עָגַם
𐤏𐤂𐤌
ʻâgam
H5701 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To be distressed, to feel sorrow or grief; expresses the experience or act of deep inner sadness or melancholy, especially over loss or hardship. In its verbal form, can denote the act of becoming grieved or downcast, or manifesting dejection. Usage is rare and generally conveys a strong sense of inner emotional turmoil.
Semantic Range
to be sad, to grieve, to feel deep distress, to experience sorrow, to be dejected
Root / Etymology
Root: עגם. The root עגם is extremely rare and its precise etymology is uncertain; it is not attested outside of a small number of biblical occurrences. The form suggests a verbal root with the basic sense of being emotionally affected, particularly with sadness or grief, but specific historical derivations or cognates in other Semitic languages are lacking. Thus, etymology uncertain.
Historical & Contextual Notes
עָגַם (ʻâgam) occurs very rarely in the Hebrew Bible, which makes its semantic boundaries somewhat difficult to define with precision. The term denotes a state of intense emotional pain, distinct from more common Hebrew words for grief (such as אבל aval, or יָגוֹן yagon), which might refer to mourning rituals or general sorrow. עָגַם is more closely aligned with the internal experience of sadness rather than outward mourning customs. In biblical usage, particularly in poetic or wisdom texts, it emphasizes a heart or spirit 'bowed down' by misfortune or distress. The term does not appear frequently after the exilic period and is not productive in later Hebrew. Where English translations sometimes render it as simply 'sad' or 'grieved,' the underlying Hebrew carries forceful connotations of emotional distress, not just mild unhappiness.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to be sad; grieve.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
עגם (ʿ-g-m) — to be sad, to grieve, to be deeply distressed
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5701-01 |
עָֽגְמָ֥ה | agemah | HVqp3fs |
grieved | she was deeply distressed | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5701-01 |
Job 30:25 | עָֽגְמָ֥ה | agemah | HVqp3fs |
grieved | she was deeply distressed |