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חֶשְׁכָה

𐤇𐤔𐤊𐤄

cheshkâh

H2824 noun

SILEX Entry

Root חשך to be dark, grow dark, withhold light

Definition

Darkness, the state of being devoid of light, or a condition characterized by the absence or obscuring of illumination. In the Hebrew Bible, חֶשְׁכָה (cheshkâh) primarily denotes literal physical darkness, such as night, gloom, obscurity, or a space not illuminated by natural or artificial sources. By extension, it can denote metaphorical darkness, such as distress, calamity, concealed danger, or ignorance, but always with a primary emphasis on the physical sense.

Semantic Range

darkness (literal), night, gloom, obscurity, absence of light, gloominess, calamity (metaphorical)

Root / Etymology

From the root חשך (חָשַׁךְ), meaning 'to be dark, grow dark, withhold light.' חֶשְׁכָה is a feminine noun formation built from the root, with the suffix -ה marking it as a noun of state or condition. Thus, it literally denotes the state or condition of darkness.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In most biblical occurrences, חֶשְׁכָה refers to actual physical darkness, as in darkness covering the land (e.g., Exodus 10:22 – the plague of darkness in Egypt) or the pre-creation void (Genesis 1:2). Occasionally, it is used metaphorically to convey oppression, misfortune, or a time of concealment and uncertainty. It is distinct from the related term אֹפֶל (ʼōphel), which tends to emphasize thick or dense gloom, especially a supernatural or foreboding darkness, and from צַלְמָוֶת (tsalmawet), 'deep darkness' or 'shadow of death.' Standard English translations (e.g., 'darkness,' 'dark') generally capture the basic meaning but may not reflect the richness of physical and existential uses. Over Israelite history, the core sense remains stable: both pre-exilic and exilic texts retain the term for literal darkness, while post-exilic and poetic literature might employ it more metaphorically, but always rooted in the concept of the absence of light.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from חָשַׁךְ; darkness; dark.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

חשך (ḥ-š-k) — to be dark, grow dark, withhold light

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H2816 חֲשׁוֹךְ the darkness
H2820 חָשַׂךְ he withheld
H2821 חָשַׁךְ he withheld
H2822 חֹשֶׁךְ in the darkness
H2823 חָשֹׁךְ dark ones

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H2824-01 חֶשְׁכַת cheshekhat HNcfsc darkness-of darkness of 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H2824-01 Psalms 18:12 חֶשְׁכַת cheshekhat HNcfsc darkness-of darkness of
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