Topical Encyclopedia
The term "bereaved" refers to those who have lost a loved one, often through death, and are experiencing the deep sorrow and mourning associated with such a loss. In the Bible, bereavement is a common human experience, and Scripture provides numerous examples and teachings on how to navigate this profound grief.
Biblical Examples of Bereavement1.
Job: One of the most poignant examples of bereavement in the Bible is found in the account of Job. Job experienced the loss of his children, wealth, and health. Despite his immense suffering, Job remained steadfast in his faith.
Job 1:21 records his response: "Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will return. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD."
2.
Naomi: In the Book of Ruth, Naomi is another figure who experiences bereavement. She loses her husband and two sons while living in Moab. Her grief is profound, and she expresses it openly, saying, "Do not call me Naomi; call me Mara, for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me" (
Ruth 1:20). Despite her sorrow, Naomi's account is one of redemption and hope, as God provides for her through her daughter-in-law Ruth.
3.
David: King David also faced bereavement, notably in the loss of his son with Bathsheba. His grief is recorded in
2 Samuel 12:22-23 , where he says, "While the child was alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, ‘Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live.’ But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me."
Teachings on Bereavement1.
Comfort in Mourning: The Bible acknowledges the pain of bereavement but also offers comfort.
Matthew 5:4 states, "Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." This beatitude assures believers that God is present in their sorrow and will provide solace.
2.
Hope in Resurrection: For Christians, the hope of resurrection provides comfort in times of bereavement.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 encourages believers not to grieve like those without hope, "For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him."
3.
God’s Presence:
Psalm 34:18 offers reassurance of God’s nearness to the bereaved: "The LORD is near to the brokenhearted; He saves the contrite in spirit." This verse highlights God’s compassion and readiness to support those who are grieving.
4.
Community Support: The Bible emphasizes the importance of community in times of bereavement.
Romans 12:15 instructs believers to "Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep." This call to empathy and shared sorrow underscores the role of the Christian community in providing support and comfort.
Practical Responses to Bereavement1.
Prayer and Lament: The Psalms provide a model for expressing grief through prayer and lament.
Psalm 13 is an example of a lament that transitions from sorrow to trust in God’s unfailing love.
2.
Trust in God’s Sovereignty: Bereavement challenges believers to trust in God’s sovereignty and goodness, even when His purposes are not immediately clear.
Proverbs 3:5-6 encourages trust in the Lord with all one’s heart, acknowledging Him in all ways.
3.
Eternal Perspective: Focusing on the eternal promises of God can provide comfort.
Revelation 21:4 offers a vision of a future without death or mourning: "He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the former things have passed away."
Bereavement, while deeply painful, is addressed in Scripture with compassion and hope, offering believers a framework for understanding and navigating their grief in the light of God’s promises.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
(
imp. & p. p.) of Bereave.
Greek
642. aporphanizo -- to bebereaved... to be
bereaved. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: aporphanizo Phonetic Spelling:
(ap-or-fan-id'-zo) Short Definition: I separate from some one, bereave
...3737. orphanos -- an orphan
... an orphan. Part of Speech: Adjective Transliteration: orphanos Phonetic Spelling:
(or-fan-os') Short Definition:bereaved, an orphan Definition:bereaved, an...
5565. choris -- separately, separate from
... Word Origin adverb akin to cheros (bereaved) Definition separately, separate from
NASB Word Usage apart (10), besides (2), independent (2), itself (1...
Strong's Hebrew
7921. shakol -- to bebereaved... shakol or shakal. 7922 . to be
bereaved. Transliteration: shakol or shakal Phonetic
Spelling: (shaw-kole') Short Definition: bereave. Word Origin a prim.
...7909b. shakul --bereaved, robbed of offspring
... 7909a, 7909b. shakul. 7910 .bereaved, robbed of offspring. Transliteration:
shakul Short Definition: cubs. Word Origin from shakol...
7909. shakkuwl -- childless
... barren,bereaved robbed of children whelps Or shakkul {shak-kool'}; from shakol;
bereaved -- barren,bereaved (robbed) of children (whelps). see HEBREW shakol....
