This word describes the deep darkness of twilight or night, particularly when used for concealment. In Genesis 15:17, it marks the mysterious darkness accompanying God's covenant with Abraham. Ezekiel uses it three times for the darkness under which the prophet performs his symbolic action of exile—carrying his belongings out in the dark as a sign of Jerusalem's coming captivity. The term implies more than mere absence of light; it suggests the obscuring gloom that hides actions or events. Multilingual glosses (Spanish 'oscuridad,' French 'ténèbres') emphasize the thickness and depth of this darkness.