רַחֲמָנִי

From the study of Lamentations 4:10

Range of meaning

An adjective, 'compassionate, tender-hearted, merciful,' formed from the root r-ḥ-m. That root gives reḥem/raḥam, 'womb,' and raḥămîm, 'compassion, deep feeling,' literally the 'womb-feelings' or inward parts. In biblical usage raḥămîm is the instinctive, protective love a parent has for a child (e.g. 1 Kings 3:26, where the true mother's 'compassion grew warm' for her son; Isaiah 49:15, 'Can a woman forget her nursing child, or lack compassion for the son of her womb?').

Against the English

'Compassionate' (BSB, ESV, NASB, NIV) is accurate but loses the link to the womb. KJV and WEB 'pitiful' meant 'full of pity' in 1611 but now sounds like 'pathetic.' YLT 'merciful' is close. NLT 'tenderhearted' carries the warmth well.

How it drifted

The English word itself is fine. The KJV/WEB 'pitiful' has drifted in modern English (see drift list).

Used elsewhere in the period

This is the only occurrence of the word in the Hebrew Bible. The same formation became common later: in rabbinic Hebrew raḥămānî means 'merciful,' and in Jewish Aramaic Raḥmānā, 'the Merciful One,' is a standard name for God. The Septuagint renders it oiktirmōn, 'compassionate,' the same Greek word it uses for God's compassion elsewhere.