Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

DIRGE

A song or poem that expresses mourning over death or national destruction (Heb. qînâ, nĕhî). Examples include David’s dirge over Saul and Jonathan (2 Sam. 1:17-27) and part of the book of Lamentations (cf. the god El lamenting the death of Baal; ANET, 140). Dirges were often written in qînâ meter, with each line having five stressed syllables, the second part shorter than the first. Basic elements of the dirge include the cry, “Alas!” (hôy, Jer. 22:18) or “How . . .!” (ʾêḵâ, Lam. 1:1); an announcement of death or catastrophe (Lam. 1:1-4); a description of suffering (Lam. 1:5-6); contrast between the former and present situation (Ezek. 27:33-34); a call to weep or wail (Isa. 14:31); and a description of the effect upon bystanders (Lam. 1:12).

Jeremiah refers to professional women “skilled” in mourning (mĕqônĕnôṯ, Jer. 9:17[MT 16]; cf. 2 Chr. 35:25), and prophets often employed dirges (e.g., Isa. 5:18-22; Amos 5:16) as warnings prior to a time of calamity that would befall a sinful nation. God sings a dirge (Jer. 8:18–9:3[2]), as does Jesus (Luke 19:41-44).

The dirge is distinguished from a lament because the latter addresses God with the aim of alleviating suffering. The book of Lamentations (ca. 586 b.c.e.) contains both genres, as does the ancient Sumerian Lamentation over the Destruction of Ur (ca. 2006).

Bibliography. C. Westermann, Lamentations: Issues and Interpretation (Minneapolis, 1994).

Nancy Lee

Prayer Tents Bible References - Prayer Tents

DIRGE

Eerdmans Dictionary of the Bible (2000)