Gasping, in a biblical context, often refers to the act of breathing laboriously or with difficulty, typically as a result of intense emotion, physical exertion, or distress. This term can be found in various passages throughout the Bible, where it is used both literally and metaphorically to describe the human condition in moments of desperation, longing, or divine encounter.

Biblical References:

1. Job 7:2 : "Like a slave he longs for shade; like a hired man he waits for his wages." In this passage, the imagery of gasping is evoked through the longing and desperation of a laborer. The metaphorical gasp here is for relief and fulfillment, reflecting the human condition of yearning for rest and reward amidst toil and suffering.

2. Psalm 42:1 : "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul longs after You, O God." The psalmist uses the image of a deer panting, or gasping, for water to express a deep spiritual thirst and desire for God. This metaphor highlights the soul's intense need for divine presence and sustenance, akin to a physical gasp for life-giving water.

3. Isaiah 42:14 : "I have kept silent from ages past; I have been quiet and restrained myself. But now, like a woman in labor, I will groan, I will gasp and pant." Here, God speaks through the prophet Isaiah, using the imagery of gasping and panting to describe the intensity and urgency of His forthcoming actions. This passage underscores the divine response to injustice and the impending deliverance of His people.

4. Lamentations 1:11 : "All her people groan as they search for bread; they have traded their treasures for food to keep themselves alive. 'Look, O LORD, and consider, for I am despised.'" The gasping here is a result of extreme hunger and desperation, illustrating the dire circumstances faced by the people of Jerusalem during the Babylonian siege. It serves as a poignant reminder of the physical and spiritual desolation that can accompany disobedience and exile.

Theological Implications:

Gasping, as depicted in the Bible, often symbolizes a profound need for divine intervention and sustenance. It reflects the human experience of vulnerability and dependence on God, whether in times of physical distress or spiritual longing. The act of gasping can be seen as a cry for help, a plea for mercy, or an expression of deep yearning for God's presence and deliverance.

In the broader biblical narrative, gasping serves as a reminder of the fallen state of humanity and the hope for redemption through God's grace. It calls believers to recognize their own limitations and to seek the Lord earnestly, trusting in His provision and faithfulness. Through the imagery of gasping, Scripture invites individuals to a deeper awareness of their need for God and the life-giving breath of His Spirit.(p. pr. & vb. n.) of Gasp.3306. yaphach -- to breathe, puff
... Definition: breath. Word Origin a prim. root Definition to breathe, puff NASB
Word Usage gasping for breath (1). bewail self. A primitive ...
/hebrew/3306.htm - 5k

Moreover, if Sorcerers Call Forth Ghosts, and Even Make what Seem ...
... as they are supposed, who, inhaling at the altar, conceive divinity from the fumes,
who are delivered of it by retching, who vent it forth in agonies of gasping ...
/.../tertullian/apology/chapter xxiii moreover if sorcerers.htm

The Destruction of Sennacherib
... And there lay the steed with his nostril all wide, But through it there roll'd not
the breath of his pride: And the foam of his gasping lay white on the turf ...
/.../wells/bible stories and religious classics/the destruction of sennacherib.htm

Song of Repentance from Psalm cxliii.
... Like hart upon the heath, That cries with gasping breath For water fresh
and clear, I call into Thine ear, Fount of living water! ...
/.../gerhardt/paul gerhardts spiritual songs/song of repentance from psalm.htm

1 Cor. I. 18-20
... To the sick and gasping even wholesome meats are unpleasant, friends and relations
burdensome; who are often times not even recognized, but are rather ...
/.../homilies on the epistles of paul to the corinthians/homily iv 1 cor i.htm

The Last Buccaneer
... Nine days I floated starving, and a lass beside, Till for all I tried to cheer
her, the poor young thing she died; But as I lay a gasping, a Bristol sail ...
/.../kingsley/andromeda and other poems/the last buccaneer.htm

Alone.
... clutch. It is as though some foul, poisonous gas is filling the air and filling
His nostrils and steadily choking His gasping breath. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/gordon/quiet talks about jesus/alone.htm

To the Rev. A. Brandram
... The heat has been suffocating, for the air seems to be filled with flaming vapours,
and the very Spaniards are afraid to stay out, and lie gasping and naked on ...
/.../borrow/letters of george borrow/to the rev a brandram 12.htm

Death and Eternity.
... Death and eternity. 1 Stoop down, my thoughts, that use to rise, Converse awhile
with death: Think how a gasping mortal lies, And pants away his breath. ...
/.../watts/hymns and spiritual songs/hymn 2 28 death and eternity.htm

A Hymn on Recovery from Severe Illness
... And rest gave place to horror and dismay. Fast flow'd the tears, high heaved each
gasping sigh,. When God's own prophet thunder'd"'Monarch, thou must die.'. ...
/.../palgrave/the treasury of sacred song/cciii a hymn on recovery.htm

Death and Eternity.
... CM Death and eternity. Stoop down, my thoughts, that use to rise,. Converse awhile
with death; Think how a gasping mortal lies,. And pants away his breath. ...
/.../watts/the psalms and hymns of isaac watts/hymn 28 death and eternity.htm

Gasping (2 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Gasp. Multi-Version Concordance
Gasping (2 Occurrences). Isaiah 42:14 I have long ...
/g/gasping.htm - 7k

Gasps (1 Occurrence)

/g/gasps.htm - 6k

Gaspeth (1 Occurrence)

/g/gaspeth.htm - 6k

Why would God leave the 99 to find 1? | GotQuestions.org

Gasping: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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