תְּנוּמָה
𐤕𐤍𐤅𐤌𐤄
tᵉnûwmâh
H8572 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A state of drowsiness or heavy sleep; physical sluggishness or torpor, often used in parallel with lethargy or lack of alertness. While frequently connoting literal sleep or slumber, the term can also carry metaphorical implications of inattentiveness or spiritual apathy.
Semantic Range
drowsiness, slumber, state of sleepiness, inertia or lethargy (literal or figurative), inattentiveness
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root נום (nun-vav-mem), which means 'to doze, slumber, be lethargic.' The noun תְּנוּמָה is a feminine form denoting the state or condition resulting from the action signified by the root: 'state of drowsiness' or 'slumber.'
Historical & Contextual Notes
Throughout the Hebrew Bible, תְּנוּמָה appears most frequently in wisdom literature (notably Proverbs) and poetic contexts, where it is contrasted with vigilance and industriousness (e.g., Proverbs 6:4, 10; 24:33). It generally denotes more than a brief nap, describing a condition of persistent drowsiness or habitual sleepiness, sometimes with negative moral or spiritual connotations—suggesting neglectfulness or the failure to heed proper warning. While in modern English translations it is often rendered as 'slumber' or 'sleep,' these may miss the sense of passivity, laziness, or heedlessness implied in some verses. In post-biblical Hebrew, the term is rarely used, and later traditions may interpret the word metaphorically as spiritual apathy or inattentiveness. The term should not be confused with שֵׁנָה (shenah, H8142), another common word for sleep, which usually indicates the standard physical state of sleeping, rather than the somewhat negative or warning-laden sense attached to תְּנוּמָה.
Translation Consistency
Although many occurrences use “slumber,” drowsiness better captures the noun’s full semantic range (literal sleepiness, torpor/lethargy, and figurative inattentiveness or spiritual apathy) in natural, simple English and will render all forms consistently.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from נוּם; drowsiness, i.e. sleep; slumber(-ing).
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.
Root Family
נום (n-w-m) — to slumber, be drowsy, doze
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3241 | יָנִים | and Sleep-Place |
| H5123 | נוּם | to slumber |
| H5124 | נוּמָה | slumbering drowsiness |
Word Forms
4 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8572-03 |
תְּנוּמ֑וֹת | tenumot | HNcfpa |
slumber | slumbers | slumber | 2 |
H8572-02 |
תְּנוּמָֽה | tenumah | HNcfsa |
slumber | slumber-state | slumber | 1 |
H8572-04 |
וּ֝/תְנוּמָ֗ה | utenumah | HC/Ncfsa |
nor slumber | drowsiness | nor drowsiness | 1 |
H8572-01 |
בִּ֝/תְנוּמ֗וֹת | bitenumot | HR/Ncfpa |
in slumberings | slumberings | in slumberings | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H8572-02 |
Psalms 132:4 | תְּנוּמָֽה | tenumah | HNcfsa |
slumber | slumber-state | slumber |
H8572-04 |
Proverbs 6:4 | וּ֝/תְנוּמָ֗ה | utenumah | HC/Ncfsa |
nor slumber | drowsiness | nor drowsiness |
H8572-03 |
Proverbs 6:10 | תְּנוּמ֑וֹת | tenumot | HNcfpa |
slumber | slumbers | slumber |
H8572-03 |
Proverbs 24:33 | תְּנוּמ֑וֹת | tenumot | HNcfpa |
slumber | slumbers | slumber |
H8572-01 |
Job 33:15 | בִּ֝/תְנוּמ֗וֹת | bitenumot | HR/Ncfpa |
in slumberings | slumberings | in slumberings |