This noun denotes the act of lying down to sleep or the state of rest. John 11:13 uses it when Jesus spoke of Lazarus's 'rest' (sleep), though the disciples misunderstood, thinking Jesus meant natural sleep rather than death. The French 'sommeil' and German 'Schlaf' both specify sleep. This euphemism for death—common in both testaments—emphasizes both the peacefulness of believers' death and the certainty of resurrection awakening.