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שְׁנָת

𐤔𐤍𐤕

shᵉnâth

H8153 noun

SILEX Entry

Root ישן to sleep, be asleep

Definition

A period or state of sleep, characterized by rest or cessation of activity, whether nightly or metaphorical. Used to indicate literal physical sleep, or in some contexts, a stupor or inactivity. Occasionally employed idiomatically in reference to a divinely induced trance or deep sleep.

Semantic Range

sleep (as a physical state), sleep (as a period of inactivity), deep sleep, trance, divinely induced stupor

Root / Etymology

From the root יָשֵׁן (ישן), which fundamentally means 'to sleep' or 'to be asleep.' The noun form שְׁנָת arises from this verbal root, denoting the abstract concept or state of 'sleep.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

שְׁנָת appears chiefly in poetic and formal contexts within the Hebrew Bible. It denotes ordinary human sleep (e.g., during the night), but also occurs in passages describing a deep or induced sleep as an act of divine intervention (Genesis 2:21; Isaiah 29:10). In these cases, shᵉnâth can refer to a trance-like state or supernatural slumber imposed for a specific purpose. The word is distinct from similar terms such as תַּנּוּמָה (tannûmah, H8572), which emphasizes slumber or drowsiness, and it does not inherently connote laziness as does תַּרְדֵּמָה (tardēmah, H8639), which often refers to a deep or overwhelming sleep. Later rabbinic and post-biblical Hebrew continued to use derivatives of this root for both literal and metaphorical senses of sleep. English translations typically render the term as 'sleep,' but should be read with attention to context, especially where divine agency or metaphorical meanings are in view.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from יָשֵׁן; sleep; sleep.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

שנה (sh-n-h) — repeat, do again, change

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4932 מִשְׁנֶה in the second
H8132 שָׁנָא and he altered
H8133 שְׁנָא to cause to change
H8136 שִׁנְאָן repeated multitude
H8138 שָׁנָה I will alter

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H8153-01 שְׁנַ֣ת shenat HNcfsc sleep year-of 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H8153-01 Psalms 132:4 שְׁנַ֣ת shenat HNcfsc sleep year-of
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