Doleful
Textsâš¡ IN BRIEF (SUMMARY)
The adjective doleful, derived from the Middle English dolful, functions as a lexical marker for grief and sorrow in early modern English. It appears in the King James Version of the Bible to describe desolate states, such as Babylon in Isaiah 13:21, and to characterize lamentation, as seen in Micah 2:4.
What is the meaning of Doleful in the Bible?
The adjective doleful, derived from the Middle English dolful, functions as a lexical marker for grief and sorrow in early modern English. It appears in the King James Version of the Bible to describe desolate states, such as Babylon in Isaiah 13:21, and to characterize lamentation, as seen in Micah 2:4.
TEXTUAL SIGNIFICANCE
Recognizing doleful as an archaic term for sorrow allows readers to accurately interpret the emotional tone and severity of judgment or mourning in biblical passages, ensuring a precise understanding of the text's lamentation without conflating it with unrelated concepts.
Bible Study Quick-Reference Guide
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Source Attribution & Provenance
Built upon the 1915 International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE) and Easton's Bible Dictionary (1897). Entries have been editorially modernized, checked for academic truthfulness, and formatted for fast contextual reference.