מַרְזֵחַ
𐤌𐤓𐤆𐤇
marzêach
H4798 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A loud outcry, especially one associated with mourning or lamentation; also used for the occasion or assembly during which such lamentation takes place. In some contexts, may denote a gathering or event focused on commemorative mourning, especially for the dead.
Semantic Range
public outcry, lamentation, assembly for mourning, loud wailing, event of lament, communal mourning procession
Root / Etymology
Derived from the Hebrew root רָזַח (uncertain etymology), with possible connection to to verbal roots meaning 'to rage, make tumult, make a loud noise,' though certainty is lacking. The form is similar to מִרְזַח (mirzach, 'feast or banquet'), but with a contrasting semantic field (grief vs. festivity).
Historical & Contextual Notes
מַרְזֵחַ appears rarely in the Hebrew Bible, notably in Amos 6:7, where it stands in parallel with revelry and festive banquets (מִרְזַח). The context there suggests an ironic contrast: those who indulge in lavish banquets will lead the procession of mourners. Later Jewish and rabbinic literature generally do not preserve this specific term, and it may reflect a regional or period-specific term for ceremonial wailing or public lamentation. While standard translations often render it as 'mourning,' it more precisely designates the collective outcry or the event of lamentation, distinguishing it from individual or private sorrow. Awareness of its contextual pairing with feasting underscores the cultural importance of public mourning rites in ancient Israelite society. Distinct from other Hebrew terms for mourning (e.g., אֵבֶל 'mourning,' קִינָה 'dirge, lament'), מַרְזֵחַ captures the sense of loud, communal lamenting, possibly ritual in character.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
formed like מִרְזַח; a cry, i.e. (of grief) a lamentation; mourning.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
רזח (r-z-ḥ) — to be loud, to cry out, to make a tumult
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H4797 | מִרְזַח | revelry-hall of |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4798-01 |
מַרְזֵ֔חַ | marezecha | HNcmsa |
of mourning | mourning outcry | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4798-01 |
Jeremiah 16:5 | מַרְזֵ֔חַ | marezecha | HNcmsa |
of mourning | mourning outcry |