2822. choshek

Lexicon

choshek: Darkness

Original Word: חשֶׁךְ
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: choshek
Pronunciation: kho-shek
Phonetic Spelling: (kho-shek')
Definition: Darkness
Meaning: the dark, darkness, misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickedness

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

darkness, night, obscurity

From chashak; the dark; hence (literally) darkness; figuratively, misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickedness -- dark(-ness), night, obscurity.

see HEBREW chashak

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from chashak
Definition
darkness, obscurity
NASB Translation
dark (5), darkness (73), obscurity (2).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

ח֫שֶׁךְ noun masculine^{Exodus 10:21} darkness, obscurity — absolute חשֶׁךְ Genesis 1:2 75t. (+ Ezekiel 8:12 strike out Co A B etc.); construct id. Exodus 10:22; suffix חָשְׁכִּי Psalm 18:29 = 2 Samuel 22:29; —

1 darkness (opposed to אוֺר) literal Genesis 1:2,4 (P), Isaiah 45:7; Job 26:10; Ecclesiastes 2:13, compare in imprecation Job 3:4,5 (וצלמות ׳ח) = לילה Genesis 1:5,18 (P), compare Joshua 2:5 (JE), Isaiah 45:19; Job 17:12; Job 24:16; Job 38:19; Psalm 104:20; darkness in mines Job 28:3; of extraordinary darkness, in Egypt Exodus 10:21 (twice in verse) (E); אֲֿפֵלָה׳ח Exodus 10:22 (E), Psalm 105:28, from pillar of cloud Exodus 14:20; at Mt. Sinai Deuteronomy 4:11; Deuteronomy 5:20; of clouds of theophany 2 Samuel 22:12 = Psalm 18:12; of darkness in death, or She'ô l, 1 Samuel 2:9; Job 10:21 (וצלמות ׳אֶרֶץ ח), Job 17:13; Job 18:18; Psalm 88:13; Proverbs 20:20 (׳אִישׁוֺן ח = extreme of darkness).

2 = secret place(s) Isaiah 45:3; Job 12:22 ("" צלמות); = hiding-place Job 34:22 ("" id.), compare Psalm 139:11; Psalm 139:12; — on Ezekiel 8:12, see above 3 figurative,

a. = distress Isaiah 5:30; Isaiah 9:1; Isaiah 29:18 (figurative of blindness), Isaiah 42:7; Isaiah 49:9; Isaiah 58:10; Isaiah 59:9; Isaiah 60:2; Lamentations 3:2; Micah 7:8; Psalm 18:29 = 2 Samuel 22:29; Job 15:22,23,30; Job 20:26; Job 22:11; Job 23:17; Job 29:3; Psalm 107:10; Psalm 107:14 (in both "" צלמות), Psalm 112:4; Ecclesiastes 5:16; Ecclesiastes 11:8.

b. = dread, terror, symbolic of judgment Amos 5:18,20; Zephaniah 1:15; Nahum 1:8; Ezekiel 32:8; Joel 2:4; Joel 3:4.

c. = mourning Isaiah 47:5.

d. = perplexity Job 5:14; Job 12:25; Job 19:8; confusion Psalm 35:6.

e. = ignorance Job 37:19; Ecclesiastes 2:14.

f. = evil, sin Isaiah 5:20 (twice in verse); Proverbs 2:13.

g. = obscurity Ecclesiastes 6:4 (twice in verse).

חשׁך (see Biblical Hebrew חֹשֶׁךְ darkness, √ חשׁך).

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the root verb חשַׁךְ (chashak), meaning "to be or grow dark."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • G1105 (gnophos): Often used to describe a thick, gloomy darkness, similar to the Hebrew "choshekh" in its more intense forms.
• G3509 (skotia): Refers to darkness, particularly in a moral or spiritual sense, akin to the metaphorical use of "choshekh."
• G4652 (skoteinos): Meaning "dark" or "full of darkness," this term aligns with the physical and metaphorical aspects of "choshekh."
• G4655 (skotos): Denotes darkness, both literal and figurative, and is frequently used in the New Testament to contrast with light, paralleling the Hebrew concept of "choshekh."

