HEBREW WORD STUDY – SADNESS – ‘ASTAB – עצב Ayin Sade Beth
Genesis 6: 6: “And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.”
This is a very revealing verse on the nature of God. The word for repent is nacham which is not a common usage of that word. It seems most Bible translators are very careful about attributing human emotions to God. God is supposed to be above such things as grief and sadness. However, I find nothing in Scripture to indicate that God is above such emotions. Nacham really has the idea of compassion and/or pity. Yet, this is in a Niphal form and as my Hebrew students on Tuesday night should recognize this would make the word reflexive. What is the reflexive nature of the word pity? It is self-pity. No translator would dare use the word self-pity. Yet, why would God not feel self-pity? He is suffering pain and he feels sorry for himself because of the pain brought on by his creative acts..”Why did I bring on this creation if it was going to cause me such pain.” Yet that may be the very reason He created man and gave Him a free will as it was the only way to test the limits of His own emotions. In fact, some translations even say he consoled himself. That is right in keeping with the word nacham in a Niphal form.
It says, also, that he was grieved to His heart. The word grieved is ‘astab which means to suffer pain, grief and hurt. In a word, it means to be sad. If you want to summarize this verse you can say that when the Lord saw the evil in the world and saw how it brought such pain and suffering, He was sad.
I believe the Bible clearly teaches that God does get sad and suffers emotional torment. Not for himself but for the suffering of His people. If a child is sick the mother is sad. Whey should she be sad, she is not sick, it is no skin off her back. She is in no pain, but the child she loves is in pain and this saddens her because of that love. Should not the God we love and who loves us be sad when we are in pain when we are suffering from evil?
Translators have couched such emotional words in soft, nice sounding terms as He repented and he was grieved. I mean grieve is such a noble word. Of course one will bravely grieve over a loss, but if one gets sad over a loss, that is not considered very noble. It sounds like you are feeling sorry for yourself. Yet, if you examine these words closely in the Hebrew that is exactly what God is feeling when the ones He loves to suffer.
Today the news was about two parents who murdered their child. I had people get on my disability bus and ask if I had heard the news and then they started to talk about what a horrible world we live in. My problem is that I saw it in the news but I could not bring myself to read the article. I thought maybe I am just getting old. I am an Aspie after all and I don’t pick up on the pain of others as easily as one should. The fact that I could not even bear to read an article about a child murdered by his parents was something new to me. I could not understand it.
As I reflected I realized that ever since I started my search for the heart of God ten years ago, I was becoming more and more reluctant to read a news article about abortion, about human trafficking, child sexual abuse, and slavery. I found the closer I drew to the heart of God the harder and harder it became for me to even listen to reports on such things.
I now know and recognize that I have not become more compassionate. I not risen above my Aspie lack of empathy, what was and is happening is that I am feeling God’s heart. I cannot read that news article on the child murder because I feel God’s pain, God’s sorrow, and His sadness and it is just too much to bear.
I am sorry if I offend those who feel God does not have human emotions, but as I draw closer to the heart of God I am experiencing emotions that are much deeper than I have ever felt in my life.
When I heard the news of the bombings in Sri Lanka, I could not stop thinking about how sad God was because I felt His sadness and it was so unbearable, that I could not even follow the news reports. When someone you love is sad you want to cheer them up. So I just started to sing, dance and praise the Lord.
Many thanks for bringing out the compassionate and loving nature of Papa God. I love that about Him.
Thank you for sharing on this subject. Our adult son died some months ago from an overdose but prior to this occurring, I sensed God speaking to me about many of my prayers and ministry for decades, was motivated by a fear of hell. I then realised that I would see more people come to know God by focussing on the gospel of peace instead. Since our son died, I have experienced God as my comforter and friend more than in the thirty years prior. Today I was concerned that He may be expecting me to not cry anymore, but I think I am connecting with Him in a special way, sensing what He feels for His children who need to come home to Him. I also find it hard to hear or focus on stories of cruelty, abortion, and tragedies as well!
After 9-11 a friend of mine had the same understanding – to pray for the Lord’s comfort – a word she received when she asked the simple question: “Lord, what would soothe your heart?” In her. and now your, sharing of this deep Love for the Father…I think Jesus’ last request before leaving earth is being fulfilled…that we be One as the Father and the Son are One. Thank you for bringing compassionate hearts into unity!
When a young christian lady I knew well died of illness i got the feeling that christians felt the pain more severely because of the understanding it was not what God wanted. Where others saw it as “Well that is life”. Even though we know she is in Heaven with Jesus. I think the pain is because we feel the sorrow God feels.
Now I know ……… you answered a question I have only articulated to my husband and my pastor.
Thank you for letting God use you.
MW
Excellent work on the heart of God my beloved brother. I really enjoy your service to the body of Christ since I hooked up with you a couple months ago
I am really examining your thoughts expressed in this post. I am conflicted by one thought of my own. When I am grieved, in pain & sad I turn to God for comfort. Where does God find comfort?
If someone you love is suffering and you are sad because they are suffering, what would comfort you? I think if you had the ability to bring comfort to that person, you in turn would be comforted. God is constantly reaching out to comfort us but we do not seek or accept His comfort, hence , he continues to be sad over our condition. You want to bring comfort to God, just accept his salvation that He sent His Son to die to bring to us.
I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
Psalm 27:13
That is an amazing verse, I shall do a study on that verse. Thank you for sharing.
I loved reading this. I had not realized feeling the hurt and grief of life was the heart of God in us. I can see how people who do not have a relationship with God feed on these tragedies.
I loved how you praised in these instances knowing the broken heart of God. Yes, we feel his broken heart. Praise to him!!
I have learned so much about my own heart from this writing! Thank you for bringing this to light for me!
In Him!!
I grew up in a Baptist church where evangelism was our primary mission. It was all about getting people saved so they don’t go to hell. Yet, in all the soul winning seminars, teachings, sermons and classes I never once heard the instructor or preacher indicate that one of our motives for evangelism is to bring comfort to the heart of God. That there is a God weeping for the loss and it is our responsibility to bring these lost ones to Him and bring Him pleasure and relief from His sadness.
Beautiful lesson
This particular study strikes a major chord. I also appreciate your transparency.
If this study strikes a major chord with just one person, then it is worth it all.