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Job 33:15 — Word Study

Depth

WLCבַּחֲל֤וֹם׀ חֶזְי֬וֹן לַ֗יְלָה בִּנְפֹ֣ל תַּ֭רְדֵּמָה עַל־ אֲנָשִׁ֑ים בִּ֝תְנוּמ֗וֹת עֲלֵ֣י מִשְׁכָּֽב׃

BSAIn a dreamchălôwm [a prophetic vision, through dreams and visions] in a visionchizzâyôwn [a revelation] in the nightlayil [a time of darkness, adversity] when deep sleeptardêmâh [a state of unconsciousness, trance] fallsnâphal [comes upon, is laid] uponʻal as they slumbertᵉnûwmâh [are in a state of drowsiness, lethargy] onʻal their bedsmishkâb [places of rest, intimacy]

Word
Listen & take awayJob 33
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 15 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (mish.Kav) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
Job 33:15quick helps
In a sentenceJob describes how God communicates with humanity through dreams and visions during the night.
Who is speakingElihu, one of Job's friends, explaining God's methods of revelation.
Where we areJob 33 addresses God's ways of speaking, particularly in times of silence or suffering.
The hard wordחֶזְי֬וֹן
Take awayGod uses dreams and visions to reach people even in their deepest sleep.
8 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them › clause subjectתַּרְדֵּמָה The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — Job 33:15

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — God's Communication in Dreamsgenerated

14For God speaks in one way and in another, yet no one notices.
15In a dream, in a vision in the night, when deep sleep falls upon men as they slumber on their beds,
16He opens their ears and terrifies them with warnings
17to turn a man from wrongdoing and keep him from pride,

Job 33:15 illustrates how God may choose to communicate with individuals through dreams and visions, particularly during the night when people are in a state of deep sleep. This passage emphasizes that divine messages can come in times of darkness and vulnerability, as seen in the broader context of Job's discourse on suffering and understanding God's ways.


Cross References

ReferenceText (BSB)
1Job 4:13In disquieting visions in the night, when deep sleep falls on men,
2Genesis 20:3One night, however, God came to Abimelech in a dream and told him, “You are as good as dead because of the woman you have taken, for she is a married woman.”
3Genesis 31:24But that night God came to Laban the Aramean in a dream and warned him, “Be careful not to say anything to Jacob, either good or bad.”
4Numbers 12:6He said, “Hear now My words: If there is a prophet among you, I, the LORD, will reveal Myself to him in a vision; I will speak to him in a dream.
5Jeremiah 23:28Let the prophet who has a dream retell it, but let him who has My word speak it truthfully. For what is straw compared to grain?” declares the LORD.

The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 9 references, hung on the phrase they belong to


The Key Word חֶזְי֬וֹן, chez.Yongenerated

The Hebrew word חֶזְי֬וֹן (chezayon) means 'vision' and is often associated with divine revelations. It implies an experience of seeing that can occur in dreams or ecstatic states, indicating a form of communication from God. The term encompasses various types of visions, including prophetic oracles, which are significant in biblical narratives.

This word appears in contexts that highlight its prophetic nature, suggesting that such visions are not merely personal but carry broader implications for understanding God's will and intentions.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

The translations agree on the rendering of the key terms in this verse, with dream (BSB, KJV, ASV) and vision (BSB, KJV, ASV) consistently used to convey the meaning of חֲלוֹם and חֶזְי֬וֹן respectively.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main clause of the verse is governed by the verb נְפֹ֣ל, to fall, which is central to the action described. The structure consists of several prepositional phrases detailing the context of the dream and vision, as well as the state of the people involved.

The Hebrew word order places emphasis on the conditions of sleep and the divine communication, creating a layered understanding of how God interacts with humanity during vulnerable moments.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates חֶזְי֬וֹן as ὅρασις, which also means 'vision' but carries a slightly different nuance, suggesting a more immediate or direct perception. This choice reflects a broader interpretation of divine communication that may be more accessible to the audience of the Greek translation.

This translation choice indicates a widening of the concept, emphasizing not just dreams but also the immediacy of vision as a form of revelation.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

Job 33:15 explains that God speaks to people through dreams and visions during the night when they are deeply asleep. This passage shows how God can reach individuals in their most vulnerable state, conveying important messages even when they are unaware.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does it mean that God speaks in dreams?

It indicates that God can communicate important messages and revelations to individuals while they are in a state of sleep, using dreams as a medium.

How can dreams be prophetic?

Dreams can be prophetic when they convey messages or insights that reflect God's will or future events, as seen in various biblical accounts.

Why is the night significant in this verse?

The night symbolizes a time of darkness and vulnerability, making it a fitting backdrop for divine communication that may not be noticed during waking hours.