In summary, "choshekh" is a multifaceted term in the Hebrew Bible, encompassing both the physical absence of light and a range of negative spiritual and moral conditions. Its usage underscores the biblical themes of light versus darkness, order versus chaos, and good versus evil.

Usage: The word "choshekh" appears in various contexts throughout the Hebrew Bible, often contrasting with light. It is used to describe the absence of light, both literally and figuratively, and is associated with negative states or conditions such as chaos, evil, and divine judgment.

Context: "Choshekh" is a significant term in the Hebrew Bible, appearing in numerous passages to convey both literal and metaphorical darkness. In the creation narrative of Genesis 1:2, "choshekh" describes the primordial state of the earth: "Now the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep." This sets the stage for God's creative act of bringing forth light, symbolizing order and life.

The term is also used in contexts of divine judgment and human experience. For instance, in Exodus 10:21-22, "choshekh" describes the plague of darkness over Egypt: "Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Stretch out your hand toward the sky so that darkness spreads over the land of Egypt—darkness that can be felt.' So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and total darkness covered all Egypt for three days."

Metaphorically, "choshekh" represents spiritual blindness or moral corruption. In Isaiah 9:2, the prophet speaks of a people walking in darkness who will see a great light, symbolizing the coming of salvation: "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned."

The term also appears in poetic and wisdom literature, such as in Job 3:5, where Job curses the day of his birth, wishing for darkness to reclaim it: "May darkness and deep shadow claim it once more; may a cloud settle over it; may blackness overwhelm its light."

Forms and Transliterations

בַּ֝חֹ֗שֶׁךְ בַּחֹ֔שֶׁךְ בַּחֹ֖שֶׁךְ בַּחֹ֗שֶׁךְ בַּחֹ֙שֶׁךְ֙ בַּחֹ֣שֶׁךְ בַחֹ֖שֶׁךְ בחשך הַחֹ֑שֶׁךְ הַחֹ֔שֶׁךְ הַחֹ֙שֶׁךְ֙ הַחֹֽשֶׁךְ׃ החשך החשך׃ וְ֝חֹ֗שֶׁךְ וְהַחֹ֔שֶׁךְ וְחֹ֖שֶׁךְ וְלַחֹ֖שֶׁךְ וּבַחֹ֖שֶׁךְ וּבַחֹ֣שֶׁךְ וּמֵחֹ֔שֶׁךְ ובחשך והחשך וחשך ולחשך ומחשך חָשְׁכִּֽי׃ חֹ֑שֶׁךְ חֹ֔שֶׁךְ חֹ֖שֶׁךְ חֹ֗שֶׁךְ חֹ֙שֶׁךְ֙ חֹ֛שֶׁךְ חֹ֣שֶׁךְ חֹ֤שֶׁךְ חֹ֥שֶׁךְ חֹ֨שֶׁךְ ׀ חֹ֭שֶׁךְ חֹֽשֶׁךְ־ חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃ חֹשֶׁךְ֮ חשך חשך־ חשך׃ חשכי׃ לְחֹ֔שֶׁךְ לַחֹ֗שֶׁךְ לחשך מֵחֹ֣שֶׁךְ מחשך ba·ḥō·šeḵ ḇa·ḥō·šeḵ baChoshech baḥōšeḵ ḇaḥōšeḵ chasheKi Choshech ha·ḥō·šeḵ ḥā·šə·kî haChoshech haḥōšeḵ ḥāšəkî ḥō·šeḵ ḥō·šeḵ- ḥōšeḵ ḥōšeḵ- la·ḥō·šeḵ laChoshech laḥōšeḵ lə·ḥō·šeḵ leChoshech ləḥōšeḵ mê·ḥō·šeḵ meChoshech mêḥōšeḵ ū·ḇa·ḥō·šeḵ ū·mê·ḥō·šeḵ ūḇaḥōšeḵ umeChoshech ūmêḥōšeḵ uvaChoshech vaChoshech veChoshech vehaChoshech velaChoshech wə·ha·ḥō·šeḵ wə·ḥō·šeḵ wə·la·ḥō·šeḵ wəhaḥōšeḵ wəḥōšeḵ wəlaḥōšeḵ

