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שֵׁנָה

𐤔𐤍𐤄

shênâh

H8142 noun

SILEX Entry

Root ישן to sleep, to slumber, to be dormant

Definition

A state of sleep; the condition of being asleep, both in literal and figurative senses. Refers to the natural physical state of rest, unconsciousness, or dormancy experienced by humans and sometimes metaphorically by nations or groups. While most commonly used for night-time or daily sleep, it may also be employed in poetic or symbolic ways, such as representing inactivity, ignorance, or death in certain settings.

Semantic Range

sleep (literal physical rest), state of being asleep, figurative state of inactivity or unawareness, symbol for death or dormancy in poetic contexts

Root / Etymology

From the root יָשֵׁן (yāshēn), meaning 'to sleep.' The noun שֵׁנָה (shênâh) is a feminine abstract formation, denoting the state or condition derived from the root verb. The form is typical for nouns indicating an ongoing state or process originating from an action verb.

Historical & Contextual Notes

שֵׁנָה appears consistently throughout the Hebrew Bible to denote ordinary sleep, with occasional figurative extensions (e.g., Genesis 28:16, Psalm 127:2). In wisdom literature and poetry, sleep can symbolize lethargy or unawareness, or function as a motif for peace and rest. In some prophetic or apocalyptic literature, sleep merges metaphorically with death, though the primary term for death remains distinct. The term is contrasted with תַּרְדֵּמָה (tardēmāh, 'deep sleep'), which more often references a divinely induced or extraordinary stupor (cf. Genesis 2:21, 1 Samuel 26:12). Standard English translations render שֵׁנָה as 'sleep,' which generally captures its literal sense, though some nuance may be lost in poetic or metaphorical contexts. The noun does not uniquely identify specific cultural or ritual acts tied to sleep, nor does it carry the later religious connotations developed in post-biblical usage.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or שֵׁנָא; (Psalm 127:2), from יָשֵׁן; sleep; sleep.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

ישן (y-š-n) — to sleep, to slumber, to be dormant

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H3462 יָשֵׁן I sleep
H3463 יָשֵׁן like a sleeping one
H3464 יָשֵׁן sleeping one
H3465 יָשָׁן the aged one
H3466 יְשָׁנָה the Ancient-place

Word Forms

12 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H8142-06 שְׁנַת shenat HNcfsc a sleep year of 4
H8142-05 שֵׁנָ֣ה shenah HNcfsa sleep sleep-state 4
H8142-03 מִ/שְּׁנָת/וֹ֒ mishenato HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms from his sleep from his sleep-state 4
H8142-07 שְׁנָתָ֑/ם shenatam HNcfsc/Sp3mp their sleep their sleep 2
H8142-10 שֵׁ֭נוֹת shenot HNcfpa sleep years of 2
H8142-11 וּ/שְׁנָתִ֖/י ushenati HC/Ncfsc/Sp1cs and my sleep and my sleep 1
H8142-09 שְׁנָתִ֖/י shenati HNcfsc/Sp1cs my sleep my sleep 1
H8142-04 שֵׁנָֽא shena HNcfsa sleep sleep-state 1
H8142-08 שְׁנָתֶֽ/ךָ shenatekha HNcfsc/Sp2ms your sleep your sleep 1
H8142-02 מִ/שְּׁנָתֶֽ/ךָ mishenatekha HR/Ncfsc/Sp2ms from your sleep from your sleep 1

Occurrences in Scripture

23 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H8142-03 Genesis 28:16 מִ/שְּׁנָת/וֹ֒ mishenato HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms from his sleep from his sleep-state
H8142-09 Genesis 31:40 שְׁנָתִ֖/י shenati HNcfsc/Sp1cs my sleep my sleep
H8142-03 Judges 16:14 מִ/שְּׁנָת֔/וֹ mishenato HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms from his sleep from his sleep-state
H8142-03 Judges 16:20 מִ/שְּׁנָת֗/וֹ mishenato HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms from his sleep from his sleep-state
H8142-11 Jeremiah 31:26 וּ/שְׁנָתִ֖/י ushenati HC/Ncfsc/Sp1cs and my sleep and my sleep
H8142-06 Jeremiah 51:39 שְׁנַת shenat HNcfsc a sleep year of
H8142-06 Jeremiah 51:57 שְׁנַת shenat HNcfsc sleep-of year of
H8142-03 Zechariah 4:1 מִ/שְּׁנָתֽ/וֹ mishenato HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms from his sleep from his sleep-state
H8142-07 Psalms 76:6 שְׁנָתָ֑/ם shenatam HNcfsc/Sp3mp their sleep their sleep
H8142-05 Psalms 90:5 שֵׁנָ֣ה shenah HNcfsa like a sleep sleep-state
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