What is the importance of deep sleep in this context?

Deep sleep represents a state of unconsciousness where individuals are most receptive to divine messages, highlighting God's initiative in reaching out to humanity.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. How can I recognize moments when God might be speaking to me in my dreams?
  2. What are some ways I can be more open to receiving divine messages in my life?
  3. In what ways do I experience spiritual sleep, and how can I stay alert to God's presence?
  4. How can I discern between ordinary dreams and those that may carry a prophetic message?

The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it

Gregory the Dialogist comments on this verse, discussing the significance of divine revelation through dreams and its implications for understanding God's secrets.

Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book XXIII c. 540–604
In a dream, in a vision of the night, when sleep falleth upon men, and they sleep on their bed. What is meant by the word of God being made known to us in a dream, except that we do not learn the secret things of God,
Early Church Fathers on Job 33 →

Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on Job 33:15 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

In a dream, in a vision of the night,.... That is, God speaks to men in this way, and which in those times was his most usual way; see Job 4:12; sometimes he spake to a prophet, a person in public

Read John Gill on Job 33 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed; Slumberings - light, as opposed to 'deep sleep.' Elihu has in view Eliphaz (Job 4:13), and also Job himself (Job 7:14).

Read Robert Jamieson on Job 33 →
Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy Bible

In a dream: this he mentions, as the usual way of God’ s revealing his mind and will to men in those days, before God’ s word was committed to writing, as 41:1,28. In a vision of the night: this is added by way of explication and limitation, to show that he speaks not of every dream, but of those Divine dreams in which God was pleased to vouchsafe some vision or representation of his will to the mind of a man. When deep sleep falleth upon men; when men’ s senses are bound up, and their minds free from all distracting cares and business of the world, and wholly at leisure to receive Divine impressions. In slumberings: this is added, because in this case the man is like one that slumbereth…

Read Matthew Poole on Job 33 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 33:15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;Ver. 15. In a dream, in a vision of the night] At sundry times and in various manners. God delivered his mind to men of old by dreams in the night, by visions in the day time, imprinting upon their minds what by them he would have understood, or uttered to others. This he did, especially before the law written, whereof therefore here is made no mention. See Numbers 12:6. Indeed with Moses, by a specialty of his favour, he spake mouth to mouth; even apparently (as a man doth to his friend), and not in dark speeches; the similitude of the Lord did he bebold, sed non absque aliquo…

Read John Trapp on Job 33 →
AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible

Verse 15. I. In a DREAM - when deep sleep falleth upon men] Many, by such means, have had the most salutary warnings; and to decry all such, because there are many vain dreams, would be nearly as much wisdom as to deny the Bible, because there are many foolish books, the authors of which supposed they were under a Divine influence while composing them. II. In a VISION of the night-in slumberings upon the bed] Visions or images presented in the imagination during slumber, when men are betwixt sleeping and waking, or when, awake and in bed, they are wrapt up in deep contemplation, the darkness of the night having shut out all objects from their sight, so that the mind is not diverted by…

Read AdamClarke on Job 33 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

15. The language recalls the vision of Eliphaz, ch. Job 4:13 seq.

Read Cambridge on Job 33 →
Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the Bible

In a dream - This was one of the methods by which the will of God was made known in the early periods of the world; see the notes at Job 4:12-17.

Read Albert Barnes on Job 33 →
Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

15. In a vision of the night — See note only, Job 33:13-15. The vision supposed to have been seen by Colonel Gardiner, and ending in his conversion, is a case in point; also, the cases of Schubert, Newton, etc.

Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Job 33 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

In a dream, in a vision in the night, when deep sleep falls upon men as they slumber on their beds,

WEBWorld English Bible2000

In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, in slumbering on the bed,

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

In a dream, in a vision in the night, when deep sleep falls upon men as they slumber on their beds,

NETBNew English Translation2006

In a dream, a night vision, when deep sleep falls on people as they sleep in their beds.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

In a dream, in a vision of the night, When deep sleep falleth upon men, In slumberings upon the bed;

RVARevised Version, American1894

In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;

NWBWebster's Bible1833

In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;

GNVGeneva Bible1599

In dreames and visions of the night, when sleepe falleth vpon men, and they sleepe vpon their beds,

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

In a dream — a vision of night, In the falling of deep sleep on men, In slumberings on a bed.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

In a dream—a vision of night, || In the falling of deep sleep on men, || In slumberings on a bed.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumbers upon the couch:

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon men, in slumber on the bed—

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

By a dream in a vision by night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, and they are sleeping in their beds:

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

Through dreams and visions in the night, when people fall into deep sleep, resting on their beds,

BBEBible in Basic English1949

In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep comes on men, while they take their rest on their beds;

