σκοτ-όω G4656
to darken, cause to become dark; to obscure or blind, either literally or figuratively
A verb meaning to make dark, to obscure, to blind. It appears in Ephesians 4:18 describing Gentiles whose understanding has been darkened, and twice in Revelation depicting cosmic darkening—the sun and air darkened by smoke (9:2) and a kingdom plunged into darkness (16:10). The passive forms ('being darkened,' 'having been darkened') suggest both process and result: light fails, vision dims, comprehension fades. Classical uses include blinding someone, stupefying them, or causing vertigo—all involving loss of clarity or orientation.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Romance languages use words from the 'darken/obscure' family (Spanish 'oscurecido', French/German 'verfinstern'), while English varies between 'darkened' and 'was darkened'. The passive participle forms dominate, indicating something acted upon—minds darkened by sin, heavens darkened by judgment. The lexical evidence from Revelation shows cosmic darkening as divine judgment, while Ephesians applies it to intellectual and moral blindness. 3×
AR["أُظْلِمَتْ", "مُظلِمينَ", "مُظلِمَةً"]·ben["অন্ধকার", "অন্ধকার-হল", "অন্ধকারিত-হয়ে"]·DE["verfinstern"]·EN["being-darkened", "having-been-darkened", "was-darkened"]·FR["verfinstern"]·heb["הֻחְשַׁךְ", "מְחֻשְׁכֵי", "מַחְשֶׁכֶת"]·HI["अंधकारमय", "अंधेरा-हो-गया", "अनधेरे-किये-हुए"]·ID["digelapkan", "gelap"]·IT["eskotōmenoi", "eskotōmenē", "eskotōthē"]·jav["dipun-petengaken", "dipundadosaken-peteng", "peteng"]·KO["어두워졌으니", "어두워진"]·PT["entenebrecido", "foi-escurecido", "obscurecidos"]·RU["помрачилось", "помрачённые", "помрачённым;"]·ES["entenebrecidos", "fue-oscurecido", "oscurecido"]·SW["likatiwa-giza", "umejaa-giza;", "wakiwa-giza"]·TR["karanliga-burunmus", "karanlığa-bürünmüş", "karardı"]·urd["اندھیرا-ہو-گیا", "اندھیری", "اندھیرے-ہوئے"]
Related Senses
H4325 1. water, waters (582×)H6965b 1. Qal: to rise, arise, get up (432×)H2091 1. gold (the metal) (389×)H0068 1. stone, rock (material/object) (267×)H5178a 1. bronze/copper as metal (131×)H6083 1. dust, dry earth, soil (108×)H8313 1. burn, set fire to (94×)H2734 1. anger was kindled (82×)G5204 1. water (80×)H2822 1. darkness, absence of light (80×)G5457 1. light (illumination) (71×)G0450 1. rise, stand up (physical) (69×)H6965b 2. Qal: to stand firm, endure, be valid (50×)H6999a 2. burn sacrifice on altar (Hifil) (45×)H5553 1. rock, cliff (physical feature) (43×)H6965b 4. Hifil: to establish, confirm (covenant/kingdom/word) (40×)H1197a 1. burn, be on fire (39×)H4306 1. rain, showers (38×)H1653 1. rain, precipitation (34×)G4655 1. darkness (30×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
σκοτ-όω, darken, blind, σκοτώσω βλέφαρα καὶ δεδορκότα Refs 5th c.BC+; stupefy, Refs 2nd c.AD+; make dizzy, τὰς ὄψεις NT:—passive, to be in darkness, suffer from vertigo, like{σκοτοδινιάω}, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἕλμινθες -ωθεῖσαι stupefied, Refs 1st c.AD+