The language of pain in biblical Hebrew

Ford, Emma, (Emma Elizabeth)

1 online resource (xii, 204 leaves)

Abstract

Thesis (Th. M.) -- Covenant Theological Seminary, 2026

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 192-204).

Title

The language of pain in biblical Hebrew

Last modified

05/28/2026

Creator

Ford, Emma, (Emma Elizabeth)

Abstract

This study seeks to explore the language of pain in the Old Testament and to demonstrate how a better understanding of Hebrew vocabulary for pain can provide insight for interpreting biblical passages that speak of pain. These goals are accomplished through multiple steps. First, in order to gain a better understanding of Hebrew pain terminology, this thesis begins with a lexical semantic analysis of the terms found in NIDOTTE’s semantic field of “pain, pangs.” Chapters 2 and 3 contain a detailed study of all occurrences of these terms in the Old Testament, with Chapter 2 focusing on the terms the covering 3 Chapter and עַצָּב/עָּצֵב and ,מַ עֲצֵבָּה ,עִ צָּבֹון ,עֹצֶב ,עַצֶבֶת ,עֶצֶב ,עצב ,מַ כְּ אֹוב ,כְּ אֵ ב ,כאב the to given is attention ,chapters these In .צִ יר and ,חֵבֶל ,חבל ,חִ ילָּה ,חַלְּחָּלָּה ,חִ יל ,חיל terms syntax and associative field (contexts of use, syntagmatic relations, parallel terms) of each lexeme, with sensitivity to lexicographic principles. Second, after each term has been examined individually, the semantic relations between these lexemes are then explored. This attention to the lexical field as a whole is given in the final sections of Chapters 2 and 3, where the terms from these chapters are set alongside one another to determine their shared and distinctive features. Because these terms belong to the same semantic field, there is much overlap between many of them. By comparing and contrasting these semantically related terms with one another, the particular semantic contribution of each term is more clearly identified. Having explored the relations between these lexemes, brief consideration is then given at the end of Chapter 3 to the question of whether the boundaries of the semantic field of “pain, pangs” found in NIDOTTE should be adjusted. Third, the results of the semantic and lexical field analysis from Chapters 2 and 3 are applied in Chapter 4 to a specific passage (Gen 3:16) where the meanings of two of the terms in this semantic field (וןֹבָּצ ִע, בֶצֶע (are debated. After three main interpretive approaches to this passage are described and evaluated, it becomes clear that much of the debate surrounding this passage has stemmed from an improper use of lexicography. An alternative interpretation of Gen 3:16 is then proposed in light of the lexical work in Chapters 2 and 3. In the process, it is suggested that a proper use of lexicographical and lexical field analysis, as found in the earlier chapters of this thesis, can provide a better foundation for interpreting this debated passage and can resolve some of the perceived difficulties. This discussion of Gen 3:16 thus demonstrates the fruitfulness of careful lexical study of these terms and of semantic field analysis for biblical interpretation of passages that speak of pain. This thesis concludes by suggesting that the lexical analysis of these terms for pain can shed light not only on Gen 3:16 but also on other biblical passages that use this language, thus opening the door for further research into such texts.

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