃ ḇe·ḵeh ḇeḵeh VechehLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts |
    |