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

clauseprepositional phrase · prepositionalprepositional phraseבַּinnoun phraseחֲל֤וֹםa.dreamnoun phraseחֶזְי֬וֹןa.visionלַ֗יְלָהof.[the].nightprepositional phraseבִּwhenclauseverbנְפֹ֣לfallssubjectתַּ֭רְדֵּמָהdeep.sleepprepositional phrase · prepositionalעַלonאֲנָשִׁ֑יםpeopleprepositional phraseבִּ֝innoun phraseתְנוּמ֗וֹתslumber(s)prepositional phraseעֲלֵ֣יonמִשְׁכָּֽבa.bed

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint show agreement on the core terms of the verse, with six out of ten words matching directly. This consistency highlights the shared understanding of divine communication through dreams and visions, though the Septuagint's phrasing and structure differ from the Hebrew.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

בַּחֲל֤וֹם׀ חֶזְי֬וֹן לַ֗יְלָה בִּנְפֹ֣ל תַּ֭רְדֵּמָה עַל־ אֲנָשִׁ֑ים בִּ֝תְנוּמ֗וֹת עֲלֵ֣י מִשְׁכָּֽב׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
לַ֗יְלָהνυκτερινῇעַל־ἐπ’אֲנָשִׁ֑יםἀνθρώπουςבִּ֝תְנוּמ֗וֹתνυσταγμάτωνעֲלֵ֣יἐπὶמִשְׁכָּֽב׃κοίτης

6 of the 10 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

Job 33:15חֲלוֹםin a dreamin a dreamחֲלוֹםחִזָּיוֹןa vision ofa vision ofחִזָּיוֹןלַ֫יְלָה[the] night[the] nightלַ֫יְלָהנָפַלwhen fallswhen fallsנָפַלתַּרְדֵּמָהdeep sleepdeep sleepתַּרְדֵּמָהעַלononעַלאֱנוֹשׁpeoplepeopleאֱנוֹשׁתְּנוּמָהin slumberin slumberתְּנוּמָהעַלononעַלמִשְׁכָּבa beda bedמִשְׁכָּבחָלַםbe healthybe healthyחָלַםחָזָהto seeto seeחָזָהרָדַםto sleepto sleepרָדַםעַלheightheightעַלאָנַשׁbe incurabbe incurableאָנַשׁנוּםto slumberto slumberנוּםשָׁכַבto lie dowto lie down: laשָׁכַבלוּלstairsstairsלוּלפָּלַלto prayto prayפָּלַלכִּפֶּרto atoneto atoneכִּפֶּרכִּסֵּאthronethroneכִּסֵּאתַּרְדֵּמָהdeep sleepdeep sleepתַּרְדֵּמָהחֲלוֹםdreamdreamחֲלוֹםיוֹמָםby dayby dayיוֹמָםאוֹרto lightto lightאוֹרגּוֹרָלallottedallottedגּוֹרָלחָלָלslain: kilslain: killedחָלָלחִזָּיוֹןvisionvisionחִזָּיוֹן
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in Job 33:15

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

in a dream a vision of [the] night when falls deep sleep on people in slumber on a bed
בַּחֲל֤וֹם׀ba.cha.Lom in a dream H2472 Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
65× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means a dream, which can be ordinary or have a prophetic meaning, as seen in the Bible where God communicates through dreams. It appears in the story of Joseph in Genesis. The word is also used in Joel 2:28.
Amplified meaning
a prophetic vision, through dreams and visions
Tyndale gloss
dream
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word חֲלוֹם (chalowm) means 'dream' and can refer to both ordinary dreams and those with prophetic significance. It is derived from a root that suggests a connection to dreaming. The Aramaic equivalent is חֵ֫לֶם (chelem).

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חֲלוֹם n.m. dream

ordinary dream of sleep

dreams with prophetic meaning

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2472 חֲלוֹם dream

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2472 chalowm khal-ome'

or (shortened) chalom {khal-ome'}; from 2492; a

dream:--dream(-er).

see HEBREW for 02492

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חֲלוֹם (cha.lom) — dream.

1) dream

1a) dream (ordinary)

1b) dream (with prophetic meaning)

Aramaic equivalent: che.lem (חֵ֫לֶם "dream" H2493)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absolute
HR/Ncmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Dream

God has frequently made use of dreams in communicating his will to men. The most remarkable instances of this are recorded in the history of Jacob (Gen. 28:12; 31:10), Laban (31:24), Joseph (37:9-11), Gideon (Judg. 7), and Solomon (1 Kings 3:5). Other significant dreams are also recorded, such as those of Abimelech (Gen. 20:3-7), Pharaoh’s chief butler and baker (40:5), Pharaoh (41:1-8), the Midianites (Judg. 7:13), Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 2:1; 4:10, 18), the wise men from the east (Matt. 2:12), and Pilate’s wife (27:19).

