Bible Encyclopedias
Grievance

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

grēv´ans ( עמל , ‛āmāl ): Occurs only in the King James Version as a translation of Habakkuk 1:3 , "Why dost thou show me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance?" (the Revised Version (British and American) "look upon perverseness"); ‛āmāl is also translated "perverseness" by the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American) in Numbers 23:21 , "perverseness in Israel"; Isaiah 10:1 , the King James Version "grievousness," the Revised Version (British and American) "perverseness." In Habakkuk 1:13 , the King James Version translates the same word "iniquity" (margin "grievance"), "Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil and canst not look on iniquity" (margin "grievance"), the Revised Version (British and American) "perverseness." The word means originally "toil," "labor" with sorrow, misery, etc., as the consequence, and is often so translated. It is the word in Isaiah 53:11 , "He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied."