Lexical Summary homichlé: Mist, Fog Original Word: ὁμίχλη Strong's Exhaustive Concordance company. From the base of homou and a derivative of the alternate of haireomai (meaning a crowd); association together, i.e. A multitude -- company. see GREEK homou see GREEK haireomai NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origina prim. word Definition a mist or fog NASB Translation mists (1). Thayer's Greek Lexicon STRONGS NT 3658: ὅμιλοςὅμιλος, ὁμιλου, ὁ (ὁμός, ὁμοῦ, and ἴλη a crowd, band (Curtius, § 660; Vanicek, p. 897; but Fick iii. 723 from root mil 'to be associated,' 'to love')), from Homer down, a multitude of men gathered together, a crowd, throng: Revelation 18:17 Rec. STRONGS NT 3658a: ὁμίχληὁμίχλη, ὁμίχλης, ἡ (in Homer ὀιχλη), from ὀμιχέω to make water), a mist, fog: 2 Peter 2:17 G L T Tr WH. (Amos 4:13; Joel 2:2; Sir. 24:3; Wis. 2:4.) Ὁμίχλη denotes a dense moisture-laden vapor that hovers close to the ground, obscuring sight, muffling sound, and creating an atmosphere of uncertainty. Scripture repeatedly uses atmospheric phenomena to convey theological truth; “mist” functions as a vivid emblem for what is fleeting or hidden, for divine mystery, and for the gloom that accompanies judgment. Old Testament Background Though ὁμίχλη itself appears only in the Septuagint (LXX), the imagery of mist is already well-established in the Hebrew canon. Genesis 2:6 (LXX) speaks of the life-giving “mist” that rose from the earth before vegetation appeared, pointing to God’s sustaining providence. Conversely, Exodus 19:9; Exodus 20:21; and Deuteronomy 4:11 portray the Lord descending in a dark cloud, an awe-inspiring veil that both conceals and reveals His holiness. Psalm 18:11 LXX (Psalm 18:12 MT) combines “darkness,” “clouds,” and “thick mist” to describe the terrifying majesty of Yahweh in judgment. Thus, OT usage spans blessing, mystery, and wrath. Septuagint and Intertestamental Witness The translators of the LXX preferred ὀμίχλη/ὁμίχλη for Hebrew terms such as עֲרָפֶל (ʿărāp̄el, “dense cloud”) and אֲבִי (ʾāḇî, “mist”). Examples include Job 22:13; Psalm 97:2; Isaiah 60:2; and Ezekiel 34:12. Second Temple literature picked up the theme: 1 Enoch 14:9 pictures God surrounded by “clouds and thick mist,” emphasizing unapproachable glory, while Wisdom of Solomon 19:7 recalls Israel’s exodus under a “mist of darkness” that drowned Egypt’s foes. Absence in the New Testament While ὁμίχλη itself is not used in the Greek New Testament, cognate imagery abounds. James 4:14 likens human life to “a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes away”, using ἀτμίς to underscore transience. 2 Peter 2:17 brands false teachers “clouds without water and mists driven by a storm,” employing the related plural ὀμίχλαι to portray their emptiness and the darkness reserved for them. These parallels illuminate how the NT writers continued OT patterns even with different vocabulary. Synonyms and Related Concepts • νεφέλη – the ordinary “cloud,” often bright and theophanic (Matthew 17:5). Mists, clouds, and darkness are thus overlapping metaphors that portray divine concealment, human frailty, or eschatological doom, depending on context. Doctrinal Significance 1. Revelation and Concealment: The Lord both manifests and hides His presence in mist. Exodus 20:21 reminds that “the people stood at a distance as Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.” The believer learns that God is truly present even when sight is hindered. 2. Judgment Imagery: When prophetic texts pair mist with darkness (Joel 2:2; Zephaniah 1:15), the effect is to warn of inescapable doom for the unrepentant. The NT echo in 2 Peter 2:17 assures that deception will be met with the “gloom of darkness.” 3. Human Transience: James 4:14 shows the Pastoral use of the metaphor—life’s brevity counsels humility and urgent obedience. Practical and Pastoral Insights • Spiritual Discernment: Just as mist hampers navigation, moral fog accompanies false teaching. Discernment is gained by trusting the Word that “is a lamp for my feet” (Psalm 119:105). Historical Theological Reflections Early Church expositors such as Chrysostom linked the Sinai cloud with gospel grace: God veiled Himself so that Israel might survive His holiness, but in the incarnation the veil is lifted (John 1:14). Reformers emphasized James 4:14 to call people from presumptuous planning to God-centered living. Puritan writers loved the metaphor: John Owen spoke of faith “piercing the mist” to behold the glory of Christ. Christological Connections At the transfiguration, “a bright cloud overshadowed them” (Matthew 17:5). Though νεφέλη is used, the conceptual affinity is clear: the glory once hidden in Sinai’s mist now centers on the beloved Son. The lifting of Eden’s life-giving mist finds ultimate fulfillment in the Lamb who “guides them to springs of living water” (Revelation 7:17). Eschatological Themes Prophets describe the day of the Lord with thick clouds (Joel 2:2). Revelation reciprocates with scenes of darkness poured out on the beast’s kingdom (Revelation 16:10). The final removal of all obscuring mists comes when “they will see His face” (Revelation 22:4). Illustrative Uses in Ministry • Navigation Analogy: A lighthouse is most valued in fog; likewise, Scripture guides when cultural visibility is lowest. Summary Although ὁμίχλη never appears in the canonical Greek New Testament, its LXX heritage and closely related NT imagery enrich biblical theology. Whether portraying God’s awesome hiddenness, the fleeting nature of life, or the dread of judgment, the motif of mist calls believers to confident faith in the God who ultimately dispels every cloud through the radiance of His Son. Englishman's Concordance ὅλους — 1 Occ.ὁλοτελεῖς — 1 Occ. Ὀλυμπᾶν — 1 Occ. ὀλύνθους — 1 Occ. ὅλως — 4 Occ. Ὄμβρος — 1 Occ. ὡμίλει — 1 Occ. ὡμίλουν — 1 Occ. ὁμιλήσας — 1 Occ. ὁμιλεῖν — 1 Occ. ὄμματα — 1 Occ. ὀμμάτων — 1 Occ. ὤμοσα — 2 Occ. ὤμοσεν — 7 Occ. ὀμνύει — 3 Occ. ὀμνύειν — 1 Occ. ὀμνύετε — 1 Occ. ὀμνύναι — 1 Occ. ὀμνύουσιν — 1 Occ. ὀμόσαι — 2 Occ. |
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