Lexical Summary qimah: Pleiades Original Word: קִימָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance rising up From quwm; an arising -- rising up. see HEBREW quwm NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom qum Definition rising up NASB Translation rising (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [קִימָה] noun feminine rising up; — suffix קִימָתָם Lamentations 3:63 (opposed to שִׁבְתָּם). Topical Lexicon Overview קִימָה (qîmāh) denotes a “rising” or “uprising,” derived from the common Hebrew verb קוּם (qûm, to rise, stand, arise). The noun itself is attested a single time—in Lamentations 3:63—yet the concept of rising up pervades Scripture, often contrasting the humble posture of sitting with the assertive posture of standing. The word therefore opens a window onto themes of vigilance, opposition, and the Lord’s meticulous oversight of every human action. Scriptural Setting “Look at their sitting and their rising; I am the object of their mocking song.” (Lamentations 3:63) The lamenter calls God to notice the two most ordinary movements of life—“sitting” and “rising.” The pairing is a Hebrew idiom for continual activity (cf. Deuteronomy 6:7), underscoring that the enemies’ mockery is constant. By singling out qîmāh, Jeremiah highlights the daily recurrence of hostility toward the covenant people. Literary Function in Lamentations 1. Total Surveillance: The lamenter’s appeal presumes that God witnesses each “rising.” Nothing escapes divine scrutiny, aligning with Psalms 139:2—“You understand my thoughts from afar.” Theological Significance 1. Omniscience and Justice: By naming “their rising,” the text affirms that the Lord keeps record of every act of malice, however trivial it may seem (cf. Proverbs 15:3). This assurance sustains believers amid persecution. Connections to the Broader Motif of Rising • Personal Resolve: Nehemiah “arose” to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls (Nehemiah 2:18); Ezra “rose up” to call the people to covenant fidelity (Ezra 10:5). God-fearing uprising counters ungodly uprising. Historical Background In post-exilic Judah, derision from surrounding peoples threatened both morale and identity. Written shortly after Jerusalem’s fall (586 B.C.), Lamentations voices corporate trauma. The single occurrence of קִימָה captures the atmosphere in which every move—every rise from a mat, every attempt to rebuild—provoked ridicule. Such social pressure was common in the Ancient Near East where power was flaunted through public shaming (2 Kings 18:19-25). Ministry and Discipleship Applications • Vigilant Pastoral Care: Spiritual leaders should note not only overt attacks but persistent, low-grade ridicule that grinds down faith, just as Jeremiah asked God to observe each “rising.” Homiletical Insights 1. “From Every Bed to Final Judgment” – Trace the journey from the enemies’ mundane rising (Lamentations 3:63) to God’s decisive rising in salvation history. Summary Though קִימָה appears only once, it encapsulates the rhythm of daily hostility and the certainty of divine redress. It invites readers to view every rise—whether of foe, friend, or self—in light of the God who “raises the poor from the dust” (Psalm 113:7) and who, in the fullness of time, raised His Son from the grave, assuring the final vindication of all who trust in Him. Forms and Transliterations וְקִֽימָתָם֙ וקימתם vekimaTam wə·qî·mā·ṯām wəqîmāṯāmLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Lamentations 3:63 HEB: שִׁבְתָּ֤ם וְקִֽימָתָם֙ הַבִּ֔יטָה אֲנִ֖י NAS: on their sitting and their rising; I am their mocking song. KJV: their sitting down, and their rising up; I [am] their musick. INT: their sitting and their rising Look I am 1 Occurrence |
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