νεφέλη G3507
Cloud; atmospheric vapor mass, often signifying God's veiled presence or glory in theophany and eschatological contexts
In the New Testament, nephelē refers to a cloud as both a meteorological phenomenon and a potent symbol of divine presence. At the Transfiguration a bright cloud overshadows Jesus and the disciples, and a voice speaks from within it (Matt 17:5; Mark 9:7). Jesus prophesies that the Son of Man will come 'on the clouds of heaven' (Matt 24:30; 26:64), echoing Daniel 7:13. The cloud thus bridges the visible and invisible, veiling God's glory while simultaneously revealing it. Every New Testament occurrence carries at least an overtone of theophanic weight.
Senses
1. cloud — An atmospheric mass of condensed water vapor that in biblical usage consistently carries theophanic and eschatological significance. The overshadowing cloud at the Transfiguration (Matt 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:34) reprises the Exodus pillar-cloud motif, while the Parousia clouds (Matt 24:30; Rev 1:7) signal final divine intervention. Translations uniformly use cognates — Spanish 'nube,' French 'nuée,' German 'Wolke' — reflecting the word's stable, unambiguous reference. 25×
AR["السَّحَابَةِ", "سَحابَةً", "سَحابَةٌ", "سَحابَةٍ", "سَحابَةِ", "سَحَابَةً", "سَحَابَةٌ", "سَحَابَةِ", "سُحُبِ"]·ben["মেঘ", "মেঘ-থেকে", "মেঘগুলির", "মেঘে", "মেঘে,", "মেঘের"]·DE["Wolke"]·EN["a-cloud", "cloud", "clouds", "with-a-cloud"]·FR["nuée"]·heb["הֶעָנָן", "עַנְנֵי", "עָנָן"]·HI["उसे-उठा-लिया", "बदल", "बादल", "बादलों"]·ID["awan", "awan,", "awan-awan", "awan;"]·IT["nuvola"]·jav["mega", "mega,", "méga"]·KO["구름", "구름-속으로", "구름-이", "구름들", "구름들의", "구름에", "구름에서", "구름을", "구름이", "그리고"]·PT["nuvem", "nuvem,", "nuvens", "uma-nuvem"]·RU["облака", "облаках", "облаке", "облаке,", "облаке;", "облако", "облаком", "облаком,"]·ES["nube", "nubes"]·SW["mawingu", "wingu", "wingu,", "wingu;", "ya-"]·TR["bir-bulut", "bulut", "bulutların", "bulutlarının", "bulutta", "buluttan", "buluttan,", "bulutu", "bulutun", "bulutun.", "o-"]·urd["بادل", "بادل-سے", "بادل-نے", "بادلوں", "بادلوں-پر"]
Matt 17:5, Matt 17:5, Matt 24:30, Matt 26:64, Mark 9:7, Mark 9:7, Mark 13:26, Mark 14:62, Luke 9:34, Luke 9:34, Luke 9:35, Luke 12:54 (+13 more)
Related Senses
H8033 1. There (locative adverb) (835×)H7760a 1. put, place, set physically (444×)H8064 1. heavens / sky (329×)H5439 1. around, all around (spatial) (319×)H4057b 1. wilderness, desert region (270×)H3220 1. sea, body of water (269×)H0520a 1. cubit (unit of length) (246×)H0127 1. ground, land (territory) (210×)H3383 1. Jordan River (proper noun) (183×)G1093 1. earth, the world (176×)H5800a 1. forsake, abandon (Qal active) (166×)H8121 1. sun (celestial body) (133×)H7126 1. offer, present sacrificially (122×)H6828 1. north, cardinal direction (120×)H2351 1. outside, exterior space (119×)H5104 1. river, stream (119×)H7341 1. width, breadth (101×)G1563 1. there (95×)H7126 2. draw near, approach (95×)G2281 1. sea, large body of water (91×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
νεφέλη, ἡ, (νέφος) cloud, mass of clouds (distinguished from ὁμίχλη, mist or fog, Refs 8th c.BC+; ν. κυανέη, πορφυρέη, Refs 8th c.BC+—Mostly poetry, but found in Refs 5th c.BC+ [same places], and in late Prose, Refs 1st c.AD+ __2 metaphorically, νεφέλη δέ μιν ἀμφεκάλυψε κυανέη, of death, Refs 8th c.BC+; τὸν δ᾽ ἄχεος νεφέλη ἐκάλυψε μέλαινα a cloud of sorrow,Refs 5th c.BC+; Κενταύρου φονίᾳ νεφέλᾳ,…