עוּב
𐤏𐤅𐤁
ʻûwb
H5743 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To be covered, enveloped, or overshadowed, often in the sense of becoming clouded or darkened, especially as by cloud or atmospheric phenomenon; in extended usage, to obscure or make indistinct by an enveloping layer.
Semantic Range
to become cloudy or darkened, to overshadow, to enshroud or envelop (as by cloud or darkness), to be obscured, to cover with a dense layer
Root / Etymology
The root עוּב (ʿûb) is a primary, possibly onomatopoeic, root conveying the idea of thickening, massing, or densification, especially of clouds or vapor. The verb form primarily denotes the action of forming, gathering, or being surrounded by thick cloud or darkness. The noun derivatives usually relate to clouds or masses of vapor.
Historical & Contextual Notes
עוּב (ʿûb) is a rare verb, attested only in poetic or high literary contexts (e.g., Job 3:5) and related etymologically and semantically with nouns like עָב ('av, H5645), meaning cloud or thick cloud. Unlike the more common קָדַר (qādar, 'to become dark') or עָנָן ('ānān, 'cloud'), עוּב specifically emphasizes the densifying, shrouding, or enveloping quality of clouds, rather than simply their formation or appearance. In biblical usage, it often conveys a sense of cosmic or atmospheric gloom, especially related to motifs of darkness, chaos, or divine concealment. The verb lost vitality in post-biblical Hebrew, being replaced by other roots for 'to cloud' or 'to darken.' English translations like 'becloud' can be misleadingly narrow, as the Hebrew includes nuances of enveloping or thickening as well as obscuring. Later rabbinic and liturgical Hebrew rarely preserves this root, emphasizing its archaic and poetic register in the Tanakh.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
a primitive root; to be dense or dark, i.e. to becloud; cover with a cloud.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
עוב (ʿ-w-b) — to thicken, to mass together, to envelop
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H5645 | עָב | his dense clouds |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5743-01 |
יָעִ֨יב | yaiv | HVhi3ms |
has covered | he will enshroud | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5743-01 |
Lamentations 2:1 | יָעִ֨יב | yaiv | HVhi3ms |
has covered | he will enshroud |