Lexical Summary owrah: Light Original Word: אוֹרָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance herb, light Feminine of 'owr; luminousness, i.e. (figuratively) prosperity; also a plant (as being bright) -- herb, light. see HEBREW 'owr Brown-Driver-Briggs I. אוֺרָה noun feminine light (late, Mishna id., compare Aramaic אוּרְתָּא evening-light, moon-light, star-light, etc.) 1 light (opposed to חֲשֵׁיכָה) Psalm 139:12. 2 light of joy & happiness Esther 8:16; plural intensive אוֺרוֺת light of life Isaiah 26:19 (light that quickens dead bodies as dew the plants Ew Hi De Che Di RVm; see BrMP 303 compare אוֺר חַיִּים; but Ki Ges MV Bö RV translate herbs). II. [אוֺרָה] noun feminine herb (so Mishna, Ges compare נצץ, Arabic Topical Lexicon Overview The Hebrew noun אוֹרָה is used five times in the Old Testament to convey literal or figurative “light,” a term that consistently signals God-given life, joy, understanding, and salvation. Biblical Occurrences • 2 Kings 4:39 – in a setting of famine among the sons of the prophets, the word describes “wild gourds” whose unknown nature brings danger into the stew. The context contrasts physical darkness (ignorance of the plant) with the revelatory “light” supplied through Elisha’s miracle of purification (verses 41–42). Theological Significance 1. Revelation: אוֹרָה marks the unveiling of truth. In Psalm 139:12 the psalmist recognizes that nothing is hidden from God, establishing the basis for honest worship (Psalm 139:23–24). Prophetic and Eschatological Themes Isaiah 18:4 presents God as quietly observant but ready to act at the decisive moment. The heat haze and harvest imagery point forward to the final judgment when light exposes every deed (Ecclesiastes 12:14) and gathers the harvest of the righteous (Matthew 13:43). Pastoral and Devotional Insights • Assurance in Trial: Believers under oppression, like the Jews in Persia, can pray for “light and gladness” confident that the Lord still “delivers us from so great a death” (2 Corinthians 1:10). Christological Fulfillment אוֹרָה reaches its climax in Jesus Christ, “the true Light who gives light to every man” (John 1:9). His resurrection is the dawn Isaiah foresaw; His deliverance is the joyous light of Esther; His prophetic ministry purifies the deadly stew of sin. In Him God’s promise stands: “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light” (Isaiah 9:2). Ministry Application 1. Preaching: Use אוֹרָה texts to proclaim the gospel’s power to dispel ignorance, guilt, and fear. Summary אוֹרָה intertwines the themes of revelation, deliverance, resurrection, and hope. From Elisha’s prophetic kitchen to the empty tomb, Scripture consistently portrays divine light as the sure answer to humanity’s darkness and the unfailing herald of God’s redemptive work. Forms and Transliterations א֔וֹר אֹרֹת֒ אוֹרָ֖ה אוֹרֹת֙ אור אורה אורת ארת כָּאוֹרָֽה׃ כאורה׃ ’ō·rōṯ ’ō·w·rāh ’ō·w·rōṯ ’ō·wr ’ōrōṯ ’ōwr ’ōwrāh ’ōwrōṯ kā’ōwrāh kā·’ō·w·rāh kaoRah or oRah oRotLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 2 Kings 4:39 HEB: הַשָּׂדֶה֮ לְלַקֵּ֣ט אֹרֹת֒ וַיִּמְצָא֙ גֶּ֣פֶן NAS: to gather herbs, and found KJV: to gather herbs, and found INT: the field to gather herbs and found vine Esther 8:16 Psalm 139:12 Isaiah 18:4 Isaiah 26:19 5 Occurrences |
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= lights & flowers, & Samaritan יאר = דֶּשֶׁא of