טָרַח
𐤈𐤓𐤇
ṭârach
H2959 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To be or become burdened, to labor with difficulty, to exert oneself under strain; conveys the experience of physical or mental heaviness or fatigue resulting from excessive work, trouble, or anxiety. In context, describes the act of laboring heavily, being weighed down, or working to the point of weariness or exhaustion.
Semantic Range
to be made weary or burdened, to labor with difficulty, to exert oneself under strain, to be troubled, to press or agitate someone to the point of exasperation
Root / Etymology
Root טָרַח (ṭ-r-ḥ). The root's core sense is 'to load, to burden.' The verb derives directly from this root and expresses the act or state of being burdened or laboring under something heavy — physically, emotionally, or circumstantially. There are no clear cognates in other Semitic languages, so the root may be unique in Biblical Hebrew.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The verb טָרַח appears rarely in the Hebrew Bible, occurring only in Genesis 19:9 in the Qal stem, where it describes Lot as 'pressing' or 'burdening' the men at his door by his insistence. The context suggests an intensification of weariness or agitation — not merely physical strain but emotional or social pressure. In later Hebrew, the idea of effortful exertion or trouble persists, sometimes generalizing to include inconvenience or annoyance. The noun form טֹרַח (ṭōraḥ) develops the sense of labor, difficulty, or burden. In the biblical period, the word is not common, and physical overburden is often expressed with other roots (e.g., עמל, עייף). English 'weary' captures only part of the sense — the core is not just tiredness but being pressed down or troubled by something weighty. In postbiblical Hebrew, usage expands to cover various kinds of trouble or effort, including emotional stress. Standard translations may not convey the nuance of social or psychological burden inherent in the root. The term does not carry later theological or legal connotations that appear with some other roots related to labor or hardship.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to overburden; weary.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
טרח (ṭ-r-ḥ) — to burden, overburden, press heavily
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H2960 | טֹרַח | to a burden |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2959-01 |
יַטְרִ֣יחַ | yatericha | HVhi3ms |
he loads | he overburdens | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2959-01 |
Job 37:11 | יַטְרִ֣יחַ | yatericha | HVhi3ms |
he loads | he overburdens |