Original Word: עָגַם
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: `agam
Pronunciation: ah-gahm'
Phonetic Spelling: (aw-gam')
KJV: grieve
NASB: grieved
Word Origin: [a primitive root]

1. to be sad

grieve

A primitive root; to be sad -- grieve.

Word Origin
a prim. root
Definition
to be grieved
NASB Translation
grieved (1). [] (Late Hebrew id; Aramaic , and 👁 Image
(in Lexicons) id; compare perhaps also Assyrian agâmu, be vexed Dl^{HWB 16} (rare; cited under )); —

Perfect3feminine singular Job 30:25 was not my soul grieved for the poor ? ("" ).

Biblical Occurrence

Job 30:25 is the sole appearance of the verb, rendered in the Berean Standard Bible: “Have I not wept for those in trouble? Has my soul not grieved for the needy?”

Contextual Overview

The statement belongs to Job’s self-defense (Job 29–31). Formerly honored, Job now rehearses his earlier compassion to highlight the disparity between his past righteousness and his present humiliation. The verb depicts a deep, visceral stirring of his soul on behalf of sufferers—an inner sorrow that once propelled him to merciful action.

Emotional and Spiritual Nuance

The word carries the sense of inward wrenching, fusing empathy, pity, and anguish. It is not detached sympathy but shared pain. In Job it underscores three realities:

1. Compassion is inseparable from righteousness.
2. True lament arises from identification with another’s misery.
3. The loss of sympathetic community can deepen the sufferer’s isolation.

Historical and Cultural Insights

Ancient Near Eastern society valued patrons who defended and supported the vulnerable. Job’s claim to have “grieved for the needy” signals his conformity to that expectation, confirming his role as a civic benefactor whose authority rested on tangible mercy. Public weeping and personal sorrow for the afflicted upheld communal bonds and embodied justice.

Theological Significance

• Reflection of the Divine Heart – Scripture repeatedly pictures the LORD “hearing the cry of the afflicted” (Psalm 34:17); Job’s grief mirrors this attribute.
• Evidence of Integrity – Compassion serves as a witness to authentic faith (Isaiah 58:6-10; James 2:15-17).
• Heightening the Book’s Tension – The compassionate man now receives no compassion, sharpening the enigma of righteous suffering and preparing readers for God’s eventual reply.

Related Themes in Scripture

Compassionate lament: Psalm 119:136; Lamentations 3:48-49

Shared sorrow within the body: Romans 12:15; 1 Corinthians 12:26

Advocacy for the needy: Proverbs 31:8-9; Isaiah 1:17

Practical Ministry Applications

1. Pastoral Presence – Leaders must engage sufferers with felt empathy rather than detached counsel, echoing Job’s former practice.
2. Diaconal Service – Genuine care grows out of entering another’s distress, motivating acts of relief (2 Corinthians 8:1-4).
3. Corporate Worship – Lament psalms encourage congregations to “weep with those who weep,” giving voice to shared grief as a faith response.

Christological Perspective

Job’s anguished compassion foreshadows the incarnate Christ, who “was moved with compassion” (Matthew 14:14) and ultimately “bore our griefs” (Isaiah 53:4). The unique Old Testament usage finds its fullest expression in Jesus, whose redemptive mission required entering humanity’s suffering to secure eternal comfort.

Summary

Though appearing only once, the verb characterizes authentic righteousness as soul-deep identification with the afflicted. It frames Job’s moral plea, reinforces the scriptural call to mercy, and anticipates the perfect compassion fulfilled in Christ.

עָֽגְמָ֥ה עגמה ‘ā·ḡə·māh ‘āḡəmāh ageMahInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts

Job 30:25
HEB: לִקְשֵׁה־ י֑וֹם עָֽגְמָ֥ה נַ֝פְשִׁ֗י לָאֶבְיֽוֹן׃
NAS: Was not my soul grieved for the needy?
KJV: was [not] my soul grieved for the poor?
INT: churlish life grieved any to the poor

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 5701
1 Occurrence

‘ā·ḡə·māh — 1 Occ.