תְּלָאָה
𐤕𐤋𐤀𐤄
tᵉlâʼâh
H8513 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
State or experience of hardship, weariness, or distress, often resulting from external pressures, ordeals, or laborious circumstances. The term denotes both physical and emotional trials, encompassing challenges faced in journeys, battles, or periods of misfortune, particularly those causing fatigue or exhaustion. It may reference ongoing adversity rather than just a momentary event.
Semantic Range
distress, hardship, trouble, wearisome toil, exhausting ordeal, adversity, tribulation
Root / Etymology
From the root לָאָה (lā'āh), which primarily means 'to be weary, to tire, to become exhausted.' The noun תְּלָאָה (tᵉlâʼâh) is formed with the prefix תְּ- and typically expresses a state or experience resulting from the action of the root.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The word is used infrequently in the Hebrew Bible, appearing, for example, in contexts describing hardships experienced by the Israelite people, such as in Nehemiah 9:32, where it summarizes the adversities faced throughout their history. While related to physical fatigue, תְּלָאָה emphasizes the broader experience of difficulties or afflictions. Unlike some other Hebrew terms (such as עָמָל 'toil, labor' or צָרָה 'trouble, distress'), תְּלָאָה carries a nuance of hardship that is particularly intensive or drawn-out, often with a focus on its cumulative, wearying effect. In translation, English terms like 'distress' or 'trouble' capture much but not all of its nuance, since the Hebrew word often conveys the sense of exhaustion from repeated trials. In later periods, the term was sometimes associated with the sufferings of the Judean community, but in biblical texts it has a broader focus, not restricted to a specific people or era.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from לָאָה; distress; travail, travel, trouble.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
לאה (l-ʾ-h) — to be weary, become tired, exhaust
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8513-01 |
הַ/תְּלָאָה֙ | hatelaah | HTd/Ncfsa |
the hardship | the wearying hardship | 3 |
H8513-02 |
וּ/תְלָאָֽה | utelaah | HC/Ncfsa |
and hardship | and wearying hardship | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8513-01 |
Exodus 18:8 | הַ/תְּלָאָה֙ | hatelaah | HTd/Ncfsa |
the hardship | the wearying hardship |
H8513-01 |
Numbers 20:14 | הַ/תְּלָאָ֖ה | hatelaah | HTd/Ncfsa |
the hardship | the wearying hardship |
H8513-02 |
Lamentations 3:5 | וּ/תְלָאָֽה | utelaah | HC/Ncfsa |
and hardship | and wearying hardship |
H8513-01 |
Nehemiah 9:32 | הַ/תְּלָאָ֣ה | hatelaah | HTd/Ncfsa |
the-hardship | the wearying hardship |