חֲשֵׁכָה
𐤇𐤔𐤊𐤄
chăshêkâh
H2825 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A state or condition characterized by the absence or deficiency of light; darkness, gloom, deep obscurity. In extended or figurative senses, refers to distress, adversity, or calamity, and, more rarely, to ignorance or concealment. The primary sense is literal darkness, but can also imply a negative or threatening atmosphere in both physical and metaphorical contexts.
Semantic Range
darkness, gloom, obscurity, night, state of being dark, calamity, distress, ignorance, concealment
Root / Etymology
From the root חָשַׁךְ (ḥ-š-kh), meaning 'to be dark, grow dark, withhold light.' The noun חֲשֵׁכָה (chăshêkâh) is formed from this root and denotes the state or abstract concept of darkness. The root is found as a verb, describing the act of darkening or shadowing, and as a noun, indicating the resultant condition.
Historical & Contextual Notes
חֲשֵׁכָה appears across various periods of biblical literature, predominantly in poetic and prophetic texts. In most cases, it refers to literal darkness (e.g., night, deep shadow), such as Genesis 15:12 (the 'great darkness' that falls upon Abram). In prophetic and wisdom literature, it often carries metaphorical connotations, signifying distress, calamity, or impending doom (e.g., Isaiah 8:22, 'the darkness of anguish'). The term can overlap with closely related words such as אֹפֶל (ʼōphel, 'deep gloom'), though אֹפֶל more often implies pitch-blackness or oppressive gloom. English translations frequently render חֲשֵׁכָה as 'darkness,' but sometimes (especially in older translations) extend the figurative value to mean 'misery.' Later Jewish writings (Second Temple and beyond) sometimes contrast חֲשֵׁכָה with אוֹר ('light') as moral or theological opposites, though this sharp binary is less pronounced in earlier Israelite texts.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or חֲשֵׁיכָהxlit chăshêkâh corrected to chăshêykâh; from חָשַׁךְ; darkness; figuratively, misery; darkness.
Bantu Hebrew
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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
5 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2825-05 |
וַ/חֲשֵׁכָה֙ | vachashekhah | HC/Ncfsa |
and darkness | darkness | 1 |
H2825-02 |
חֲשֵׁכָ֥ה | chashekhah | HNcfsa |
darkness | darkness | 1 |
H2825-03 |
חֲשֵׁכִ֗ים | chashekhim | HNcfpa |
in darkness | darknesses | 1 |
H2825-01 |
בַּ/חֲשֵׁכָ֥ה | bachashekhah | HR/Ncfsa |
in darkness | in the darkness | 1 |
H2825-04 |
כַּ֝/חֲשֵׁיכָ֗ה | kachasheykhah | HRd/Ncfsa |
like-darkness | darkness | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H2825-02 |
Genesis 15:12 | חֲשֵׁכָ֥ה | chashekhah | HNcfsa |
darkness | darkness |
H2825-05 |
Isaiah 8:22 | וַ/חֲשֵׁכָה֙ | vachashekhah | HC/Ncfsa |
and darkness | darkness |
H2825-03 |
Isaiah 50:10 | חֲשֵׁכִ֗ים | chashekhim | HNcfpa |
in darkness | darknesses |
H2825-01 |
Psalms 82:5 | בַּ/חֲשֵׁכָ֥ה | bachashekhah | HR/Ncfsa |
in darkness | in the darkness |
H2825-04 |
Psalms 139:12 | כַּ֝/חֲשֵׁיכָ֗ה | kachasheykhah | HRd/Ncfsa |
like-darkness | darkness |