Hebrew word · H3013

יָגָה

hogah

to suffer

The root yagah means to grieve or be in sorrow. In the causative form used here it means to make someone grieve, to afflict, to torment.

Appears 8 times in 8 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

1) to afflict, grieve, suffer, cause grief

1a) (Niphal) grieved, grieving (participle)

1b) (Piel) to grieve

1c) (Hiphil) to cause grief, cause sorrow

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Lamentations 1:12

Range of meaning

The root yagah means to grieve or be in sorrow. In the causative form used here it means to make someone grieve, to afflict, to torment.

Against the English

"Hath afflicted" (KJV, WEB) and "made me suffer" (BSB) both work. The Hebrew stresses inflicting grief, not merely allowing it.

Used elsewhere in the period

In Lam 1:4 Zion's young women "are grieved", and in 1:5 "the LORD has afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions" (the same form, hogah). Lam 3:32–33 makes a deliberate counterpoint: "he does not afflict from his heart, or grieve (yaggeh) the children of men." Here the Greek and Latin seem to have read a different root (hagah, "utter"), giving "as the Lord spoke".

From the study of Isaiah 51:23

Range of meaning

The base verb means to be grieved or in sorrow. In the causative form used here (Hiphil) it means to cause grief, to afflict, to torment. Its range runs from emotional anguish to oppression that crushes the spirit. It is a rare word, found mostly in poetry of lament.

Against the English

KJV and WEB have "them that afflict thee", and BSB, ESV and NASB have "tormentors". Both are fair. "Tormentors" may suggest physical torture more than the Hebrew does. The Hebrew word has more to do with grief and misery.

Used elsewhere in the period

Lamentations uses this verb for Jerusalem's fall: "the LORD has made her suffer (hôgāh)" (Lam 1:5), and "which the LORD inflicted (hôgāh)" (Lam 1:12). It also appears in Lam 3:32–33, where God "does not willingly afflict". It comes back in Isa 51:23 and in Zeph 3:18 (in a related form). The Septuagint translates it here as "those who wronged you" (adikēsantōn).

From the study of Lamentations 1:5

Range of meaning

In the basic stem: to be grieved, in sorrow. In the causative stem used here: to cause grief, bring sorrow, torment. The word is about inner anguish as well as outward hardship.

Against the English

KJV, WEB and ESV say "afflicted". BSB has "brought her grief" and NASB has "caused her grief". "Afflicted" is acceptable, but it puts the weight on outward hardship. The root is about sorrow, and English renderings that turn it into "punished" lose that.

Used elsewhere in the period

The same root gives nûgôt, the "grieving" maidens of Lam 1:4. Lam 1:12 says YHWH "caused grief" (hôgâ) on the day of his anger. Lam 3:32–33: "though he cause grief (hôgâ), he will have compassion… for he does not afflict from his heart or grieve (wayyaggeh) the children of man." Isaiah 51:23 calls Zion's tormentors môgayik. In Job 19:2 Job asks his friends, "how long will you torment me?"

Where it appears

Job · 1

  1. Job 19:2 תּוֹגְי֣וּן will you torment !

    “How long will you torment me and crush me with your words?

Isaiah · 1

  1. Isaiah 51:23 מוֹגַ֔יִךְ [those who] torment you

    I will place it in the hands of your tormentors, who told you: ‘Lie down, so we can walk over you,’ so that you made your back like the ground, like a street to be traversed.”

    Here: A causative participle of a verb meaning to grieve: "the ones who make you suffer". The word covers anguish and sorrow as well as physical harm. It is the same verb Lamentations uses for Jerusalem's suffering (Lam 1:5, 12).

Lamentations · 5

  1. Lamentations 1:4 נּוּג֖וֹת [are] grieving

    The roads to Zion mourn, because no one comes to her appointed feasts. All her gates are deserted; her priests groan, her maidens grieve, and she herself is bitter with anguish.

    Here: "Grieved, made to suffer." The form is passive in shape: the young women are worn down by sorrow and do not dance. (The Greek translators read a near-identical word meaning "led away".)

  2. Lamentations 1:5 הוֹגָ֖הּ he has caused grief to her

    Her foes have become her masters; her enemies are at ease. For the LORD has brought her grief because of her many transgressions. Her children have gone away as captives before the enemy.

    Here: "He has made her grieve": the verb is causative, YHWH has brought sorrow on her. It is the same root as the "grieving" maidens of verse 4, so the people's grief is traced back to God's action.

  3. Lamentations 1:12 הוֹגָ֣ה he has caused grief

    Is this nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look around and see! Is there any sorrow like mine, which was inflicted on me, which the LORD made me suffer on the day of His fierce anger?

    Here: "He made (me) grieve, caused sorrow". The same verb appears in 1:5 ("the LORD has afflicted her") and is denied in 3:33 ("he does not willingly afflict").

  4. Lamentations 3:32 הוֹגָ֔ה he has caused grief

    Even if He causes grief, He will show compassion according to His abundant loving devotion.

    Here: A causative verb form: God himself is the one who brought the sorrow. It is the exact word used of God's blows on Jerusalem in 1:5 and 1:12, so the poet is speaking of the real catastrophe of 586 BC, not of misfortune in general.

  5. Lamentations 3:33 וַיַּגֶּ֖ה and he has grieved

    For He does not willingly afflict or grieve the sons of men.

Zephaniah · 1

  1. Zephaniah 3:18 נוּגֵ֧י [those] grieved

    “I will gather those among you who grieve over the appointed feasts, so that you will no longer suffer reproach.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.