Grief

Across the canon

In the King James text (503 verses)

Every verse where Scripture speaks of grief, gathered by word. Quoted below: a spread across the whole canon, Old Testament and New — never more than two from any one book. The complete list is one click beneath them.

1. Genesis 3:16

   Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.

   ›Commentary on Genesis 3:162 voices

   “Unto the woman he said,.... The woman receives her sentence next to the serpent, and before the man, because she was first and more deeply in the transgression, and was the means of drawing her husband into it.

   “Unto the woman he said - She being second in the transgression is brought up the second to receive her condemnation, and to hear her punishment: I will greatly multiply, or multiplying I will multiply; i.e., I will multiply thy sorrows, and multiply those sorrows by other sorrows, and this during conception and pregnancy, and particularly so in parturition or child-bearing. And this curse has fallen in a heavier degree on the woman than on any other female.

   Everything gathered on Genesis 3:16→

   Verse page →Original language →

2. Ruth 1:9

   The Lord grant you that ye may find rest, each of you in the house of her husband. Then she kissed them; and they lifted up their voice, and wept.

   Verse page →Original language →

3. 1 Chronicles 4:9

   And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow.

   ›Commentary on 1 Chronicles 4:91 voice

   It is remarkable that Jabez should be introduced without description, or patronymic, as if a well-known personage. We can only suppose that he was known to those for whom Chronicles was written, either by tradition, or by writings which have perished. In 1Ch 4:10 Jabez alludes to his name, “sorrowful” (margin): “Grant that the grief implied in my name may not come upon me!”

   Everything gathered on 1 Chronicles 4:9→

   Verse page →Original language →

4. Psalms 6:7

   Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all mine enemies.

   ›Commentary on Psalms 6:72 voices

   "I water my couch with my tears. Mine eye is consumed because of grief; it waxeth old because of all my enemies." As an old man's eye grows dim with years, so, says David, my eye is grown red and feeble through weeping. Conviction sometimes has such an effect upon the body, that even the outward organs are made to suffer. May not this explain some of the convulsions and hysterical attacks which have been experienced under convictions in the revivals in Ireland?

   “For in quarrels the very light of the soul, the light of good intent, is blocked. Whence the Psalmist says, "Mine eye is troubled because of anger." And what remains in us of well-doing, if we lose peace from the heart, without which we cannot see the Lord?

   Everything gathered on Psalms 6:7→

   Verse page →Original language →

5. Ezekiel 2:10

   And he spread it before me; and it was written within and without: and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe.

   ›Commentary on Ezekiel 2:102 voices

   “I take it to be similar in the case of the book mentioned by Ezekiel, in which had been written lamentation, mourning and woe. The whole book contains the "woe" of those perishing, and the "mourning" of those being saved and the "lamentation" of those in between. John, too, who eats one roll on which there is writing on the back and the front, considered the whole Scripture as one book, which is thought to be sweet at the start, when one chews it, but bitter in the perception of each of those who come to know it.

   “It was written within and without - Contrary to the state of rolls in general, which are written on the inside only. The Hebrew rolls are generally written in this way. There are several of such Hebrew rolls before me, all written on the inside only, consisting of skins of vellum, or parchment, or basil, a sort of half-tanned sheep or goat skin, sewed together, extending to several yards in length. Other Asiatic books were written in the same way.

   Everything gathered on Ezekiel 2:10→

   Verse page →Original language →

6. Jonah 4:6

   And the Lord God prepared a gourd, and made it to come up over Jonah, that it might be a shadow over his head, to deliver him from his grief. So Jonah was exceeding glad of the gourd.

   ›Commentary on Jonah 4:61 voice

   “And the Lord God prepared a gourd - I believe this should be rendered in the preterpluperfect tense. The Lord Had prepared this plant, קיקיון kikayon. It had in the course of God’s providence been planted and grown up in that place, though perhaps not yet in full leaf; and Jonah made that his tent. And its thick branches and large leaves made it an ample shelter for him, and because it was such, he rejoiced greatly on the account. But what was the kikayon?

   Everything gathered on Jonah 4:6→

   Verse page →Original language →

7. Malachi 2:13

   And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand.

   ›Commentary on Malachi 2:132 voices

   “And this - Beside that first fault, you have committed another, you misuse, and afflict your Jewish wives, whom alone you should have cherished. With tears - Your despised wives fly to the temple, weep and cry to God for redress. With weeping - This is added to shew the abundance of their tears.

   “(v. 13 ff.) And you have done this again, covering the altar of the Lord with tears, weeping and groaning, so that I will no longer look upon your sacrifices or accept anything pleasing from your hands. Yet you ask, 'Why?' Because the Lord has been witness between you and the wife of your youth, whom you have despised, though she is your companion and your wife by covenant. Did not one God create us all? Did not one God give us life and breath? And what does one seek, except the seed of God?

   Everything gathered on Malachi 2:13→

   Verse page →Original language →

8. Matthew 2:18

   In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.

   ›Commentary on Matthew 2:182 voices

   “She was buried near this place; and is here beautifully represented risen, as it were out of her grave, and bewailing her lost children. Because they are not - that is, are dead. The preservation of Jesus from this destruction, may be considered as a figure of God's care over his children in their greatest danger.

   “(In Hierem. 31:15.) This passage of Jeremiah has been quoted by Matthew neither according to the Hebrew nor the LXX version. This shows that the Evangelists and Apostles did not follow any one's translation, but according to the Hebrew manner expressed in their own words what they had read in Hebrew. By Ramah we need not suppose that the town of that name near Gibeah is meant; but take it as signifying 'high.' A voice was heard 'aloft,' that is, spread far and wide.' Rachel's son was Benjamin, in which tribe Bethlehem is not situated.