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The orientals, and in particular the Jews, greatly regarded dreams, and applied for their interpretation to those who undertook to explain them. We see the antiquity of this custom in the history of Pharaoh’s butler and baker, Ge 40:1-23; and Pharaoh himself and Nebuchadnezzar are also instances. God expressly forbade his people to observe dreams, and to consult explainers of them. He condemned to death all who pretended to have prophetic dreams, even though what they foretold came to pass, if they had any tendency to promote idolatry, De 13:1-3. But they were not forbidden, when they thought they had a significant dream, to address the prophets of the Lord, or the high priest in his ephod, to have it explained. The Lord frequently made known his will in dreams, and enabled…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Evanescent Job 20:8

→ Vanity of Ec 5:3,7

→ INSTANCES OF

Of Abimelech,, concerning Sarah Ge 20:3

Of Jacob, concerning the ladder Ge 28:12

The ring-straked cattle Ge 31:10-13

Concerning his going down into Egypt Ge 46:2

Of Laban, concerning Jacob Ge 31:24

Of Joseph, concerning the sheaves Ge 37:5-10

Of Midianite concerning the cake of barley Jud 7:13

in a dream a vision of [the] night when falls deep sleep on people in slumber on a bed
חֶזְי֬וֹןchez.Yon a vision of H2384 Noun common · masculine singular construct
9× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Chizzayon refers to a vision or revelation, often received through dreams or divine communication. It appears in various forms, including ecstatic states and prophetic oracles.
Amplified meaning
a revelation
Tyndale gloss
vision
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

חִזָּיוֹן (chizzayown) means 'vision' and encompasses various forms of seeing, including ecstatic visions, night visions, and divine communication. It is derived from the root meaning of revelation or expectation, indicating its use in contexts like prophecy. The term is notably associated with the 'valley of vision,' possibly referring to Jerusalem.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

חִזָּיוֹן n.m. vision

vision, in the ecstatic state

vision, in the night

divine communication

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H2384 חִזָּיוֹן vision

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

2384 chizzayown khiz-zaw-yone'

from 2372; a revelation, expectation by dream:--vision.

see HEBREW for 02372

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

חִזָּיוֹן (chiz.za.von) — vision.

1) vision

1a) vision (in the ecstatic state)

1a1) valley of vision (perhaps fig. of Jerusalem or Hinnom)

1b) vision (in the night)

1c) vision, oracle, prophecy (in divine communication)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

in a dream a vision of [the] night when falls deep sleep on people in slumber on a bed
לַ֗יְלָהLay.lah [the] night H3915 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
233× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Night refers to the time of darkness, opposed to day, and can also symbolize adversity or hardship. It is a period of rest, but also of potential danger or uncertainty.
Amplified meaning
a time of darkness, adversity
Tyndale gloss
night
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

לַ֫יְלָה (layil) means 'night' and is derived from a root that suggests a twist away from light. It encompasses the literal sense of night as opposed to day, as well as figurative uses related to gloom or adversity. The term appears in contexts like Isaiah 21:11.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

לַ֫יְלָה, לַ֫יִל 242 n.m. night

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3915 לַ֫יְלָה, לַ֫יִל night

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3915 layil lah'-yil

or (Isa. 21:11) leyl {lale}; also laylah {lah'- yel-aw}; from

the same as 3883; properly, a twist (away of the light), i.e.

night; figuratively, adversity:--((mid-))night (season).

see HEBREW for 03883

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

לַ֫יְלָה (lay.lah) — night.

1) night

1a) night (as opposed to day)

1b) of gloom, protective shadow (fig.)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

nit.

See DAY AND NIGHT for the natural usage and the various terms.

1. In the Old Testament:

Figurative uses: The word "night" (laylah or layil is sometimes used figuratively in the Old Testament. Thus, Moses compares the brevity of time, the lapse of a thousand years, to "a watch in the night" (Ps 90:4). Adversity is depicted by it in such places as Job 35:10; compare Isa 8:20; Jer 15:9. Disappointment and despair are apparently depicted by it in the "burden of Dumah" (Isa 21:11,12); and spiritual blindness, coming upon the false prophets (Mic 3:6); again sudden and…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

[DAY]

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The ancient Hebrews began their artificial day at evening, and ended it the next evening, so that the night proceeded the day. This usage may probably be traced to the terms employed in describing the creation, Ge 1:5,8,13, etc., "The evening and the morning were the first day." The Hebrews allowed twelve to the day; but these hours were not equal, except at the equinox. At other times, when the hours of the night were long, those of the day were short, as in winter; and when the hours of night were short, as at midsummer, the hours of the day were long in proportion. See HOURS.

