Lexical Summary atsab: To grieve, to hurt, to pain, to vex Original Word: עָצַב Strong's Exhaustive Concordance displease, grieve, hurt, make, be sorry, vex, worship, wrestA primitive root; properly, to carve, i.e. Fabricate or fashion; hence (in a bad sense) to worry, pain or anger -- displease, grieve, hurt, make, be sorry, vex, worship, wrest. Brown-Driver-Briggs I. [עָצַב] verb hurt, pain, grieve (Late Hebrew Nithp. and in derivatives; ᵑ7 עֲצַב be in pain (rare); Ethiopic  be hard, difficult, LagBN 50, compare 201 compare Arabic  be angry, but dubious); — Qal Perfect3masculine singular suffix עֲצָבוֺ 1 Kings 1:6 his father had not pained him (ᵐ5 Klo Gr עֲצָרוֺ, but see Benz); insert עָצַב (with other words) 2 Samuel 13:21 ᵐ5 Ew Th We Kit Bu HPS; Infinitive construct suffix לְבִלְתִּי עָצְבִּי 1 Chronicles 4:10 that it (רָעָה) may not pain me; Passive participle construct עֲצוּבַת רוּחַ Isaiah 54:6 hurt in spirit (of Zion under figure of deserted wife). Niph`al Perfect3masculine singular נֶעְצַב 1 Samuel 20:24 be pained for (אֶל person; strike out ᵐ5 HPS); נֶעֱצַב 2 Samuel 19:3 the king is in pain (is grieving) for (עַל person); Imperfect3masculine singular יֵעָצֵב 1 Samuel 20:3 lest he be pained; + בָּהֶם instrumental Ecclesiastes 10:9 shall be hurt by them (i.e. אֲבָנִים; only here of physical pain); 2 masculine plural תֵּעָֽצְבוּ Genesis 45:5 be not grieved (+ יִחַר; followed byכִּי that ye sold me), compare Nehemiah 8:10,11 (absolute) do not grieve. Pi`el Perfect3plural עִצְּבוּ with accusative Isaiah 63:10 they vexed his holy spirit (+ מָרוּ); Imperfect3masculine plural בְּבָרַי יְעַצֵּ֑בוּ Psalm 56:6 my affairs they vex (Thes and others), but improbable, < Che ׳בְּדָבָר יְע with speech they vex (me). Hiph`il Imperfect3masculine plural suffix יַעֲצִיבוּהוּ Psalm 78:40 they used to cause him [׳י] pain. Hithpa`el Imperfect3masculine singular וַיִּתְעַצֵּב אֶללִֿבּוֺ Genesis 6:6 and he was vexed to his heart (of ׳י; "" וַיִּנָּחֶם); 3 masculine plural וִיִּתְעַצְּבוּ Genesis 34:7 (+ וַיִּחַר, followed by clause with כִּי). II. [עָצַב] verb Pi`el shape, fashion (Late Hebrew Pi`el stretch child into shape; BuhlLex compare Pi`el Perfect יָדֶיךָ עִצְּבוּנִי וַעיַּעֲשׂוּנִי Job 10:8 thy hands shaped me, etc. Hiph`il Infinitiveconstruct לְהַעֲצִבָה Jeremiah 44:19, but read בָהּ-, to fashion her, i.e. make images of her (possibly denominative from עָצָב). Topical Lexicon Overview עָצַב (ʿātsav) gives voice to the experience of pain, hurt, displeasure, and grief, whether felt by human beings or attributed to the heart of God. Across its seventeen appearances the verb moves through the full spectrum of covenant life, from antediluvian wickedness to post-exilic worship, from private sorrow to national rebellion. Semantic Range and Thematic Threads 1. Inner anguish: sorrow, emotional injury, vexation. Divine Grief over Sin The opening use, Genesis 6:6, frames the verb theologically: “The LORD regretted that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.” Human wickedness pierces the divine heart; holiness is not detached but feels the sting of rebellion. Isaiah 63:10 deepens the point: Israel “rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit,” turning the covenant LORD into an adversary. Psalm 78:40 looks back on the wilderness generation: “How often they disobeyed Him in the wilderness and grieved Him in the desert!” Divine grief is thus a moral indictment and a call to repentance; it underlines that sin is personal affront, not mere legal infraction. Interpersonal Wounds and Family Sorrow Joseph relieves his brothers’ conscience in Genesis 45:5, “Do not be distressed or angry with yourselves,” showing that hurt can be healed by forgiveness. David and Jonathan provide two vivid snapshots: fear of Saul “lest Jonathan be grieved” (1 Samuel 20:3) and Jonathan’s own heartbreak over his father’s shameful conduct (1 Samuel 20:34). After Absalom’s death, “the victory that day was turned into mourning… the king is grieving for his son” (2 Samuel 19:2). Scripture portrays grief as the normal, if painful, companion of covenant relationships when love collides with betrayal, loss, or injustice. Failure to Restrain and the Rise of Evil “His father had never crossed him at any time” (1 Kings 