H0219a H0219a
light; illumination, brightness, or the light of joy and life (poetic, late Hebrew)
This Hebrew noun denotes light, used poetically in late biblical texts. It appears in contexts celebrating light as a symbol of joy, life, and divine blessing. Esther 8:16 declares, 'The Jews had light and gladness, joy and honor'—light paralleling joy in the celebration of deliverance. Psalm 139:12 affirms God's omniscience: 'Even the darkness is not dark to You; the night shines as the day; the darkness and the light are both alike to You.' Isaiah 26:19 speaks of resurrection: 'Your dead shall live...awake and sing, you who dwell in dust; for your dew is like the dew of lights (or: dew of life).' The term captures light's life-giving, joy-bringing power.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Translations show variation: English 'light, like-the-light, of-lights,' Spanish 'luz, luces, como-la-luz,' French 'lumière, comme-lumière,' German 'Licht, wie-der-Licht.' Esther 8:16 pairs light with gladness as the Jews celebrate reversal of Haman's plot. Psalm 139:12 uses light and darkness to express God's all-seeing nature—no darkness hides from him. Isaiah 26:19's 'dew of lights' is enigmatic, possibly referring to resurrection power—dew that brings life-giving light to the dead. The term elevates light beyond mere illumination to theological symbol of divine favor and vitality. 3×
AR["أَنْوَارٍ", "كَـ-النُّورِ", "نُورٌ"]·ben["আলো", "আলোকের", "আলোর-মতো।"]·DE["[אורה]", "[אורת]", "wie-der-Licht"]·EN["light", "like-the-light", "of-lights"]·FR["[אורה]", "[אורת]", "comme-lumière"]·heb["אורה", "אורות", "כ-אורה"]·HI["उजाले-की-तरह", "प्रकाश", "रोशनियों-की"]·ID["seperti-terang", "terang"]·IT["[אורה]", "[אורת]", "[כאורה]"]·jav["kados-padhang", "padhang"]·KO["빛-같도다", "빛과", "빛들의"]·PT["como-a-luz", "luz", "luzes"]·RU["как-свет", "свет", "светов"]·ES["como-la-luz", "luces", "luz"]·SW["kama-mwanga", "nuru", "wa-mwanga"]·TR["isiklarin", "ışık", "ışık-gibi"]·urd["روشنی", "روشنی-کی-طرح", "روشنیوں-کی"]
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
† I. אוֹרָה n.f. light (late, Mish. id., cf. Aramaic אוּרְתָּא evening-light, moon-light, star-light, etc.) 1. light (opp. חֲשֵׁיכָה) ψ 139:12. 2. light of joy & happiness Es 8:16; pl. intens. אוֹרוֹת light of life Is 26:19 (light that quickens dead bodies as dew the plants Ew Hi De Che Di RVm; vid. BrMP 303 cf. אוֹר חַיִּים; but Ki Ges MV Bö RV transl. herbs).