H4285 H4285
Dark place or darkness, used poetically for hiding places, the grave, Sheol, and secrecy
A poetic noun for a dark place or region of darkness, carrying rich metaphorical freight across the Psalms, Lamentations, and Isaiah. It can designate the hiding places of violence in the land (Ps 74:20), the dark depths associated with death and Sheol (Ps 88:6, 18; 143:3; Lam 3:6), or the secrecy in which plotters operate (Isa 29:15). Isaiah 42:16 offers the hopeful reversal, promising God will turn dark places into light. The word consistently evokes not just absence of light but spiritual desolation and concealment.
Senses
1. darkness, dark place — A dark place, region of darkness, or gloom, used in elevated poetic contexts. It encompasses several metaphorical extensions: (a) hiding places of violence and oppression in the land (Ps 74:20); (b) the shadowy realm of death, Sheol, or the grave (Ps 88:6, 18; 143:3 = Lam 3:6); (c) secrecy and concealment of wicked plots (Isa 29:15); and (d) a condition of disorientation that God promises to dispel (Isa 42:16). Spanish renderings like 'tinieblas' and 'lugares oscuros' reflect the literal-to-figurative range. 7×
AR["الظُّلْمَةَ", "بِـ-الظُّلُمَاتِ", "ظُلْمَةٌ", "فِي-الظُّلْمَةِ", "فِي-ظُلمَاتٍ", "فِي-ظُلُمَاتٍ", "مَظالِمُ-"]·ben["অন্ধকার", "অন্ধকার-স্থানগুলো", "অন্ধকারকে", "অন্ধকারে", "অন্ধকারে-"]·DE["[במחשך]", "[במחשכים]", "[מחשך]", "der-dunkel-stellt-von-", "in-Finsternis", "in-dunkel-stellt", "sind-Finsternis"]·EN["In-darkness", "are-darkness", "darkness", "in-dark-places", "in-darkness", "the-dark-places-of-"]·FR["[במחשך]", "[במחשכים]", "[מחשך]", "dans-ténèbres", "de-ténèbres"]·heb["ב-מחשך", "ב-מחשכים", "מחשך", "מחשכי-"]·HI["अंधकार", "अंधकार-में", "अंधियारे-में", "अंधेरा", "अन्धकारों-में", "में-अंधेरे"]·ID["Di-kegelapan", "dalam-kegelapan", "di-tempat-gelap", "kegelapan", "tempat-tempat-gelap-"]·IT["[במחשך]", "[במחשכים]", "[מחשך]", "da-tenebre", "nella-notte"]·jav["Ing-pepeteng", "ing-panggenān-peteng", "ing-pepeteng", "ing-peteng", "panggenan-peteng-", "pepeteng"]·KO["어두운-곳들-에", "어두운-곳들-이", "어둠들-에", "어둡-이라", "어둡을", "에-어둠에서"]·PT["Em-trevas", "em-escuridão", "em-trevas", "nas-trevas", "os-lugares-escuros", "são-trevas", "trevas"]·RU["Во-тьме", "в-темнотах", "во-тьме", "тьма", "тьму", "тёмные-места"]·ES["En-lugares-oscuros", "en-oscuridades", "en-tinieblas", "lugares-oscuros-de", "oscuridad", "tinieblas"]·SW["Katika-giza", "giza", "gizani", "katika-giza", "mahali-pa-giza", "ni-giza"]·TR["Karanlıklarda", "karanligi", "karanlikta", "karanlık-köşeleri-", "karanlıklarda", "karanlıklarda-", "karanlıktır"]·urd["اندھیرا", "اندھیروں-میں", "اندھیریوں-میں", "اندھیرے-مقام", "اندھیرے-میں", "بِ-اندھیروں"]
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
† מַחְשָׁךְ n.m. dark place (poet.)—abs. מ׳ Is 29:15; 42:16; מַחְשָׁ֑ךְ ψ 88:19; pl. מַחֲשַׁכִּים 88:7; 143:3 = La 3:6; cstr. מַחֲשַׁכֵּי ψ 74:20;—dark place: a. = hiding-place מח׳־ארץ 74:20. b. dark region, in which men may lose their way Is 42:16. c. = grave, or שׁאול ψ 88:19 (v. Che); of dark place of God’s wrath (like Sheʾôl) 88:7; cf. 143:3 = La 3:6. d. = secret place, secrecy (of plots) Is 29:15.