Bible Dictionaries
Bewail

Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words

"to wail," whether with tears or any external expression of grief, is regularly translated "weep" in the RV; once in the AV it is rendered "bewail," Revelation 18:9 . See WEEP.

Note: The associated noun is klauthmos, "weeping." Cp. dakruo, "to weep," John 11:35 .

primarily, "to beat, smite;" then, "to cut off," Matthew 21:8; Mark 11:8 , is used in the Middle Voice, of beating oneself, beating the breast, as a token of grief; hence, "to bewail," Matthew 11:17 (RV, "mourn," for AV, "lament"); Matthew 24:30 , "mourn;" Revelation 1:7 (RV, "mourn;" AV, "wail"); in Luke 8:52; 23:27 "bewail;" in Revelation 18:9 , "wail" (for AV, "lament"). See CUT , MOURN. Cp. kopetos, "lamentation," Acts 8:2 .

denotes "to lament, mourn," especially for the dead; in 2 Corinthians 12:21 , RV, "mourn" (AV, "bewail"). See also Revelation 18:11,15,19 . Cp. penthos, "mourning." See MOURN.

Notes: (1) Threneo, "to sing a dirge, to lament," is rendered "wail" in Matthew 11:17 , RV; "mourned" in Luke 7:32; "to lament" in Luke 23:27; John 16:20 . Threnos, "lamentation," occurs in Matthew 2:18 .

(2) Odurmos from oduromai, "to wail" (a verb not found in the NT), denotes "mourning," Matthew 2:18; 2 Corinthians 7:7 .

(3) Cp. lupeomai, "to grieve;" see also Trench, Syn. lxv.