H2824 H2824
darkness, thick darkness; often figurative of distress, ignorance, or divine concealment
This poetic term for darkness appears in contexts both literal and metaphorical. In Genesis 15:12, 'great darkness' falls on Abraham during a covenant vision. Psalm 18:11 describes God making 'darkness of waters' his covering in theophany. Figuratively, it represents lack of understanding (Ps 82:5) or distress (Isa 8:22, 50:10). The multilingual evidence shows consistent 'darkness' terminology across languages, though the Hebrew has several near-synonyms for different nuances.
Senses
1. sense 1 — This construct form in Psalm 18:11 appears in a vivid theophanic image: 'darkness of waters' as God's pavilion. The parallel passage in 2 Samuel 22:12 has a different word, suggesting textual variation. The construct phrase emphasizes darkness characterized by or composed of something—here, gathered storm clouds. French 'ténèbres' and German 'Finsternis' preserve the ominous, weighty connotation of deep obscurity surrounding the divine presence. 1×
AR["ظَلاَمَ-"]·ben["অন্ধকার-"]·DE["Finsternis-von-"]·EN["darkness-of-"]·FR["ténèbres"]·heb["חשכת-"]·HI["अंधेरा-"]·ID["kegelapan-"]·IT["[חשכת]"]·jav["peteng-"]·KO["어둠-이-"]·PT["escuridão-de"]·RU["темнота-"]·ES["oscuridad-de"]·SW["giza-la"]·TR["karanlığı-"]·urd["اندھیرا"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† חֲשֵׁכָה n.f. darkness (chiefly poet.)—ח׳ Gn 15:12 + 2 times, so read also prob. Mi 3:6 (for MT חָֽשְׁכָה); חֲשֵׁיכָה ψ 139:12; cstr. חֶשְׁכַּת ψ 18:12; pl. חֲשֵׁכִים Is 50:10;—darkness, opp. light (אוֹרָה) ψ 139:12; supernat., ח׳ גדולה Gn 15:12 (JE); חֶשְׁכַּת־מַיִם ψ 18:12 in theoph. (but ‖ 2 S 22:12 חַשְׁרַת־מים a mass of water); fig. = lack of understanding ψ 82:5; = distress Is 8:22 (‖ צָרָה), 50:10.