H7281 H7281
A moment, instant; a brief span of time, often used adverbially for suddenness or fleeting duration.
Probably derived from a root meaning 'to move or wink,' this noun captures the briefest conceivable span of time — a single blink, a heartbeat. It appears in some of Scripture's most theologically rich contrasts: 'His anger is but for a moment; his favor is for a lifetime' (Ps 30:5). Isaiah uses it tenderly: 'For a brief moment I forsook you, but with great compassion I will gather you' (Isa 54:7–8). In its adverbial uses, it conveys the terrifying speed of divine judgment — destruction arrives 'in a moment' (Job 21:13; Jer 4:20). Korean and Japanese renderings emphasize 'the blink of an eye,' echoing the probable etymological connection to eye-movement.
Senses
1. moment, brief period of time — A moment or brief period of time used as a temporal noun — 'a moment,' 'every moment,' 'for a little moment.' Found in expressions describing divine patience (Job 7:18, 'every moment you test him'), the brevity of divine anger versus enduring favor (Ps 30:5), and the fleeting nature of the wicked's prosperity (Job 20:5). Spanish 'instante' and French 'instant' mirror the compact temporal sense faithfully. 13×
AR["فِي-لَحْظَةٍ", "كُلَّ-لَحْظَةٍ", "لَحظَةً", "لَحْظَة", "لَحْظَةً", "لَحْظَةٍ", "وَ-لَحْظَةً"]·ben["এক-মুহূর্ত", "ও-মুহূর্তে", "ক্ষণের-জন্য", "প্রতি-মুহূর্তে", "মুহূর্ত", "মুহূর্তে", "মুহূর্তের"]·DE["Augenblick", "[לרגעים]", "[רגע]", "ein-moment", "in-Augenblick", "und-Augenblick"]·EN["And-moment", "Moment", "a-moment", "every", "every-moment", "for-moment", "moment", "until"]·FR["[רגע]", "et-instant", "instant", "moment", "un-moment", "à-instant"]·heb["ב-רגע", "ו-רגע", "ל-רגעים", "רגע"]·HI["और-क्षण-में", "क्षण", "क्षण-में", "क्षणभर", "क्षणभरके-लिए", "पल", "पल-पल", "पलों-को", "पल्-पल"]·ID["Untuk-sesaat", "dan-sesaat", "sejenak", "sesaat", "setiap-saat", "setiap-saat,"]·IT["[לרגעים]", "[רגע]", "e-istante", "istante", "moment", "per-every-moment", "un-moment"]·jav["Ing-sekedhap", "Lan-satunggaling-wekdal", "Satunggaling-wekdal", "saben-sakedhap", "saben-wekdal", "sakedhap", "satunggaling-wekdal", "sedhela", "sekedhap", "wekdal"]·KO["그리고-순간에", "순간", "순간-이", "순간마다", "순간마다-", "순간에", "순간을", "순간이니라", "에-순간들", "잠깐", "잠깐-"]·PT["E-momento", "Momento", "Por-instante", "a-cada-momento", "a-momentos", "instante", "momento", "um-momento"]·RU["ежемгновенно", "и-мгновенно", "каждое-мгновение", "мгновение", "мгновения", "мгновенно", "момент", "на-мгновение"]·ES["Instante", "Por-momento", "Y-instante", "a-cada-momento", "breve", "cada-momento", "momento", "un-momento", "un-momento?"]·SW["Kwa-wakati", "Na-wakati", "Wakati", "kila-wakati", "kitambo", "muda-mfupi", "wakati", "wakati-mfupi"]·TR["Anda-", "an", "an-be-an", "anlarda", "bir-an", "ve-bir-an"]·urd["اور-لمحے", "سے-لمحوں", "لمحوں-میں", "لمحہ", "لمحے", "لمحے-میں", "لمحے-کے-لیے", "ہر-لمحے", "ہے"]
2. in an instant, suddenly — An adverbial use expressing suddenness or instantaneity, typically with a preposition (בְּרֶגַע 'in a moment,' כְּרֶגַע 'like a moment'). This sense dominates in contexts of swift divine action — the congregation could be consumed 'in a moment' (Num 16:21, 45), the wicked perish suddenly (Job 21:13; 34:20), and enemies are put to shame 'in an instant' (Ps 6:10). The shift from duration to punctiliar suddenness is captured across languages: Spanish 'en un instante,' French 'dans un moment.' 9×
AR["عَيْنٍ", "في-لَحْظَةٍ", "فَجأَةً", "فِي-لَحْظَةٍ", "لَحْظَةً", "وَ-فِي-لَحْظَةٍ"]·ben["এক-মুহূর্তে", "এবং-মুহূর্তে", "মুহূর্তে"]·DE["Augenblick", "[וברגע]", "[רגע]", "in-ein-moment"]·EN["a-moment", "and-in-moment", "in-a-moment"]·FR["comme-instant", "dans-un-moment", "et-instant", "instant"]·heb["ו-ב-רגע", "כ-כרגע", "כ-רגע", "רגע"]·HI["एक-क्षण-में", "और-एक-क्षण-में", "क्षण-में", "तुरन्त", "पल-में"]·ID["Seketika", "dalam-sekejap", "dan-dalam-sekejap", "sekejap", "sekejap-mata", "seketika"]·IT["e-in-e-in-moment", "in-un-moment", "istante"]·jav["Sekedik", "kados-sakedhap", "lan-ing-sedhela", "sakala", "sakedhap"]·KO["갑자기", "그리고-순간에", "순간에", "순식간-에", "순식간에"]·PT["Num-instante", "e-em-momento", "momento", "num-instante", "num-momento"]·RU["в-мгновение", "в-миг", "вмиг", "внезапно", "и-в-мгновение", "мгновение", "мгновенно"]·ES["Instante", "en-un-instante", "en-un-momento", "y-en-un-momento"]·SW["ghafla", "kwa-dakika", "kwa-sekunde", "na-kwa-dakika", "papo-hapo"]·TR["Bir-anda", "an", "anda", "bir-anda", "ve-aniden"]·urd["اور-لمحے-میں", "اچانک", "اک لمحے میں", "ایک-دم-میں", "ایک-پل-میں", "لمحے-میں", "پل"]
Related Senses
H3117 1. day, specific time (2231×)H5704 1. until, unto, as far as (1238×)H8141 1. year, unit of time (880×)H6258 1. and now (421×)G2250 1. day (388×)H5750 1. again, more, further (288×)H5769 1. forever, to eternity (280×)H6256 1. time, period (264×)H2320 1. month, calendar period (260×)H0310a 2. after (temporal) (258×)H3915 1. night, period of darkness (234×)H1242 1. morning (214×)H5750 2. still, yet (continuative) (166×)G5119 1. then (160×)G3568 1. now (147×)G2193 1. until (143×)G3825 1. (141×)G3752 1. (123×)H6153 1. evening, time of day (123×)H0227a 1. then (122×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† רֶ֫גַע n.m. a moment (NH id.; 𝔗 רינעא Ec 9:12: prob. properly a movement, i.e. twinkling, of the eye; cf. momentum, i.e. movimentum);—abs. ר׳, רָ֑גַע Nu 16:21 +, pl. רְגָעִים;— a. ψ 30:6 ר׳ בְּאַפּוֹ a moment (passes) in his anger (opp. היים ברצונו); Is 54:7 בְּר׳ קָטֹן during a little moment. b. usually in adv. phrases:—(a) as adv. acc., (α) Ex 33:5 ר׳ אֶהָד for one moment, so ר׳ alone Is…