Englishman's Concordance

Genesis 1:2
HEB: תֹ֙הוּ֙ וָבֹ֔הוּ וְחֹ֖שֶׁךְ עַל־ פְּנֵ֣י
NAS: and void, and darkness was over
KJV: and void; and darkness [was] upon the face
INT: was formless and void and darkness was over the surface

Genesis 1:4
HEB: הָא֖וֹר וּבֵ֥ין הַחֹֽשֶׁךְ׃
NAS: separated the light from the darkness.
KJV: the light from the darkness.
INT: the light from the darkness

Genesis 1:5
HEB: לָאוֹר֙ י֔וֹם וְלַחֹ֖שֶׁךְ קָ֣רָא לָ֑יְלָה
NAS: day, and the darkness He called
KJV: Day, and the darkness he called
INT: the light day and the darkness called night

Genesis 1:18
HEB: הָא֖וֹר וּבֵ֣ין הַחֹ֑שֶׁךְ וַיַּ֥רְא אֱלֹהִ֖ים
NAS: the light from the darkness; and God
KJV: the light from the darkness: and God
INT: the light from the darkness saw and God

Exodus 10:21
HEB: הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וִ֥יהִי חֹ֖שֶׁךְ עַל־ אֶ֣רֶץ
NAS: the sky, that there may be darkness over
KJV: toward heaven, that there may be darkness over the land
INT: the sky become may be darkness over the land

Exodus 10:21
HEB: מִצְרָ֑יִם וְיָמֵ֖שׁ חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃
NAS: of Egypt, even a darkness which may be felt.
KJV: of Egypt, even darkness [which] may be felt.
INT: of Egypt may be felt A darkness

Exodus 10:22
HEB: הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם וַיְהִ֧י חֹֽשֶׁךְ־ אֲפֵלָ֛ה בְּכָל־
NAS: and there was thick darkness in all
KJV: and there was a thick darkness in all the land
INT: the sky become darkness thick all

Exodus 14:20
HEB: וַיְהִ֤י הֶֽעָנָן֙ וְהַחֹ֔שֶׁךְ וַיָּ֖אֶר אֶת־
NAS: and there was the cloud along with the darkness, yet it gave light
KJV: and it was a cloud and darkness [to them], but it gave light
INT: become and there was the cloud the darkness gave night

Deuteronomy 4:11
HEB: לֵ֣ב הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם חֹ֖שֶׁךְ עָנָ֥ן וַעֲרָפֶֽל׃
NAS: of the heavens: darkness, cloud
KJV: clouds, and thick darkness.
INT: to the heart of the heavens darkness cloud and thick

Deuteronomy 5:23
HEB: הַקּוֹל֙ מִתּ֣וֹךְ הַחֹ֔שֶׁךְ וְהָהָ֖ר בֹּעֵ֣ר
NAS: from the midst of the darkness, while the mountain
KJV: out of the midst of the darkness, (for the mountain
INT: the voice the midst of the darkness the mountain was burning

Joshua 2:5
HEB: הַשַּׁ֜עַר לִסְגּ֗וֹר בַּחֹ֙שֶׁךְ֙ וְהָאֲנָשִׁ֣ים יָצָ֔אוּ
NAS: the gate at dark, that the men
KJV: of the gate, when it was dark, that the men
INT: the gate shut dark the men went

1 Samuel 2:9
HEB: יִשְׁמֹ֔ר וּרְשָׁעִ֖ים בַּחֹ֣שֶׁךְ יִדָּ֑מּוּ כִּֽי־
NAS: are silenced in darkness; For not by might
KJV: shall be silent in darkness; for by strength
INT: keeps the wicked darkness are silenced for

2 Samuel 22:12
HEB: וַיָּ֥שֶׁת חֹ֛שֶׁךְ סְבִיבֹתָ֖יו סֻכּ֑וֹת
NAS: And He made darkness canopies around
KJV: And he made darkness pavilions
INT: made darkness around canopies