The nights are sometimes extremely cold in Syria, when the days are very hot; and travelers in the deserts and among the mountains near Palestine refer to their own sufferings from these opposite extremes, in illustration of Jacob’s words in

→ General scriptures concerning Ge 1:5,16,18

→ Meditations in Ps 19:2; 77:6; 119:148; 139:11

→ Worship in Ps 134:1

→ Jesus prays all night Lu 6:12

→ No night in heaven Re 21:25; 22:5

→ Divided into watches Ex 14:24; Jud 7:19; 1Sa 11:11; Ne 12:9; Ps 63:6; 119:148; La 2:19;

in a dream a vision of [the] night when falls deep sleep on people in slumber on a bed
בִּנְפֹ֣לbin.Fol when falls H5307 Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
435× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to fall, and it's used in many ways, like falling down, failing, or being defeated. It appears in books like Genesis and Isaiah. God's people often fell away from Him, but He always offered a way back.
Amplified meaning
comes upon, is laid
Tyndale gloss
to fall: fall
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

נָפַל (naphal) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to fall,' encompassing a wide range of applications, including falling by accident, experiencing violent death, or going to ruin. It can also refer to prostrating oneself, attacking, or causing someone to fall. The term appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, often indicating physical or metaphorical downfall.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

נָפַל 433 vb. fall, lie

Qal 366

fall, by accident

Esp. of violent death

fig. = go to ruin, perish, etc.

fig. = experience calamity

fall, of a city

Fall prostrate

fall = prostrate oneself before

fall upon one's neck, in embrace

Fall upon = attack

desert or fall away to, go over to

Fig., of deep sleep

Other idiomatic uses

= lie; = lie prostrate

Hiph.

cause to fall

Of causing death; = overthrow, bring to destruction

Esp. of casting lot

Fig., let drop, cause to fail

cause deep sleep to fall

Other idioms

Hithp. throw, or prostrate oneself

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5307 נָפַל fall, lie .. fall, by accident

. . Esp. of violent death

. fig. = go to ruin, perish, etc.

. fig. = experience calamity

. fall, of a city

. . Fall prostrate

. fall = prostrate oneself before

. fall upon one's neck, in embrace

. . Fall upon = attack

. desert or fall away to, go over to

. Fig., of deep sleep

. Other idiomatic uses

. = lie; = lie prostrate

. . cause to fall

. Of causing death; = overthrow, bring to destruction

. Esp. of casting lot

. Fig., let drop, cause to fail

. cause deep sleep to fall

. Other idioms

. throw, or prostrate oneself

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5307 naphal naw-fal'

a primitive root; to fall, in a great variety of applications

(intransitive or causative, literal or figurative):--be

accepted, cast (down, self, (lots), out), cease, die, divide

(by lot), (let) fail, (cause to, let, make, ready to) fall

(away, down, -en, -ing), fell(-ing), fugitive, have

(inheritance), inferior, be judged (by mistake for 6419), lay

(along), (cause to) lie down, light (down), be (X hast) lost,

lying, overthrow, overwhelm, perish, present(-ed, -ing), (make

to) rot, slay, smite out, X surely, throw down.

see HEBREW for 06419

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

נָפַל (na.phal) — to fall: fall.

: fall/drop/fail

1) to fall, lie, be cast down, fail

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to fall

1a2) to fall (of violent death)

1a3) to fall prostrate, prostrate oneself before

1a4) to fall upon, attack, desert, fall away to, go away to, fall into the hand of

1a5) to fall short, fail, fall out, turn out, result

1a6) to settle, waste away, be offered, be inferior to

1a7) to lie, lie prostrate

1b) (Hiphil)

1b1) to cause to fall, fell, throw down, knock out, lay prostrate

1b2) to overthrow

1b3) to make the lot fall, assign by lot, apportion by lot

1b4) to let drop, cause to fail (fig.)

1b5) to cause to fall

1c) (Hithpael)

1c1) to throw or prostrate oneself, throw oneself upon

1c2) to lie prostrate, prostrate oneself

1d) (Pilel) to fall

נָפַל (na.phal) — to fall: deserting.