   Everything gathered on Matthew 2:18→

   Verse page →Original language →

9. Acts 4:2

   Being grieved that they taught the people, and preached through Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

   ›Commentary on Acts 4:22 voices

   “Peter, together with John, preached to them this plain message of glad tidings, that the promise which God made to the fathers had been fulfilled by Jesus; not certainly proclaiming another god, but the Son of God, who also was made man, and suffered; thus leading Israel into knowledge, and through Jesus preaching the resurrection of the dead, and showing, that whatever the prophets had proclaimed as to the suffering of Christ, these had God fulfilled.

   “Being grieved - Διαπονουμενοι, They were thoroughly fatigued with the continuance of this preaching; their minds suffered more labor, through vexation at the success of the apostles, than the bodies of the apostles did in their fatiguing exercise of preaching during the whole day.

   Everything gathered on Acts 4:2→

   Verse page →Original language →

10. Ephesians 4:30

    And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

    ›Commentary on Ephesians 4:301 voice

    “That we have been "sealed" with the Holy Spirit means that both our spirit and our soul are impressed with God's own seal, signifying that we belong to him. By this we receive in ourselves that image and likeness in which we were created at the outset.… You are sealed so that you may be preserved to the end. You may show that seal on the day of redemption, pure and unblemished and not damaged in any part. You are thereby ready to be counted with those who are redeemed.

    Everything gathered on Ephesians 4:30→

    Verse page →Original language →

11. Hebrews 3:10

    Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.

    ›Commentary on Hebrews 3:102 voices

    “181. – Then (v. 10b) he describes the punishment for their sin. For which cause, i.e., for which sin, I was provoked, i.e., outraged: not that there is anger in God except metaphorically, because He punishes as one in anger does. This punishment is frequently …

    “Wherefore I was grieved with that generation,.... דור המדבר, "the generation of the wilderness", as the Jews often call them; and which they say was more beloved than any generation (e); and yet they will not allow them a part in the world to come; See Gill on Heb 3:11. When God is said to be grieved with them, it is to be considered as an anthropopathy, as speaking after the manner of men, as in Gen 6:

    Everything gathered on Hebrews 3:10→

    Verse page →Original language →

12. Revelation 5:4

    And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon.

    ›Commentary on Revelation 5:42 voices

    “And I wept much - A weeping which sprung from greatness of mind. The tenderness of heart which he always had appeared more clearly now he was out of his own power. The Revelation was not written without tears; neither without tears will it be understood.

    "There was none found worthy to do this." Neither among the angels of heaven, nor among men in earth, nor among the souls of the saints in rest, save Christ the Son of God alone, whom he says that he saw as a Lamb standing as it were slain, having seven horns. What had not been then announced, and what the law had contemplated for Him by its various oblations and sacrifices, it behoved Himself to fulfil.

    Everything gathered on Revelation 5:4→

    Verse page →Original language →

Words searched, at word start, across the King James text: grief… · griev… · mourn… · lament… · weep… · wept… · sorrow…

Lives that met it (8)

Curated character profiles whose own account speaks of grief.

• DanielProphet in the Court · Babylonian ExileDaniel was taken to Babylon as a youth of noble birth in the first deportation from Judah (605 BC), trained in Babylonian learning, and rose to advise Nebuchadnezzar and later Darius the Mede. His book holds the court narratives of faithful exile (chapters 1 to 6) and four visions (chapters 7 to 12) that shaped the hope of the Second Temple period.
• HannahMother of Samuel · JudgesHannah was a barren woman whose persistent prayer produced Samuel, Israel's greatest judge and prophet. Her song of praise anticipates Mary's Magnificat.
• Josiah16th King of Judah · Divided KingdomThe greatest reforming king of Judah who became king at eight years old, began seeking God at sixteen, and at twenty-six found the Book of the Law. He led the most sweeping religious reform in Judah's history and held the greatest Passover since the time of Samuel.
• Ahab7th King of Israel · Divided KingdomThe seventh and most infamous king of Israel who married Jezebel and introduced systematic Baal worship to Israel. He was confronted by Elijah on Mount Carmel, murdered Naboth for his vineyard, and was killed by a random arrow at Ramoth-gilead.
• NehemiahRebuilder of Jerusalem's Walls · Persian Empire/Post-ExilicNehemiah was cupbearer to the Persian king Artaxerxes who, grieved by reports of Jerusalem's ruined walls, obtained permission to return and lead the rebuilding effort despite fierce opposition, completing the wall in just fifty-two days.
• EzraPriest and Scribe of the Restoration · Persian Empire/Post-ExilicEzra was a priest and scribe who led a second wave of exiles back to Jerusalem, devoted to studying, obeying, and teaching God's Law. He confronted the returned community's intermarriage with pagan nations and, with Nehemiah, restored the public reading of Scripture.
• Mary of BethanyDevoted Worshiper at Jesus' Feet · New TestamentMary of Bethany, sister of Martha and Lazarus, is remembered for sitting at Jesus' feet to learn and for anointing Him with costly perfume before His death, an act Jesus declared would be told wherever the gospel was preached.
• MarthaFaithful Servant of Bethany · New TestamentMartha, sister of Mary and Lazarus, welcomed Jesus into her home and served Him faithfully, though she was gently corrected for anxious distraction. Her confession of Jesus as the Christ before Lazarus' resurrection stands among Scripture's clearest declarations of faith.