Psalms 121:6 — Word Study
WLCיוֹמָ֗ם הַשֶּׁ֥מֶשׁ לֹֽא־ יַכֶּ֗כָּה וְיָרֵ֥חַ בַּלָּֽיְלָה׃
BSAThe sunshemesh [the sun; the east or the west] will notlôʼ [indicating absence or negation] strikenâkâh▸ [to smite or hit] you by dayyôwmâm [daily or during daylight] nor the moonyârêach [natural satellite] by nightlayil [time of darkness or adversity]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| יוֹמָ֗ם | by day | Adverb |
| הַשֶּׁ֥מֶשׁ | the sun | Particle, noun common both singular absolute |
| לֹֽא־ | not | Particle |
| יַכֶּ֗כָּה | it will strike you | Verb hiphil imperfect third person masculine singular, suffix |
| וְיָרֵ֥חַ | and [the] moon | Conjunction, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| בַּלָּֽיְלָה׃ | in the night | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | The sun will not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. |
| KJV | The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. |
| ASV | The sun shall not smite thee by day, Nor the moon by night. |
| YLT | By day the sun doth not smite thee, Nor the moon by night. |
| WEB | The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. |
| BBE | You will not be touched by the sun in the day, or by the moon at night. |
The translations agree on the meaning of the verse — see How Translations Differ.
The sentence consists of a main clause followed by a negation, emphasizing the assurance of protection from both the sun and the moon.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectיָרֵחַ
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
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 — Psalms 121:6
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 — The Assurance of God's Protectiongenerated
Psalms 121:6 emphasizes the protective nature of the LORD, assuring that He will guard His people from harm both during the day and at night. This verse is part of a larger psalm that speaks to the unwavering care of God, highlighting His role as a keeper and protector, as seen in the preceding and following verses.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 91:5–10 | You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, |
| 2 | Isaiah 49:10 | They will not hunger or thirst, nor will scorching heat or sun beat down on them. For He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water. |
| 3 | Revelation 7:16 | ‘Never again will they hunger, and never will they thirst; nor will the sun beat down upon them, nor any scorching heat.’ |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 3 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — יַכֶּ֗כָּה, ya.Ke.kahgenerated
The verb יַכֶּ֗כָּה (ya.Ke.kah) is in the hiphil imperfect form, indicating an action that will occur in the future. It means 'to strike' or 'to smite,' and it conveys the idea of harm or injury. The use of the third person masculine singular suggests that the subject is an unspecified agent, emphasizing God's protective role against potential dangers.
This word is often associated with divine judgment or punishment in other contexts, but here it is used to assure the listener that they will not be harmed by the sun or the moon, which can symbolize extreme conditions or adversities.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations agree that the sun will not strike you by day, nor the moon by night, maintaining the protective theme of the verse.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The finite verb יַכֶּ֗כָּה governs the sentence, with two clauses linked by 'nor': the first clause addresses the sun's action during the day, and the second addresses the moon's action at night. This structure emphasizes the continuous nature of God's protection throughout the day and night.
The word order places significance on the subjects, highlighting the sun and the moon as potential sources of harm, while the negation 'not' clearly states the assurance of safety.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates הַשֶּׁ֥מֶשׁ as ἥλιος and יָרֵחַ as σελήνη, both of which mean 'sun' and 'moon' respectively. This choice maintains the celestial imagery and the idea of protection from natural elements.
The use of οὐ for 'not' aligns with the Hebrew negation, reinforcing the assurance that these celestial bodies will not cause harm.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalms 121:6 tells us that God will protect us from harm during the day and night. The sun will not strike us, nor will the moon bring danger. This verse assures us of God's constant care and vigilance over our lives.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means that God will protect you from harm that could come from the sun, such as heat or exhaustion, symbolizing His care during the day.
The moon represents the night and potential dangers that can arise during darkness, emphasizing that God's protection extends through all times.
This verse is part of a broader message in Psalm 121 that reassures believers of God's continuous protection and watchfulness over their lives.
Yes, it reminds us that God's protection is always with us, regardless of the challenges we face during the day or night.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what ways have I experienced God's protection in my life?
