How to Say “Lord Have Mercy” in Hebrew

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אלוהים רחם
Elohim rachem
The English phrase "lord have mercy" can be translated into Hebrew as אלוהים רחם (Elohim rachem).
This phrase is used as a plea for God to show compassion or forgiveness. For example, in Israeli Hebrew, the phrase אלוהים ירחם is used to mean "God have mercy".

Is it said differently in some regions?

Among Sephardic Jewish communities, the phrase רחם עלינו אלוהים may be used, as well as רחם עליהם ה'‏.

How do you pronounce it?

Elohim rachem

Did you know?

  • The root of the word for 'mercy' in רחם is the same as the word for 'womb'.
  • In many religious contexts, instead of saying the full name אלוהים, people will write the Hebrew letter ה to avoid disrespecting the name.
  • The word אלוהים shares an ancient linguistic ancestor with the Arabic word 'Allah'.

Example conversation

Two friends react to a piece of bad news.

  1. איתי Itay

    שמעת מה קרה למשפחה שלו?
    Shama'ata ma kara la-mishpacha shelo?
    Did you hear what happened to his family?
  2. עגור Adi

    כן, אלוהים רחם על הילדים.
    Ken, Elohim raham al ha-yeladim.
    Yes, lord have mercy on the children.
  3. איתי Itay

    אני לא יכול להאמין שזה קרה.
    Ani lo yakhol le-ha'amin she-ze kara.
    I cannot believe it happened.
  4. עגור Adi

    זו ממש טרגדיה נוראית.
    Zo mamash tragedia nora'it.
    It is truly a terrible tragedy.

Sources

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Bianca Dorothy
Bianca DorothyHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
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