Lexical Summary
ayeph: Weary, exhausted, faint
Original Word:עָיֵף
Part of Speech:Adjective
Transliteration:`ayeph
Pronunciation:ah-yafe
Phonetic Spelling:(aw-yafe')
KJV: faint, thirsty, weary
NASB:weary, faint, famished, parched
Word Origin:[fromH5888 (עָיֵף - weary)]
1. languid
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
faint, thirsty, weary
Fromayeph; languid -- faint, thirsty, weary.
see HEBREWayeph
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
iphDefinitionfaint, weary
NASB Translationfaint (2), famished (2), parched (2), weary (11).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
; — absolute
Genesis 25:29 +; feminine
Jeremiah 31:25 +; plural
Judges 8:4 +; — from exertion and hunger
Genesis 25:20,30 (J),
Judges 8:4,5;
Deuteronomy 25:18 (+ ), compare
Isaiah 5:27,
Isaiah 28:12 (figurative),
2 Samuel 16:14 (si vera lectio, proper name, of a location needed, compare We Dr HPS); + ,
2 Samuel 17:29; specifically from thirst
Isaiah 29:8 (simile),
Job 22:7,
Proverbs 25:25 and (figurative)
Jeremiah 31:25 ("" ); hence
Psalm 63:2 (figurative, on masculine see Kö
Synt. § 334 f.), compare
Psalm 143:6 (simile),
Isaiah 32:2 (opposed to , in simile); that is beast
Isaiah 46:1 — See also foregoing.
I. see below I. .
Topical Lexicon
Scope of the Termעָיֵף portrays physical exhaustion, parching thirst, and the soul-level depletion that follows prolonged struggle. Its Old Testament appearances trace a progression from simple bodily fatigue to profound spiritual need, and finally to divine promise and restoration.
Occurrences and Contextual Themes
Genesis 25:29–30 presents the foundational picture: Esau’s bodily depletion after hunting. From that starting point the word describes (1) Israel’s vulnerability in the wilderness (Deuteronomy 25:18), (2) the rigors of battle and pursuit (Judges 8:4–5;2 Samuel 16:14;2 Samuel 17:29), (3) societal indifference to human need (Job 22:7), (4) the believer’s inner drought (Psalm 63:1;Psalm 143:6;Proverbs 25:25), and (5) prophetic images of judgment and deliverance (Isaiah 5:27;Isaiah 28:12;Isaiah 29:8;Isaiah 32:2;Isaiah 46:1;Jeremiah 31:25).
Pentateuch Foundations: Esau’s Weariness
The twin narratives in Genesis highlight how bodily need can cloud discernment. Esau’s cry, “I am famished” (Genesis 25:30), shows appetite eclipsing covenant privilege. Deuteronomy recalls a national counterpart: Amalek “attacked all your stragglers when you were tired and weary” (Deuteronomy 25:18). Both scenes tie weariness to susceptibility—Esau to a rash oath, Israel to a surprise ambush.
Historical Narratives: Weariness in Warfare and Flight
Judges 8 depicts Gideon and three hundred men “exhausted yet still in pursuit” (Judges 8:4). Their perseverance despite depletion underscores faith-driven endurance. David, fleeing Absalom, arrives at the Jordan “weary” (2 Samuel 16:14). Yet God supplies through loyal friends who acknowledge that “the people are hungry, weary, and thirsty” (2 Samuel 17:29). The motif: covenant community alleviates fatigue incurred in righteous conflict.
Wisdom and Worship Literature: Soul-Thirst and Refreshment
Job rebukes the ungodly for refusing water to the weary (Job 22:7), marking relief of exhaustion as basic righteousness. The Psalms transpose the term into the realm of worship: “My flesh faints for You in a dry and weary land without water” (Psalm 63:1); “my soul thirsts for You like a parched land” (Psalm 143:6).Proverbs 25:25 offers the remedy: “Like cold water to a weary soul is good news from a distant land.” Physical imagery becomes a metaphor for gospel-hope.
Prophetic Visions: Weariness as Metaphor for Spiritual Deprivation
Isaiah layers the word with eschatological nuance. The invading army ofIsaiah 5:27 “never grows weary,” a chilling portrait of relentless judgment. YetIsaiah 28:12 holds out YHWH’s invitation: “This is the place of rest, give rest to the weary”—an offer Israel spurns.Isaiah 32:2 foresees a righteous king whose reign provides “streams of water in a dry land,” shielding the weary. Conversely, idols burden their carriers: “These things you carry are burdensome, a load to the weary animal” (Isaiah 46:1). Jeremiah draws the line to restoration: “I will refresh the weary soul and satisfy all who are faint” (Jeremiah 31:25), anticipating the New Covenant promises of the same chapter.
Divine Provision and Promise of Refreshment
Across genres, human solutions prove inadequate; only the Lord ultimately relieves עָיֵף. Whether through Gideon’s eventual triumph, David’s suppliers in Mahanaim, or the prophetic pledge ofJeremiah 31, God Himself meets exhaustion. The theme culminates when Jesus echoes Jeremiah’s assurance: “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
Typological and Christological Trajectory
Esau’s reckless barter foreshadows humanity’s tendency to exchange eternal birthright for momentary relief. Gideon’s perseverance and David’s restoration prefigure Christ, who “grew weary on His journey” at Sychar’s well yet provided living water (John 4:6–14). The Servant-King of Isaiah satisfies parched souls, fulfilling Jeremiah’s oracle and establishing a kingdom where true Sabbath rest is realized (Hebrews 4:9–11).
Pastoral and Ministry Implications
1. Address the whole person. Scripture mingles bodily fatigue with spiritual thirst; wise ministry recognizes both dimensions.
2. Guard the vulnerable. Amalek’s attack on the weary warns churches to protect the exhausted among them.
3. Provide tangible refreshment.Job 22:7 exposes the sin of withholding practical aid; acts of mercy become gospel demonstrations.
4. Preach rest in Christ. Only He fulfillsJeremiah 31:25; proclamation of His finished work is living water to the faint.
5. Model persevering faith. Gideon’s “exhausted yet pursuing” remains a rallying cry for believers engaging in spiritual warfare.
Summary
עָיֵף traverses Scripture as a marker of human limitation and a canvas for divine compassion. From Esau’s field to Jeremiah’s promise, the weary find either peril or refreshment depending on their response to God’s provision, ultimately embodied in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Forms and Transliterations
וְעָיֵ֣ף וְעָיֵ֥ף ועיף לֶֽעָיֵ֔ף לַעֲיֵפָֽה׃ לעיף לעיפה׃ עֲיֵפִ֑ים עֲיֵפִ֖ים עֲיֵפִ֣ים עֲיֵפָ֑ה עֲיֵפָ֖ה עֲיֵפָֽה׃ עָיֵ֔ף עָיֵ֖ף עָיֵ֣ף עָיֵ֤ף עָיֵֽף׃ עיף עיף׃ עיפה עיפה׃ עיפים ‘ă·yê·p̄āh ‘ă·yê·p̄îm ‘ā·yêp̄ ‘āyêp̄ ‘ăyêp̄āh ‘ăyêp̄îm aYef ayeFah ayeFim la‘ăyêp̄āh la·‘ă·yê·p̄āh laayeFah le‘āyêp̄ le·‘ā·yêp̄ leaYef veaYef wə‘āyêp̄ wə·‘ā·yêp̄
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