- How can I remind myself of God's constant care during difficult times?
- What does it mean to me that God protects me both day and night?
- How can I share this assurance of God's protection with others?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early church fathers, such as Augustine, have commented on this verse, interpreting it as a reflection of God's protective nature.
"May the Lord shield you upon the hand of your right hand" [Psalms 121:6]. I have said, and I believe you have recognised it.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 121 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 121:6 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThe sun shall not smite thee by day,.... With its rays, which it shoots forth like darts, and which fly swiftly, and pierce and hurt: hence Apollo, the same with the sun, is represented with a bow
Read John Gill on Psalms 121 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThe sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. The sun shall not smite thee by day - with heat. Nor the moon by night - with cold.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 121 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleThe sun shall not smite thee with excessive heat, nor the moon with that cold and moisture which comes into the air by it and with it. Intemperate heats and colds are the two springs of many diseases. He alludes both to the conditions of soldiers or travellers, who are exposed to the open air by day and by night, and also to the cloudy pillar which defended the Israelites both by day and by night. The sense is, He shall protect thee from all evils both by day and night.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 121 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 121:6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.Ver. 6. The sun shall not smite thee by day] So choice and chary is God of his children, that he will have no creature to hurt them (parching heat by day or pinching cold by night), but both north and south must blow good to them, Son 4:16, and all creatures must cater for them, Hosea 2:21-22, yet ever with exception of the cross, if need be, 1 Peter 1:6. But let the pope be the sun and the emperor the moon (as the canonists called them), yet the sun shall not smite the Church by day nor the moon by night. Luther was at the same time excommunicated by the pope and proscribed by the emperor; yet died he in his bed.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 121 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(6) Smite thee.—The mention of shade leads to the amplification of the figure. The evil effects of sunstroke are too well known to need comment. They are often mentioned in the Bible (2 Kings 4:18; 2 Kings 4:20; Jonah 4; Jdt 8:3). Nor the moon by night.—Possibly there is allusion to the belief, so common in old times, of the harmful influence of the moon’s light—a belief still recalled in the word lunacy. It is a fact that temporary blindness is often caused by moonlight. (See authorities referred to by Ewald and Delitzsch.) Others, again, think that the injurious cold of the night is here placed in antithesis to the heat of the noonday sun (comp. Genesis 31:40; Jeremiah 36:30), the…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 121 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 6. The sun shall not smite thee by day] Thus expressed by the Chaldee: "The morning spectres shall not smite thee by day, during the government of the sun; nor the nocturnal spectres by night, during the government of the moon." I believe the psalmist simply means, they shall not be injured by heat nor cold; by a sun-stroke by day, nor a frost-bite by night.
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 121 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges6. The metaphor is naturally suggested by ‘shade’ in Psalms 121:5. Sunstroke is of course common and dangerous in the East (2 Kings 4:19; Isaiah 49:10); and the belief in ‘moonstroke’ as and is widely spread.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 121 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThe sun shall not smite thee by day - The Septuagint renders this, “shall not burn thee” - συγκαύσει sungkausei. So the Latin Vulgate.
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 121 →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
The sun will not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
The sun will not strike you by day, nor the moon by night.
The sun will not harm you by day, or the moon by night.
Tyndale line
The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
The sun shall not smite thee by day, Nor the moon by night.
The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
The sunne shall not smite thee by day, nor the moone by night.
Strictly literal
The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
By day the sun doth not smite thee, Nor the moon by night.
By day the sun does not strike you, || Nor the moon by night.
By day the sun shall not strike thee, nor the moon by night.
The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
From the Latin
Pray ye for the things that are for the peace of Jerusalem: and abundance for them that love thee.
Simplified
The sun won't hurt you during the day, nor the moon at night.
You will not be touched by the sun in the day, or by the moon at night.
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.
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 largely agree on the wording of this verse, with five out of six words matching. The Dead Sea Scrolls show some restoration but confirm the essential content of the verse, indicating a consistent message across these ancient texts.
יוֹמָ֗ם הַשֶּׁ֥מֶשׁ לֹֽא־ יַכֶּ֗כָּה וְיָרֵ֥חַ בַּלָּֽיְלָה׃
5 of the 6 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.
