H6004 H6004
To darken, dim, eclipse; to obscure or overshadow
This verb denotes darkening or dimming, used both literally and metaphorically. Lamentations 4:1 opens with the shocking image: 'How the gold is dimmed!'—precious metal losing its luster, a metaphor for Jerusalem's fallen glory. Ezekiel 28:3 uses it to mean 'hide' or 'hold dark': no secret is hidden from Tyre's proud prince (said ironically, since he is blind to his own vulnerability). Ezekiel 31:8 says the cedars in Eden's garden 'did not eclipse' the great tree representing Pharaoh—they couldn't overshadow or dim his glory. The root connects to Arabic concepts of covering and concealing, with Targumic Aramaic using it for growing dark.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Three occurrences with varied nuances: literal dimming (Lamentations), hiding/concealment (Ezekiel 28), and overshadowing/eclipsing (Ezekiel 31). The multilingual evidence shows translational uncertainty, with some versions giving transliterated Hebrew forms. The Lamentations usage is most powerful: gold dimming becomes a metaphor for glory lost, precious things degraded. Ezekiel's usages are figurative—secrets held dark (none escapes the prince's knowledge, supposedly) and trees failing to eclipse (none matches the glory). The Hophal form in Lamentations is rare, emphasizing the passive state of being dimmed. 3×
AR["اكْدَرَّ", "يَخْفَى-عَلَيْكَ", "يُضَاهِهِ"]·ben["তাকে-গোপন-করতে-পেরেছিল", "তোমার-কাছে-গোপন।", "ম্লান-হয়েছে"]·DE["[יועם]", "[עממהו]", "[עממוך]"]·EN["is-dimmed", "rivaled-it", "they-have-hidden-from-you"]·FR["[יועם]", "[עממהו]", "[עממוך]"]·heb["יועם", "עממוהו", "עממוך"]·HI["अंधेरा-तुझ-पर", "बराबर-थे-उसके", "मलिन-हो-गया"]·ID["menjadi-redup", "menyamai-nya", "tersembunyi-bagimu."]·IT["[יועם]", "[עממהו]", "[עממוך]"]·jav["dados-peteng", "dipun-umpetaken-saking-panjenengan.", "ngungkuli"]·KO["가렸다-그것을", "어두운-것이-너를", "흐릿해졌는가"]·PT["escureceu", "obscureceram-o", "te-é-oculto"]·RU["потускнело", "сокрыта-от-тебя", "сравнились-с-ним"]·ES["lo-igualaron", "se-ha-oscurecido", "te-fue-oculto"]·SW["fichwa-kwako", "imefifia", "mfanya-sawa"]·TR["geçtiler-onu", "karanlık-değil-sana", "karardı"]·urd["برابر-تھے-اُس-کے", "دھندلا-ہو-گیا", "چھپا-تجھ-سے"]
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
† II. [עָמַם] vb. darken, dim (NH id.; Arabic غَمَّ cover, veil, conceal; 𝔗 עֲמַם grow dark);— Qal Pf. 3 pl. sf. עֲמַמֻהוּ Ez 31:8 dub., but prob. (as Thes) cedars did not eclipse him; עֲמָמוּךָ 28:3 no secret do they hold dark (= is held dark) for thee (Ges§ 117 x). Hoph. Impf. 3 ms. יוּעַם זָהָב La 4:1 (fig.) how is the gold dimmed! cf. Bu.