The meaning of Cry, Crying in the Bible
(From International Standard Bible Encyclopedia)
kri'-ing (zaaq, tsa'aq (and forms), qara', shawa', rinnah; boao, krazo, phoneo):
Various words are translated "cry," "crying," etc., the chief of which are those above given; za'aq and tsa'aq denote especially a cry for help, from pain or distress, and are frequently used for crying to God, e.g. (za'aq, Exodus 2:23; Judges 3:9, Judges 3:15; Psalms 22:5; Psalms 107:13, Psalms 107:19; Micah 3:4); (tsa'aq, Exodus 8:12; Exodus 15:25; Psalms 34:17; Psalms 77:1; Isaiah 19:20; Lamentations 2:18); qara' (a mimetic word) has the widest signification, but is often used of appealing to God (frequently translated "call," "called," etc., Genesis 39:14-15, Genesis 39:18; Genesis 41:43; Deuteronomy 15:9; Deuteronomy 24:15; I Kings 18:27; Psalms 3:4; Psalms 22:2; Psalms 27:7; Proverbs 1:21; Isaiah 34:14; Jeremiah 2:2, etc.); shawa', "to cry aloud" (Job 29:12; Job 30:20, Job 30:28; Psalms 18:6, Psalms 18:41; Psalms 88:13; Jonah 2:2; Habakkuk 1:2, etc.); rinnah, "a shouting," whether for joy or grief (I Kings 8:28; Psalms 17:1; Psalms 61:1; Psalms 88:2; Psalms 119:169; Psalms 142:6; Isaiah 43:14 the Revised Version (British and American) "rejoicing," etc.). Other Hebrew words are 'anaq, "to groan" (Ezekiel 9:4; Ezekiel 24:17 the King James Version; Ezekiel 26:15 the King James Version); hamah, "to make a noise" (Psalms 55:17 the King James Version); rua', "to shout" (Judges 7:21 the King James Version; Job 30:5; Isaiah 42:13, etc.); ranan, "to cry aloud" (Psalms 84:2; Lamentations 2:19); shoa', "crying" (Isaiah 22:5); teshu'oth, "crying," "noise" (Job 39:7 the King James Version).
In the New Testament we have boao, "to cry," "shout" (Matthew 3:3; Mark 1:3; Mark 15:34; Galatians 4:27, etc.); krazo (mimetic, the hoarse cry of the raven), "to cry out" (Matthew 9:27; Matthew 14:30; Matthew 21:9; Matthew 27:50; Mark 5:5; Galatians 4:6; Revelation 6:10; Revelation 7:2, etc.); phoneo, "to give forth the voice," "sound" (Luke 8:8; Luke 16:24; Luke 23:46; Acts 16:28; Revelation 14:18 the King James Version); anaboao, "to cry out" (Matthew 27:46; Luke 9:38); aphiemi, "to let go," "to send away" (Mark 15:37 the King James Version); epiboao, "to cry about" (anything) (Acts 25:24); epiphoneo, "to give forth the voice upon" (Luke 23:21 the King James Version); kraugazo, "to make a cry, or outcry, or clamor" (Matthew 12:19; Matthew 15:22; John 11:43; John 18:40; John 19:6, John 19:15; Acts 22:23); anakrazo, "to cry out" (Mark 1:23; Luke 4:33, etc.); krauge, "a crying out" (Matthew 25:6; Acts 23:9 the King James Version; Hebrews 5:7; Revelation 21:4).
For "cry" the Revised Version (British and American) has "sound" (II Chronicles 13:12); "cry because of these things" (Job 30:24 the English Revised Version); "cry out" (Job 31:38; Isaiah 42:14); "call" (Psalms 28:1; Psalms 61:2; Psalms 141:1); "be blind" (Isaiah 29:9); "groan" (Ezekiel 26:15); "pant" (Joel 1:20); "cry aloud" (Matthew 12:19); "clamor" (Acts 23:9). Among the other changes are, "moan" for "cry aloud" (Psalms 55:17); "sound an alarm" (Hosea 5:8); "take your pleasure," margin "blind yourselves." for "cry ye out" (Isaiah 29:9): "sigh, but not aloud" for "forbear to cry" (Ezekiel 21:17); "shoutings" for "crying" (Job 39:7); "destruction" for "crying" (Proverbs 19:18, where we have instead of "let not thy soul spare for his crying," "set not thy heart on his destruction," margin, Hebrew "causing him to die" (muth, "to put to death")); "went up" for "crying aloud" (Mark 15:8, different text); "cry" for "voice" (Luke 1:42); for "had cried" (Luke 23:46), the American Standard Revised Version has "crying."
W. L. Walker
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