יומם [השמש] לוא יכ׳כה וירח בלילה
4 words on the leather — 1 partly restored, 1 supplied entire by an editor.
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.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 121:6
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.
יוֹמָם (yowmam) refers to the concept of daytime or the period of light in a day. It functions both as a noun meaning 'daytime' and as an adverb meaning 'by day.' The word is derived from יוֹם (yom), which means 'day.'
יוֹמָם 51 subst. and adv. daytime, by day
base
H3119 יוֹמָם subst. and adv. daytime, by day
3119 yowmam yo-mawm'
from 3117; daily:--daily, (by, in the) day(-time).
see HEBREW for 03117
יוֹמָם (yo.mam) — by day.
adv
1) by day, in the daytime
subst
2) daytime
Adv — AdverbHD
da (yom; hemera): This common word has caused some trouble to plain readers, because they have not noticed that the word is used in several different senses in the English Bible. When the different uses of the word are understood the difficulty of interpretation vanishes. We note several different uses of the word:
(1) It sometimes means the time from daylight till dark. This popular meaning is easily discovered by the context, e. g. Ge 1:5; 8:22, etc. The marked periods of this daytime were morning, noon and night, as with us. See Ps 55:17. The early hours were sometimes called "the cool of the day" (Ge 3:8). After the exile the day. or daytime was divided into twelve hours and the night into twelve (see
Day
The Jews reckoned the day from sunset to sunset (Lev. 23:32). It was originally divided into three parts (Ps. 55:17). “The heat of the day” (1 Sam. 11:11; Neh. 7:3) was at our nine o’clock, and “the cool of the day” just before sunset (Gen. 3:8). Before the Captivity the Jews divided the night into three watches, (1) from sunset to midnight (Lam. 2:19); (2) from midnight till the cock-crowing (Judg. 7:19); and (3) from the cock-crowing till sunrise (Ex.…
The variable length of the natural day at different seasons led in the very earliest times to the adoption of the civil day (or one revolution of the sun) as a standard of time. The Hebrews reckoned the day from evening to evening, (Leviticus 23:32) deriving it from (Genesis 1:5) "the evening and the morning were the first day." The Jews are supposed, like the modern Arabs, to have adopted from an early period minute specifications of the parts of the natural day. Roughly, indeed, they were content to divide it into "morning, evening and noonday," (Psalms 55:17) but when they wished for greater accuracy they pointed to six unequal parts, each of which was again subdivided. These are held to have been -- "the dawn." "Sunrise."…
The day is distinguished into natural, civil, and artificial. The natural day is one revolution of the earth on its axis. The civil day is that, the beginning and the end of which are determined by the custom of any nation. The Hebrews began their day in the evening, Le 23:32; the Babylonians at sunrise; and we begin at midnight. The artificial day is the time of the sun’s continuance above the horizon, which is unequal according to different seasons, on account of the obliquity of the equator. The sacred writers generally divide the day into twelve hours. The sixth hour always ends at noon throughout the year; and the twelfth hour is the last hour before sunset. But in summer, all the hours of the day were longer than in winter, while those of night were shorter. See HOURS, and THREE.
שֶׁ֫מֶשׁ (shemesh) means 'sun' and is derived from a root meaning 'to be brilliant.' It encompasses various meanings, including directions like east and west, and can refer to the sun as an object of worship. Additionally, it can denote shining pinnacles or battlements.
שֶׁ֫מֶשׁ 133 n.f. et m. sun
sun
of direction: toward sun-rise, = East
obj. of worship
other phr.
pinnacle, as glittering, shining
base
H8121 שֶׁ֫מֶשׁ sun
8121 shemesh sheh'-mesh
from an unused root meaning to be brilliant; the sun; by
implication, the east; figuratively, a ray, i.e. (arch.) a
notched battlement:--+ east side(-ward), sun ((rising)), +
west(-ward), window. See also 1053.
see HEBREW for 01053
שֶׁ֫מֶשׁ (she.mesh) — sun.