1:6). David’s parental failure “to displease” Adonijah (literally, to cause him pain) incubated rebellion. The verb warns that loving correction, though painful, is necessary for righteousness; indulgent avoidance of grief can produce greater harm. Prayer for Freedom from Pain Jabez prays, “…keep me from harm, so that it might not cause me pain” (1 Chronicles 4:10). Here עָצַב becomes the vocabulary of petition: the believer may ask God to hedge life from the sorrow that sin and danger bring, trusting Him to “grant the request,” as He did for Jabez. Corporate Worship and Pastoral Exhortation The restored community hears Ezra declare, “Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10), and the Levites reinforce, “Do not sorrow” (Nehemiah 8:11). Genuine revival blends conviction with celebration; grief over sin must move to joy in salvation lest the people languish. Wisdom Warnings about Work and Words Ecclesiastes 10:9 cautions laborers that quarrying stones or splitting logs may “injure” them—pain is a real-world hazard. Job 10:8 laments to God, “Your hands shaped me… Would You now turn and destroy me?” Job feels that the Artisan who “fashioned” (עָצַב) him now crushes him, illustrating the tension between sovereignty and suffering. Psalm 56:5 complains, “All day long they twist my words,” revealing how malicious speech inflicts emotional hurt. Idolatry: Fashioning Images, Grieving God Jeremiah 44:19 records the people “making cakes marked with her image” for the Queen of Heaven. The same root that describes grief also describes the crafting of idols, linking the two concepts: what humans shape to please themselves ultimately grieves their Maker. The lexical overlap is a theological warning—idolatry not only offends God, it wounds Him. Marriage Metaphor and Restoration Hope “For the LORD has called you back like a wife deserted and wounded in spirit” (Isaiah 54:6). Israel’s exile is pictured as the grief of an abandoned spouse, yet the verse pulses with promise: the God who feels pain also heals it, calling His people home. Ministry and Pastoral Implications • Preaching: expose sin as that which grieves God personally (Genesis 6:6; Isaiah 63:10). New Testament Echoes Paul admonishes, “Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God” (Ephesians 4:30), carrying forward the Old Testament revelation. At Calvary the Man of Sorrows bears our griefs (Isaiah 53:4), demonstrating the ultimate answer to every occurrence of עָצַב—God Himself entering our pain to redeem it. Summary עָצַב threads Scripture with a dual message: sin wounds both God and neighbor, yet the Lord who feels grief also heals it. From antediluvian judgment to eschatological comfort, the verb presses covenant people toward repentance, righteous relationships, joyful worship, and hopeful endurance, all fulfilled in the suffering and triumph of Jesus Christ. Forms and Transliterations וְעִצְּב֖וּ וַיִּֽתְעַצְּבוּ֙ וַיִּתְעַצֵּ֖ב וַעֲצ֥וּבַת ויתעצב ויתעצבו ועצבו ועצובת יְעַצֵּ֑בוּ יֵֽעָצֵ֑ב יֵעָצֵ֖ב יַ֝עֲצִיב֗וּהוּ יעצב יעצבו יעציבוהו לְהַ֣עֲצִבָ֔ה להעצבה נֶעְצַב֙ נֶעֱצַ֥ב נעצב עֲצָב֨וֹ עִ֭צְּבוּנִי עָצְבִּ֑י עצבו עצבוני עצבי תֵּ֣עָצֵ֔בוּ תֵּעָ֣צְב֗וּ תֵּעָצֵֽבוּ׃ תעצבו תעצבו׃ ‘ă·ṣā·ḇōw ‘ā·ṣə·bî ‘ăṣāḇōw ‘āṣəbî ‘iṣ·ṣə·ḇū·nî ‘iṣṣəḇūnî atzaVo atzeBi Itztzevuni lə·ha·‘ă·ṣi·ḇāh ləha‘ăṣiḇāh leHaatziVah ne‘·ṣaḇ ne‘ĕṣaḇ ne‘ṣaḇ ne·‘ĕ·ṣaḇ neeTzav neTzav tê‘āṣêḇū tê‘āṣəḇū tê·‘ā·ṣê·ḇū tê·‘ā·ṣə·ḇū teAtzeVu vaaTzuvat vaiyitatzTzev vaiyitatztzeVu veitztzeVu wa‘ăṣūḇaṯ wa·‘ă·ṣū·ḇaṯ way·yiṯ·‘aṣ·ṣə·ḇū way·yiṯ·‘aṣ·ṣêḇ wayyiṯ‘aṣṣêḇ wayyiṯ‘aṣṣəḇū wə‘iṣṣəḇū wə·‘iṣ·ṣə·ḇū ya‘ăṣîḇūhū ya·‘ă·ṣî·ḇū·hū yaatziVuhu yê‘āṣêḇ yə‘aṣṣêḇū yê·‘ā·ṣêḇ yə·‘aṣ·ṣê·ḇū yeaTzev yeatzTzevuLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 6:6 HEB: הָֽאָדָ֖ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ וַיִּתְעַצֵּ֖ב אֶל־ לִבּֽוֹ׃ NAS: on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. KJV: on the earth, and it grieved him at INT: man the earth was grieved at his heart Genesis 34:7 Genesis 45:5 1 Samuel 20:3 1 Samuel 20:34 2 Samuel 19:2 1 Kings 1:6 1 Chronicles 4:10 Nehemiah 8:10 Nehemiah 8:11 Job 10:8 Psalm 56:5 Psalm 78:40 Ecclesiastes 10:9 Isaiah 54:6 Isaiah 63:10 Jeremiah 44:19 17 Occurrences |
    |
out, cut off [whence idea of carving, fashioning]); —