Meaning of יָגַע (Yaga/Yagea)
Meaning
The Hebrew word יָגַע (Yaga or Yagea), with Strong reference H3021, is a verb that means:
- "To labor hard"
- "To become weary," "to be tired"
- "To toil," "to exert oneself"
- "To become exhausted from work or effort"
This Hebrew root emphasizes effort, labor, and the fatigue resulting from intense work.
Important Appearances in the Bible
This word appears in several significant passages:
-
Isaiah 40:28 - "Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary (יָגַע - yaga); his understanding is unsearchable."
-
Isaiah 40:31 - "But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary (יָגַע - yaga); they shall walk and not faint."
-
Isaiah 43:22 - "Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob; but you have been weary (יָגַע - yaga) of me, O Israel."
-
Isaiah 47:15 - "Such to you are those with whom you have labored (יָגַע - yaga), who have done business with you from your youth; they wander about, each in his own direction; there is no one to save you."
-
Jeremiah 51:58 - "Thus says the Lord of hosts: The broad wall of Babylon shall be leveled to the ground, and her high gates shall be burned with fire. The peoples labor (יָגַע - yaga) for nothing, and the nations weary themselves only for fire."
-
Joshua 7:3 - "And they returned to Joshua and said to him, 'Do not have all the people go up, but let about two or three thousand men go up and attack Ai. Do not make the whole people toil (יָגַע - yaga) up there, for they are few.'"
-
Malachi 2:17 - "You have wearied (יָגַע - yaga) the Lord with your words. But you say, 'How have we wearied him?' By saying, 'Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and he delights in them.' Or by asking, 'Where is the God of justice?'"
Theological Significance
In the biblical context, יָגַע (Yaga) has important theological implications:
-
Contrast between human fatigue and God's unwearying nature (as seen in Isaiah 40:28-31)
-
Hard work as part of the human condition, sometimes as a consequence of sin or as part of the divine order
-
Spiritual frustration expressed as "wearying God" with incorrect behaviors or attitudes
-
The futility of work that is not aligned with divine purposes (as in Jeremiah 51:58)
This word reflects a deep understanding of human effort and its limitations, frequently contrasted with God's unlimited power. |