1) sun
1a) sun
1b) sunrise, sun-rising, east, sun-setting, west (of direction)
1c) sun (as object of illicit worship)
1d) openly, publicly (in other phrases)
1e) pinnacles, battlements, shields (as glittering or shining)
Art | N-cs — Particle · noun common both singular absoluteHTd/Ncbsa
Sun
(Heb. shemesh), first mentioned along with the moon as the two great luminaries of heaven (Gen. 1:14-18). By their motions and influence they were intended to mark and divide times and seasons. The worship of the sun was one of the oldest forms of false religion (Job 31:26,27), and was common among the Egyptians and Chaldeans and other pagan nations. The Jews were warned against this form of idolatry (Deut. 4:19; 17:3; comp. 2 Kings 23:11; Jer. 19:13).
In the history of "greater light," of the creation the sun is described as "greater light," in contradistinction to the moon, the "lesser light," in conjunction with which it was to serve "for signs and for seasons, and for days, and for years," while its special office was "to rule the day." (Genesis 1:14-16) The "signs" referred to were probably such extraordinary phenomena as eclipses, which were regarded as conveying premonitions of coming events. (Jeremiah 10:2; Matthew 24:29) with Luke 21:25 The joint influence assigned to the sun and moon in deciding the "seasons," both for agricultural operations and for religious festivals, and also in regulating the length and…
→ Created Ge 1:14-18; Ps 74:16; 136:7; Jer 31:35
→ Rising and setting of Ec 1:5
→ Diurnal motion of Ps 19:4,6
→ Worship of, forbidden De 4:19; 17:3
→ Worshiped Job 31:26-28; Jer 8:2; Eze 6:4,6; 8:16
→ Kings of Judah dedicate horses to 2Ki 23:11
→ Miracles concerning
לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'
לֹא or לוֹא adv. not
base
H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not
3808 lo' lo
or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often
used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,
ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,
no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out
of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +
of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.
לֹא (lo) — not.
1) not, no
1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)
1b) not (with modifier-negation)
1c) nothing (subst)
1d) without (with particle)
1e) before (of time)
Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Part — ParticleHTn
נָכָה (nakah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to strike or smite, encompassing a range of actions from lightly hitting to fatal blows. It appears in various forms, indicating actions like attacking, punishing, or causing disease. The entries suggest its use in both literal and figurative contexts, including divine judgment and applause. There is no significant disagreement among the lexicons regarding its meanings.
[נָכָה] 501 vb. smite (not in Qal)
Niph. and he shall be smitten [struck by weapon in battle] and die
Pu. both be smitten down by the hail
Hiph.
lit., smite (with a single, non-fatal, blow), strike
smite repeatedly, beat a man
and they clapped hands (in applause)
give a thrust (with fork) into pot; strike roots
rarely smite (in battle) so as (merely) to wound
smite, of sun
Smite fatally
Smite = attack, attack and destroy a company
Of God
smite with a plague, disease, etc.
smite = chastise, or send judgment upon
of God’s destroying palaces
Hoph. be smitten
base
H5221 נָכָה smite (not in Qal) . and he shall be smitten [struck by weapon in battle] and die
. both be smitten down by the hail
. . . lit., smite (with a single, non-fatal, blow), strike
. smite repeatedly, beat a man
. and they clapped hands (in applause)
. give a thrust (with fork) into pot; strike roots
. rarely smite (in battle) so as (merely) to wound
. smite, of sun
. Smite fatally
. Smite = attack, attack and destroy a company
. Of God . smite with a plague, disease, etc.
. smite = chastise, or send judgment upon
. of God’s destroying palaces
. be smitten
5221 nakah naw-kaw'
a primitive root; to strike (lightly or severely, literally
or figuratively):--beat, cast forth, clap, give (wounds), X
go forward, X indeed, kill, make (slaughter), murderer,
punish, slaughter, slay(-er, -ing), smite(-r, -ing), strike,
be stricken, (give) stripes, X surely, wound.
נָכָה (na.khah) — to smite.