: deserting

1) to fall, lie, be cast down, fail

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to fall

1a2) to fall (of violent death)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | V-Qal-Inf-a — Preposition · verb qal infinitive construct common
HR/Vqcc
in a dream a vision of [the] night when falls deep sleep on people in slumber on a bed
תַּ֭רְדֵּמָהTar.de.mah deep sleep H8639 Noun common · feminine singular absolute
7× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word refers to a deep sleep or trance, where someone is completely unaware of their surroundings. In Genesis, it describes the sleep God gave Adam before creating Eve. This kind of sleep is also mentioned in other biblical stories.
Amplified meaning
a state of unconsciousness, trance
Tyndale gloss
deep sleep
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תַּרְדֵּמָה (tardemah) means 'deep sleep' or 'trance.' It is derived from the root word meaning lethargy. The term is used to describe a profound state of unconsciousness, as noted in various lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

תַּרְדֵּמָה n.f. deep sleep

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8639 תַּרְדֵּמָה deep sleep

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8639 tardemah tar-day-maw'

from 7290; a lethargy or (by implication) trance:--deep

sleep.

see HEBREW for 07290

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תַּרְדֵּמָה (tar.de.mah) — deep sleep.

deep sleep, trance

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-fs — Noun common · feminine singular absolute
HNcfsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

See SLEEP, DEEP.

in a dream a vision of [the] night when falls deep sleep on people in slumber on a bed
עַל־'al- on H5921 Preposition
5,774× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Tyndale gloss
upon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

עַל, עָ֑ל

subst. height

As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed

of clothing, etc., which any one wears

With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears

. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5921 `al al

properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the

singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a

particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always

in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great

variety of applications (as follow):--above, according

to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because

of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both

and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in

(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,

through(-out), to, touching, X with.

see HEBREW for 05920

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַל (al) — upon.

prep

1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards

1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)

1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)

1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)

1e) over (of suspension or extension)

1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)

1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)

1h) to (as a dative)

[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.

conj

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

On

Light; the sun, (Gen. 41:45, 50), the great seat of sun-worship, called also Bethshemesh (Jer. 43:13) and Aven (Ezek. 30:17), stood on the east bank of the Nile, a few miles north of Memphis, and near Cairo, in the north-east. The Vulgate and the LXX. Versions have “Heliopolis” (“city of the sun”) instead of On in Genesis and of Aven in Ezekiel. The “city of destruction” Isaiah speaks of (19:18, marg. “of Heres;” Heb. ‘Ir-ha-heres, which some MSS. read Ir-ha-heres, i.e., “city of the sun”) may be the name given to On, the prophecy being that the time will come when that city which was known as the “city of the sun-god” shall become the “city of destruction” of the sun-god, i.e., when idolatry shall cease, and the worship…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(abode or city of the sun), a town of lower Egypt, called BETH-SHEMESH in (Jeremiah 43:13) On is better known under its Greek name Heliopolis. It was situated on the east side of the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, just below the point of the Delta, and about twenty miles northeast of Memphis. The chief object of worship at Heliopolis was the sun, whose temple, described by Strabo, is now only represented by the single beautiful obelisk, of red granite so feet 2 inches high above the pedestal which has stood for more than 4000 years, having been erected by Usirtesen, the second king of the twelfth dynasty. Heliopolis was anciently famous for its learning, and Eudoxus and Plato studied under its priests. The first mention of this place in the Bible is in the history of Joseph, to whom we read Pharaoh gave "to wife Asenath the daughter…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

See HELIOPOLIS.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

pain; force; iniquity

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
in a dream a vision of [the] night when falls deep sleep on people in slumber on a bed
אֲנָשִׁ֑ים'a.na.Shim people H582 Noun common · masculine plural absolute
566× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Enosh refers to a human or mankind in general, used to describe individuals or people as a whole in the Bible.
Tyndale gloss
human
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֱנוֹשׁ (enowsh) refers to man or mankind, often used in a poetic context. It denotes a mortal individual, distinguishing humans from more dignified terms for man. The word encompasses both singular and collective meanings, indicating people or persons in general. Its Aramaic equivalent is אֱנָשׁ (e.nash), also meaning 'man'.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֱנוֹשׁ n.m. man, mankind, mostly poet.

of individ.

coll. men

man, mankind

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H582 אֱנוֹשׁ man, mankind, mostly poet.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

582 'enowsh en-oshe'

from 605; properly, a mortal (and thus differing from the

more dignified 120); hence, a man in general (singly or

collectively):--another, X (blood-)thirsty, certain,

chap(-man); divers, fellow, X in the flower of their age,

husband, (certain, mortal) man, people, person, servant, some

( X of them), + stranger, those, + their trade. It is often

unexpressed in the English versions, especially when used in

apposition with another word . Compare 376.

see HEBREW for 0605

see HEBREW for 0120

see HEBREW for 0376

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֱנוֹשׁ (e.nosh) — human.