2 Samuel 22:29
HEB: וַיהוָ֖ה יַגִּ֥יהַּ חָשְׁכִּֽי׃
NAS: And the LORD illumines my darkness.
KJV: and the LORD will lighten my darkness.
INT: and the LORD illumines my darkness

Job 3:4
HEB: הַה֗וּא יְֽהִ֫י חֹ֥שֶׁךְ אַֽל־ יִדְרְשֵׁ֣הוּ
NAS: May that day be darkness; Let not God
KJV: Let that day be darkness; let not God
INT: he become be darkness Nor care

Job 3:5
HEB: יִגְאָלֻ֡הוּ חֹ֣שֶׁךְ וְ֭צַלְמָוֶת תִּשְׁכָּן־
NAS: Let darkness and black gloom claim
KJV: Let darkness and the shadow of death
INT: claim darkness and black settle

Job 5:14
HEB: יוֹמָ֥ם יְפַגְּשׁוּ־ חֹ֑שֶׁךְ וְ֝כַלַּ֗יְלָה יְֽמַשְׁשׁ֥וּ
NAS: they meet with darkness, And grope
KJV: They meet with darkness in the daytime,
INT: day meet darkness the night and grope

Job 10:21
HEB: אֶל־ אֶ֖רֶץ חֹ֣שֶׁךְ וְצַלְמָֽוֶת׃
NAS: To the land of darkness and deep shadow,
KJV: [even] to the land of darkness and the shadow of death;
INT: to the land of darkness and deep

Job 12:22
HEB: עֲ֭מֻקוֹת מִנִּי־ חֹ֑שֶׁךְ וַיֹּצֵ֖א לָא֣וֹר
NAS: mysteries from the darkness And brings
KJV: deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out
INT: mysteries from the darkness and brings light

Job 12:25
HEB: יְמַֽשְׁשׁוּ־ חֹ֥שֶׁךְ וְלֹא־ א֑וֹר
NAS: They grope in darkness with no light,
KJV: They grope in the dark without light,
INT: grope darkness no light

Job 15:22
HEB: שׁ֭וּב מִנִּי־ חֹ֑שֶׁךְ [וְצָפוּ כ]
NAS: that he will return from darkness, And he is destined
KJV: not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited
INT: will return from darkness behold he

Job 15:23
HEB: בְּיָד֣וֹ יֽוֹם־ חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃
NAS: that a day of darkness is at hand.
KJV: that the day of darkness is ready
INT: hand A day of darkness

Job 15:30
HEB: יָס֨וּר ׀ מִנִּי־ חֹ֗שֶׁךְ יֹֽ֭נַקְתּוֹ תְּיַבֵּ֣שׁ
NAS: He will not escape from darkness; The flame
KJV: He shall not depart out of darkness; the flame
INT: escape from darkness his shoots will wither

Job 17:12
HEB: קָר֥וֹב מִפְּנֵי־ חֹֽשֶׁךְ׃
NAS: is near,' in the presence of darkness.
KJV: [is] short because of darkness.
INT: short because of darkness

Job 17:13
HEB: שְׁא֣וֹל בֵּיתִ֑י בַּ֝חֹ֗שֶׁךְ רִפַּ֥דְתִּי יְצוּעָֽי׃
NAS: I make my bed in the darkness;
KJV: I have made my bed in the darkness.
INT: Sheol my home the darkness make my bed

80 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 2822
80 Occurrences

ba·ḥō·šeḵ — 13 Occ.
ḥā·šə·kî — 2 Occ.
ḥō·šeḵ — 47 Occ.
ha·ḥō·šeḵ — 6 Occ.
la·ḥō·šeḵ — 1 Occ.
lə·ḥō·šeḵ — 2 Occ.
mê·ḥō·šeḵ — 1 Occ.
ū·mê·ḥō·šeḵ — 1 Occ.
ū·ḇa·ḥō·šeḵ — 2 Occ.
ḇa·ḥō·šeḵ — 1 Occ.
wə·ḥō·šeḵ — 2 Occ.
wə·ha·ḥō·šeḵ — 1 Occ.
wə·la·ḥō·šeḵ — 1 Occ.