1) to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill
1a)(Niphal) to be stricken or smitten
1b) (Pual) to be stricken or smitten
1c) (Hiphil)
1c1) to smite, strike, beat, scourge, clap, applaud, give a thrust
1c2) to smite, kill, slay (man or beast)
1c3) to smite, attack, attack and destroy, conquer, subjugate, ravage
1c4) to smite, chastise, send judgment upon, punish, destroy
1d) (Hophal) to be smitten
1d1) to receive a blow
1d2) to be wounded
1d3) to be beaten
1d4) to be (fatally) smitten, be killed, be slain
1d5) to be attacked and captured
1d6) to be smitten (with disease)
1d7) to be blighted (of plants)
V-Hiphil-Imperf-3ms | Suff — Verb hiphil imperfect third person masculine singular · suffixHVhi3ms/Sp2ms
יָרֵחַ (yareach) means 'moon,' particularly in a poetic context. It is derived from a root related to another word, but the entries do not elaborate on its usage in specific verses.
יָרֵחַ n.m. moon, esp. poet.
base
H3394 יָרֵחַ moon, esp. poet.
3394 yareach yaw-ray'-akh
from the same as 3391; the moon:--moon. Yrechow. See
3405.
see HEBREW for 03391
see HEBREW for 03405
יָרֵחַ (ya.re.ach) — moon.
moon
Conj | N-ms — Conjunction · noun common masculine singular absoluteHC/Ncmsa
moon (yareach; meaning obscure--probably "wanderer"; by some given as "paleness"; selene): The moon was very early worshipped by the nations of the Far East as a divinity or the representative of one or more deities. These deities were both masculine and feminine. In Assyria and Babylonia the most common name for the moon-god was Sin or Sen. In Babylonia he was also called Aku and Nannara. In Egypt the moon was representative of several deities, all masculine. The chief of these was Thoth the god of knowledge, so called because the moon was the measurer of time. Babylonia has, also, Aa, the goddess of the moon, as the consort of the sun, while her equivalent was known in Phoenicia as Ashtaroth-karnaim. This personification and worship of the moon among the nations who were neighbors to Palestine was but part of an elaborate Nature-worship found among these people. Nor was this worship…
Moon
Heb. yareah, from its paleness (Ezra 6:15), and lebanah, the “white” (Cant. 6:10; Isa. 24:23), was appointed by the Creator to be with the sun “for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years” (Gen. 1:14-16). A lunation was among the Jews the period of a month, and several of their festivals were held on the day of the new moon. It is frequently referred to along with the sun (Josh. 10:12; Ps. 72:5, 7, 17; 89:36, 37; Eccl. 12:2; Isa. 24:23, etc.), and…
The moon held an important place in the kingdom of nature, as known to the Hebrews. Conjointly with the sun, it was appointed "for signs and for seasons, and for days and years;" though in this respect it exercised a more important influence, if by the "seasons" we understand the great religious festivals of the Jews, as is particularly stated in (Psalms 104:19) and more at length in Ecclus 43:6,7. The worship of the moon prevailed extensively among the nations of the East, and under a variety of aspects. It was one of the only two deities which commanded the reverence of all the Egyptians. The worship of the heavenly bodies is referred to in (Job 31:26,27) and Moses directly warns the Jews against it. (4:19) In the figurative language of Scripture, the moon is frequently…
This beautiful and stately ruler of the night, Ge 1:16, is one of the chief witnesses to mankind of the goodness, wisdom, and power of the Creator, Ps 8:3; and as receiving all its light from the sun, and reflecting it on all around, it is a striking image of the church of Christ. In the clear sky of the East, the moon shines with peculiar brilliancy; and it was worshipped by most nations of antiquity, either directly, or as an idol-goddess under the name of Ashtoreth, Artemis, Diana, Hecate, Meni, Mylitta, Maja, etc. The Hebrews were specially cautioned against this form of idolatry, De 4:19 17:3; and yet fell into it; 2Ki 21:3
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.
לַ֫יְלָה, לַ֫יִל 242 n.m. night
base
H3915 לַ֫יְלָה, לַ֫יִל night
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
לַ֫יְלָה (lay.lah) — night.
1) night
1a) night (as opposed to day)
1b) of gloom, protective shadow (fig.)
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHRd/Ncmsa
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…
[DAY]
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