1) man, mortal man, person, mankind

1a) of an individual

1b) men (collective)

1c) man, mankind

Aramaic equivalent: e.nash (אֱנָשׁ "man" H0606)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HNcmpa — Noun common · masculine plural absolute
HNcmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

pe'-p'-l: In English Versions of the Bible represents something over a dozen Hebrew and Greek words. Of these, in the Old Testament, `am, is overwhelmingly the most common (about 2,000 times), with le'om, and goy, next in order; but the various Hebrew words are used with very little or no difference in force (e.g. Pr 14:28; but, on the other hand, in Ps 44 contrast verses 12 and 14). Of the changes introduced by the Revised Version (British and American) the only one of significance (cited explicitly in the Preface to the English Revised Version) is the frequent use of the plural "peoples" (strangely avoided in the King James Version except Re 10:11; 17:15), where other nations than Israel are in question. So, for instance, in Ps…

in a dream a vision of [the] night when falls deep sleep on people in slumber on a bed
בִּ֝תְנוּמ֗וֹתbit.nu.Mot in slumber H8572 Preposition · noun common feminine plural absolute
5× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word means slumber or drowsiness, describing a state of sleep or lethargy, as seen in Proverbs. It can also imply a spiritual sleep, where one is not fully awake to God's presence. It is used to caution against spiritual laziness.
Amplified meaning
are in a state of drowsiness, lethargy
Tyndale gloss
slumber
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

תְּנוּמָה (tnuwmah) refers to drowsiness or slumber. It is derived from the root word for sleep and is used in contexts related to sleepiness. The entries consistently emphasize its meaning as slumber, with no significant disagreements noted among the lexicons.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

תְּנוּמָה n.f. slumber

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8572 תְּנוּמָה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8572 tnuwmah ten-oo-maw'

from 5123; drowsiness, i.e. sleep:--slumber(-ing).

see HEBREW for 05123

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

תְּנוּמָה (te.nu.mah) — slumber.

slumber, slumberings, sleep

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | N-fp — Preposition · noun common feminine plural absolute
HR/Ncfpa
in a dream a vision of [the] night when falls deep sleep on people in slumber on a bed
עֲלֵ֣י'a.Lei on H5921 Preposition
5,774× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means on or above something, like a physical object or a situation. It can also imply a sense of responsibility or accountability, as in being on behalf of someone.
Tyndale gloss
upon
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word עַל (*al*) is a preposition meaning 'upon' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including 'on account of,' 'beside,' 'above,' and 'against.' It can indicate physical placement, emotional burdens, or duties imposed on a person. The entries also note its use in idiomatic expressions and with verbs of motion. There is a mention of its function as a conjunction in certain contexts.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as

base

עַל, עָ֑ל

subst. height

As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed

of clothing, etc., which any one wears

With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H5921a עַל, עָ֑ל . As prep. upon, and hence on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against . Upon, of the substratum upon which an object in any way rests, or on which an action is performed . — . of clothing, etc., which any one wears

. With verbs of covering or protecting, even though the cover or veil be not over or above the thing covered, but around or before it

. Of what rests heavily upon a person, or is a burden to him

. Of a duty, payment, care, etc., imposed upon a person, or devolving on him

. על is used idiom. to give pathos to the expression of an emotion, by emphasizing the person who is its subject, and who, as it were, feels it acting upon him

. חָיָה עַל to live upon (as upon a foundation or support)

Read the full entry →
Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

5921 `al al

properly, the same as 5920 used as a preposition (in the

singular or plural often with prefix, or as conjunction with a

particle following); above, over, upon, or against (yet always

in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great

variety of applications (as follow):--above, according

to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, X as, at, because

of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, X both

and, by (reason of), X had the charge of, concerning for, in

(that), (forth, out) of, (from) (off), (up-)on, over, than,

through(-out), to, touching, X with.

see HEBREW for 05920

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עַל (al) — upon.

prep

1) upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against

1a) upon, on the ground of, on the basis of, on account of, because of, therefore, on behalf of, for the sake of, for, with, in spite of, notwithstanding, concerning, in the matter of, as regards

1b) above, beyond, over (of excess)

1c) above, over (of elevation or pre-eminence)

1d) upon, to, over to, unto, in addition to, together with, with (of addition)

1e) over (of suspension or extension)

1f) by, adjoining, next, at, over, around (of contiguity or proximity)

1g) down upon, upon, on, from, up upon, up to, towards, over towards, to, against (with verbs of motion)

1h) to (as a dative)

[כִּי] עַל [כֵּן] ([ki] al [ken]) — as.

conj

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep — Preposition
HR
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

