H7950 H7950
Snow — the meteorological phenomenon and a pervasive biblical simile for whiteness, purity, and cleansing.
Denotes snow both as a weather phenomenon and as one of Scripture's most vivid similes. Literally, it falls as precipitation alongside rain (Job 37:6; Ps 147:16; 148:8) and accumulates in divine storehouses (Job 38:22). Snow on Lebanon is proverbial for reliability (Jer 18:14). Its most powerful use is figurative: leprosy appears 'white as snow' (Exod 4:6; Num 12:10; 2 Kgs 5:27), and Isaiah's great promise declares that scarlet sins shall become 'as white as snow' (Isa 1:18). Snowmelt waters are cold and purifying (Job 9:30). The word appears with remarkable consistency across all translations — 'snow,' 'nieve,' 'neige,' 'Schnee.'
Senses
1. snow — Snow as both a literal weather phenomenon and a rich figurative image. Used concretely for precipitation and accumulated snowfall (Job 37:6; Ps 147:16; 148:8), snowmelt waters (Job 6:16; 24:19), snow stored in divine treasuries (Job 38:22), and the proverbial reliability of Lebanon's snow (Jer 18:14). Figuratively, it serves as the premier biblical simile for whiteness — leprosy compared to snow (Exod 4:6; Num 12:10; 2 Kgs 5:27), fair skin whiter than snow (Lam 4:7), and supremely, Isaiah's promise of moral purification: 'though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow' (Isa 1:18). All translations converge: English 'snow,' Spanish 'nieve,' French 'neige,' German 'Schnee.' 20×
AR["الثَّلْج", "الثَّلْجُ", "الثَّلْجِ", "ثَلْجًا", "ثَلْجٍ", "ثَلْجُ", "فَ-مِنَ-الثَّلْجِ", "كَ-الثَّلْجِ", "كَالثَّلجِ", "كَالثَّلْجِ", "لِلثَّلْجِ", "مِنَ-الثَّلْجِ", "وَ-الثَّلْجُ"]·ben["-এবং-তুষার", "-তুষারকে", "-বরফের-থেকে", "-বরফের-মতো", "ও-হইতে-তুষার", "তুষার", "তুষারের", "তুষারের-চেয়ে", "তুষারের-মতো", "বরফ", "বরফের-মতো"]·DE["Schnee", "[השלג]", "[והשלג]", "[כשלג]", "[שלג]", "der-snow", "und-Schnee", "von-Schnee", "wie-Schnee", "wie-der-Schnee", "wie-snow"]·EN["and-than-snow", "and-the-snow", "as-the-snow", "because-of-snow", "like-snow", "like-the-snow", "more-than-snow", "snow", "snow-of", "the-snow", "to-the-snow"]·FR["[השלג]", "[והשלג]", "[כשלג]", "[משלג]", "[שלג]", "comme-le-neige", "comme-snow", "de-neige", "et-de-neige", "le-snow", "neige"]·heb["ה-שלג", "ו-ה-שלג", "ו-מ-שלג", "כ-ה-כשלג", "כ-שלג", "ל-שלג", "מ-שלג", "שלג"]·HI["और-बर्फ", "और-बर्फ़-से", "जैसी-बर्फ", "जैसे-बर्फ", "जैसे-हिम", "बरफ़-जैसा", "बर्फ", "बर्फ-का", "बर्फ-की", "बर्फ-के", "बर्फ-से", "बर्फ़", "बर्फ़-के", "बर्फ़-जैसा", "बर्फ़-से", "हिम", "हिम-से-अधिक"]·ID["-salju", "Seperti-salju", "akan-salju", "dan-salju", "kepada-salju", "lebih-dari-salju", "salju", "seperti-salju"]·IT["[השלג]", "[והשלג]", "[כשלג]", "[משלג]", "[שלג]", "al-neve", "come-il-neve", "come-neve", "da-neve", "e-da-neve", "il-neve", "neve"]·jav["dhatèng-salju", "ing-dosa", "kados-salju", "lan-salju", "langkung-saking-salju", "saking-salju", "salju"]·KO["같이-눈", "그-눈-의", "그-눈의", "그리고-눈보다", "그리고-눈이", "눈", "눈-같이", "눈-보다", "눈-에게", "눈-의", "눈-처럼", "눈과", "눈에서", "눈을", "눈의", "눈처럼"]·PT["Como-neve", "a-neve", "como-a-neve", "como-neve", "de-neve", "e-a-neve", "e-mais-que-neve", "mais-que-neve", "neve", "neve-de", "neve;", "neve?", "à-neve"]·RU["белее-снега", "и-от-снега", "и-снег", "как-снег", "снег", "снега", "снегу"]·ES["Como-nieve", "a-la-nieve", "como-la-nieve", "como-nieve", "de-nieve", "la-nieve", "la-nieve;", "más-que-la-nieve", "nieve", "nieve,", "nieve-de", "y-la-nieve", "y-más-que-nieve"]·SW["kama-theluji", "kuliko-theluji", "kwa-theluji", "na-kuliko-theluji", "na-theluji", "theluji", "ya-theluji"]·TR["-e-benzer-kar", "gibi-kar", "kar", "kar-gibi", "kara", "kardan", "karı", "karın", "ve-kar", "ve-kardan"]·urd["اور-برف", "اور-برف-سے", "برف", "برف کو", "برف کے", "برف-جیسا", "برف-جیسی", "برف-سے", "برف-کا", "برف-کی-طرح", "برف-کے", "جیسے-برف", "سے-برف"]
Exod 4:6, Num 12:10, 2 Sam 23:20, 2 Kgs 5:27, 1 Chr 11:22, Job 6:16, Job 9:30, Job 24:19, Job 37:6, Job 38:22, Ps 51:7, Ps 147:16 (+8 more)
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
† שֶׁ֫לֶג n.m.Is 55:10 snow;—abs. שׁ׳ Is 1:18 +, שָׁ֑לֶג Ex 4:6 +; cstr. שֶׁ֫לֶג Je 18:14;—snow, 2 S 23:20 (יוֹם הַשּׁ׳) = 1 Ch 11:22, Jb 6:16; 37:6 (‖ גֶּשֶׁם מָטָר), ψ 147:16; 148:8 (+ אֵשׁ, בָּרָד, קִיטוֹר); מֵימֵי שׁ׳ Jb 24:19, cf. 9:30 Qr (בְּמֵי, בְּמוֹ De Di Bu al., snow as purifying; v. also [מַי]); poet. אֹצְרוֹת שׁ׳ 38:22 (‖ א׳ בָּרָד; symb. of cold Pr 31:21; as moistening, fertilizing…