Bible Dictionary
PITY
Pity is tender concern for those in weakness, misery, or distress. In Scripture it is closely related to mercy and is attributed both to God and to those who show kindness to others.
Definition
Pity is tender feeling toward those in weakness, misery, distress, or degradation. It is closely related to compassion and mercy, though pity is especially awakened by the weakness or miserable condition of its object.
Biblical Usage
The Old Testament frequently uses pity in connection with mercy, sparing, and protection. Pity may be withheld in judgment, attributed positively to God, or required toward the poor. The New Testament uses the related term in the teaching about mercy toward others.
Historical Background
The supplied material distinguishes pity from compassion by the cause of the feeling: pity is directed especially toward weakness or degradation, while compassion concerns distress arising from misfortune. Pity can sometimes be associated with contempt or regret.
Historical Bible Dictionaries
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (ISBE)
<p>pit'-i (chamal, chuc; eleeo): "Pity," probably contracted from "piety," is tender feeling for others in misery or distress. It is allied to compassion (which see), but differs in respect of the object that causes the distress (or feeling). The feeling of pity is excited chiefly by the weakness, miserable or degraded condition of the object; compassion by his uncontrollable and inevitable misfortunes: "We pity a man of weak understanding who exposes his weakness; we compassionate the man who is reduced to a state of beggary and want" (Crabb, English Synonyms). Pity often becomes allied to contempt; "a pity" is something to be regretted. See PITIFUL. In the Old Testament "pity" is closely akin to "mercy." It is most frequently the translation of chamal, "to pity," "to spare," e.g. in Nathan's parable of the poor man's one lamb, it is said that the rich man was worthy to die because he had "no pity" (2Sa 12:6).</p><p>In Jer 13:14 we have, "I will not pity nor spare, nor have mercy," the Revised Version (British and American) "compassion"; compare 21:7; La 2:2; Eze 5:11; 7:4, in all of which passages "pity" stands in a negative connection; we have it positively attributed to God in Eze 36:21, "I had pity for mine holy name," the Revised Version (British and American) "regard"; Joe 2:18; chuc, probably meaning, primarily, "to cover," "protect," hence, to pity, to spare, is translated "pity" (De 7:16; 13:8; Eze 16:5, etc., all negative; Jon 4:10, positive: "Thou hast had pity on the gourd (the Revised Version (British and American) "regard for") and should not I spare (the Revised Version (British and American) "have regard for," chuc) Nineveh," etc.); chanan, "to incline, toward," "be gracious," "pity," is thrice rendered "pity" (Job 19:21, "Have pity upon me, have pity upon me"; Pr 19:17; 28:8, "he that hath pity upon the poor"); racham, "to feel warm," "to love," twice (Ps 103:13, "like as a father pitieth his children"; Isa 13:18, "no pity"); once in plural rachamim (Am 1:11); other words once so translated are chemlah, "pity" (Isa 63:9); checedh, "loving-kindness" (Job 6:14, the Revised Version (British and American) "kindness"); machmal, "object of pity" (Eze 24:21); nudh," to move," "bemoan" (Ps 69:20). In the New Testament "pity" occurs once only as the translation of eleeo, "to be kind," "tender" (Mt 18:33, the Revised Version (British and American) "mercy"). In 2 Macc 3:21 we have (the King James Version and the Revised Version (British and American)) "pitied" in the obsolete sense of exciting pity, "Then it would have pitied (eleein) a man to see the multitude," etc.</p><p>The Revised Version (British and American) has "pity" for "mercy" (Pr 14:21); "have pity on" for "spare" (Ps 72:13); for "favour" (Ps 109:12; 102:13,14), "Have pity upon her dust."</p><p>See MERCY; COMPASSION.</p><p>W. L. Walker</p>