On

Light; the sun, (Gen. 41:45, 50), the great seat of sun-worship, called also Bethshemesh (Jer. 43:13) and Aven (Ezek. 30:17), stood on the east bank of the Nile, a few miles north of Memphis, and near Cairo, in the north-east. The Vulgate and the LXX. Versions have “Heliopolis” (“city of the sun”) instead of On in Genesis and of Aven in Ezekiel. The “city of destruction” Isaiah speaks of (19:18, marg. “of Heres;” Heb. ‘Ir-ha-heres, which some MSS. read Ir-ha-heres, i.e., “city of the sun”) may be the name given to On, the prophecy being that the time will come when that city which was known as the “city of the sun-god” shall become the “city of destruction” of the sun-god, i.e., when idolatry shall cease, and the worship…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(abode or city of the sun), a town of lower Egypt, called BETH-SHEMESH in (Jeremiah 43:13) On is better known under its Greek name Heliopolis. It was situated on the east side of the Pelusiac branch of the Nile, just below the point of the Delta, and about twenty miles northeast of Memphis. The chief object of worship at Heliopolis was the sun, whose temple, described by Strabo, is now only represented by the single beautiful obelisk, of red granite so feet 2 inches high above the pedestal which has stood for more than 4000 years, having been erected by Usirtesen, the second king of the twelfth dynasty. Heliopolis was anciently famous for its learning, and Eudoxus and Plato studied under its priests. The first mention of this place in the Bible is in the history of Joseph, to whom we read Pharaoh gave "to wife Asenath the daughter…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

See HELIOPOLIS.

Hitchcock's Bible Names Dictionary

pain; force; iniquity

The company it keepswords that stand beside it more often than chance
in a dream a vision of [the] night when falls deep sleep on people in slumber on a bed
מִשְׁכָּֽב׃mish.Kav a bed H4904 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
46× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Mishkab refers to a bed, but can also mean sleep or even a bier. It's sometimes used to describe intimate relationships, as in Genesis. This word has various meanings depending on the context.
Amplified meaning
places of rest, intimacy
Tyndale gloss
bed
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

מִשְׁכָּב (mishkab) refers to a place of lying down, such as a bed or couch, and can also denote the act of lying, including sexual intercourse. It is derived from the root meaning to lie down. The term encompasses both literal and figurative uses, including references to sleep and bedrooms.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

מִשְׁכָּב 46 n.m. place of lying, couch; act of lying

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H4904 מִשְׁכָּב place of lying, couch; act of lying

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

4904 mishkab mish-kawb'

from 7901; a bed (figuratively, a bier); abstractly, sleep;

by euphemism, carnal intercourse:--bed((-chamber)), couch,

lieth (lying) with.

see HEBREW for 07901

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

מִשְׁכָּב (mish.kav) — bed.

1) a lying down, couch, bier, act of lying

1a) couch, bed

1b) act of lying, lying down or sleeping room, bedroom

1c) lying down (for sexual contact)

Aramaic equivalent: mish.kav (מִשְׁכַּב "bed" H4903)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Easton's Bible Dictionary

Bed

(Heb. mittah), for rest at night (Ex. 8:3; 1 Sam. 19:13, 15, 16, etc.); during sickness (Gen. 47:31; 48:2; 49:33, etc.); as a sofa for rest (1 Sam. 28:23; Amos 3:12). Another Hebrew word (er’es) so rendered denotes a canopied bed, or a bed with curtains (Deut. 3:11; Ps. 132:3), for sickness (Ps. 6:6; 41:3).

In the New Testament it denotes sometimes a litter with a coverlet (Matt. 9:2, 6;

The Jewish bed consisted of the mattress, a mere mat, or one or more quilts; the covering, a finer quilt, or sometimes the outer garment worn by day, (1 Samuel 19:13) which the law provided should not be kept in pledge after sunset, that the poor man might not lack his needful covering, (24:13) the pillow, (1 Samuel 19:13) probably formed of sheep’s fleece or goat’s skin with a stuffing of cotton, etc.; the bedstead, a divan or bench along the side or end of the room, sufficing at a support for the bedding. Besides we have bedsteads made of ivory, wood, etc. referred to in (3:11; Amos 6:4) The ornamental portions were pillars and a canopy, Judith 13:9, ivory carvings, gold and silver, and probably mosaic work, purple and fine…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

In the East, is, and was anciently, a divan, or broad low step around the sides of a room, like a sofa, which answered to purpose of a sofa by day for reclining, and of a bed by night for sleeping, Ex 8:3 2Sa 4:5-7. Sometimes it was raised several steps above the floor, 2Ki 1:4 Ps 132:4. It was covered very differently, and with more or less ornament, according to the rank of owner of the house. The poor had but a simple mattress or sheepskin; or a cloak or blanked, which also answered to wrap themselves in by day, Ex 22:2 De 24:13. Hence it was easy for the persons…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Made of wood So 3:7-9

→ Made of iron De 3:11

→ Made of ivory Am 6:4

→ Made of gold and silver Es 1:6

→ Used at meals Am 6:4

→ Exempt from execution for debt Pr 22:27

→ Perfumed Pr 7:17

→ FIGURATIVE

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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