7923. shikkulim -- bereavement, childlessness
... 7922, 7923. shikkulim. 7924 . bereavement, childlessness. Transliteration:
shikkulim Phonetic Spelling: (shik-koo-leem') Short Definition:bereaved....
7909a. shakul -- childless
... childless. Transliteration: shakul Short Definition: children. Word Origin from
shakol Definition childless NASB Word Usagebereaved of my children (1)....
3490. yathom -- an orphan
... fatherless child, orphan. From an unused root meaning to be lonely; abereaved person --
fatherless (child), orphan. 3489, 3490. yathom. 3491 ....
Library
The Mourner's Comfort.
... He alone is qualified to do so. The words spoken to thebereaved one of
Bethany are words purchased by His own atoning work. "Thy...
The Weeping Saviour.
... Jesus wept!". (1.) JESUS WEPT out of Sympathy for theBereaved. The hearts
around Him were breaking with anguish. All unconscious...
The Mystical Union with Immanuel.
... The friend who shares abereaved mother's mourning is notbereaved himself, but
through love and pity he has become partaker of that mourning....
Epistle xv. To Scholasticus, Judge.
... While we were greatly distressed in our care for the city of Naples,bereaved of
the solace of a priest [1482] , the arrival of the bearers of these presents...
Chapter xliii
... The King James Version makes it too much a word of resignation: "If I bebereaved
of my children, I ambereaved." Besides, "bebereaved" would require an...
Observations on the Words of John the Baptist John I. ...
... the hidden bosom of her mind handfuls of the rich crop and gleanings of the Word,
that so she may nourish with fresh food her who is worn out,bereaved by the...
"Lazarus, Come Forth"
... In the thought of the peril their Master was about to incur by going to Jerusalem,
the disciples had almost forgotten thebereaved family at Bethany....
The Bereavements of the Christian Home. [A]
... hour in which the mother used to gather them around her for prayer, and sing them
to their rosy rest, with what a stricken heart does thebereaved husband seek...
But Whilst the King Has not that Most Blessed Light...
... sure," it is still "very far off,""a thousand years may"nay, some say, must"have
to intervene; and must we sorrowfully say, like thebereaved saint of old...
Though He were Dead
... as I am helped of the Spirit; and I shall proceed thus"first, by asking you to view
the text as a stream of comfort to Martha and otherbereaved persons; and...
Thesaurus
Bereaved (20 Occurrences)... (imp. & pp) of Bereave. Multi-Version Concordance
Bereaved (20 Occurrences). John
14:18 I will not leave you
bereaved: I am coming to you. (WEY YLT).
...Bereave (10 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (vt) To make destitute; to deprive; to take away; as,
the accidentbereaved them of their father. 2. (vt) To take away from....
Bereft (9 Occurrences)
... Revised Version (British and American) Ezekiel 36:13 (from Hebrew shakhol "to be
childless"), "a bereaver of thy nation" (the King James Version "hastbereaved...
Bereavement (4 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) The state of beingbereaved; deprivation; esp.,
the loss of a relative by death. Multi-Version Concordance...
Orphan (25 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (n.) A childbereaved of both father and mother;
sometimes, also, a child who has but one parent living....
Faileth (26 Occurrences)
... 4:2 Thy teeth are like a flock of ewes that are newly'shorn, Which are come up from
the washing, Whereof every one hath twins, And none isbereaved among them....
Forming (27 Occurrences)
... Song of Songs 4:2 Thy teeth as a row of the shorn ones That have come up from the
washing, For all of them are forming twins, And abereaved one is not among...
Twins (9 Occurrences)
... Song of Songs 4:2 Your teeth are like a newly shorn flock, which have come up from
the washing, where every one of them has twins. None isbereaved among them....
Twin (9 Occurrences)
... Song of Songs 4:2 Your teeth are like a newly shorn flock, which have come up from
the washing, where every one of them has twins. None isbereaved among them....
Ewes (7 Occurrences)
... 4:2 Thy teeth are like a flock of ewes that are newly'shorn, Which are come up from
the washing, Whereof every one hath twins, And none isbereaved among them....
Resources
What is thanatology? | GotQuestions.orgHow can I overcome grieving the loss of a pet? | GotQuestions.orgDoes the Bible say anything about grandparents? | GotQuestions.orgBereaved: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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