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.
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"]
Exod 33:5, Ezra 9:8, Job 7:18, Job 20:5, Ps 30:5, Isa 26:20, Isa 27:3, Isa 54:7, Isa 54:8, Jer 18:7, Jer 18:9, Ezek 26:16 (+1 more)
▼ 1 more sense below
Senses
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"]
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…