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לַיִל

𐤋𐤉𐤋

layil

H3915 noun

SILEX Entry

Root ליל to cover, to be dark, to twist

Definition

Primary lexical meaning: 'night,' the period of darkness between sunset and sunrise. The term denotes the time when daylight is absent and can refer to the night as a span of time, as an event (such as a vigil), or as a metaphor for darkness, uncertainty, or adversity. The word may also signify 'midnight' in idiomatic constructions. Figuratively, it can symbolize misery or difficulty due to nighttime's association with danger or fear.

Semantic Range

night, nighttime, midnight, period of darkness, night as a time of adversity or fear, poetic symbol of difficulty or separation

Root / Etymology

Root/Etymology: Root ל-י-ל (ליל), likely related to the root meaning 'to cover, to be dark, to twist.' The form לַיִל (layil) and its variants לֵיל (lel, in Isaiah 21:11) and לַיְלָה (laylah) all stem from this root, indicating the condition of darkness covering or twisting away the light. Some lexicographers connect it to a cognate root in other Semitic languages with the meaning 'night,' but precise etymological development within Hebrew remains debated. There is no reliable evidence for a direct derivation from לוּל.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Historical & Contextual Notes: Throughout the Hebrew Bible, לַיִל and its fuller form לַיְלָה refer to literal nighttime, often marking periods for ritual observance (Exod 12:8), danger (Ps 91:5), or divine activity (Gen 46:2). In poetic and prophetic passages, 'night' can convey metaphorical senses of adversity, hiddenness, or separation from divine presence (Isa 21:11; Jer 15:9). The form לֵיל occurs as a poetic or dialectal variant, and לַיִל itself is less frequent than the longer לַיְלָה but not restricted to archaic or special genre. Unlike יוֹם 'day,' which connotes active time and revelation, לַיִל tends toward meanings of passivity, concealment, or danger. In later Hebrew, לַיְלָה becomes standard for 'night.' Early English translations sometimes introduce figurative renderings such as 'adversity,' but the primary sense in the Hebrew text is temporal. The term never designates a person or group identity and must not be mistakenly connected to later religious or ethnic concepts.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or (Isaiah 21:11) לֵיל; also לַיְלָה; from the same as לוּל; properly, a twist (away of the light), i.e. night; figuratively, adversity; (mid-)night (season).

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

ליל (l-y-l) — to cover, to be dark, to twist

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3916 לֵילְיָא in the night
H3917 לִילִית night specter

Word Forms

21 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H3915-09 לָ֑יְלָה layelah HNcmsa by night night 83
H3915-05 הַ/לָּ֑יְלָה halayelah HTd/Ncmsa the night the night 57
H3915-01 בַּ/לַּ֣יְלָה balayelah HRd/Ncmsa that night in the night 33
H3915-16 וָ/לַ֖יְלָה valayelah HC/Ncmsa and night night 26
H3915-19 וְ/לַ֛יְלָה velayelah HC/Ncmsa and-night and night 6
H3915-15 וּ/בַ/לַּ֔יְלָה uvalayelah HC/Rd/Ncmsa and in the night and in the night 5
H3915-12 לֵילֽוֹת leylot HNcmpa nights nights 4
H3915-02 בַּ/לֵּילֽוֹת baleylot HRd/Ncmpa in the nights in the nights 4
H3915-03 בְּ/לַ֣יְלָה belayelah HR/Ncmsa in the night in the night 3
H3915-04 בְּ/לֵ֞יל beleyl HR/Ncmsc in night in night 2

Occurrences in Scripture

235 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H3915-09 Genesis 1:5 לָ֑יְלָה layelah HNcmsa night night
H3915-05 Genesis 1:14 הַ/לָּ֑יְלָה halayelah HTd/Ncmsa the night the night
H3915-05 Genesis 1:16 הַ/לַּ֔יְלָה halayelah HTd/Ncmsa the night the night
H3915-15 Genesis 1:18 וּ/בַ/לַּ֔יְלָה uvalayelah HC/Rd/Ncmsa and over the night and in the night
H3915-09 Genesis 7:4 לָ֑יְלָה layelah HNcmsa nights night
H3915-09 Genesis 7:12 לָֽיְלָה layelah HNcmsa nights night
H3915-16 Genesis 8:22 וָ/לַ֖יְלָה valayelah HC/Ncmsa and night night
H3915-09 Genesis 14:15 לַ֛יְלָה layelah HNcmsa by night night
H3915-05 Genesis 19:5 הַ/לָּ֑יְלָה halayelah HTd/Ncmsa this night the night
H3915-01 Genesis 19:33 בַּ/לַּ֣יְלָה balayelah HRd/Ncmsa that night in the night
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