Lexical Summary yashen: asleep, sleep, sleeping Original Word: יָשֵׁן Strong's Exhaustive Concordance asleep, one out of sleep From yashen; sleepy -- asleep, (one out of) sleep(-eth, -ing), slept. see HEBREW yashen NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom yashen Definition sleeping NASB Translation asleep (3), sleep (1), sleeping (1), slept (1), smolders (1), who fall asleep (1), who sleep (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs I. יָשֵׁן adjective sleeping; — masculine singular יָשֵׁן 1 Samuel 26:7 3t., feminine singular יֲשֵׁנֵה 1 Kings 3:20 Cant 52; plural יְשֵׁנִים 1 Samuel 26:12; Songs 7:10; construct יֲשֵׁנֵי Daniel 12:2; — asleep, sleeping 1 Samuel 26:7,12; 1 Kings 3:20; Songs 5:2; Songs 7:10; so, figurative, Hosea 7:6, explained as = יֶעְשַׁן smoketh, compare Deuteronomy 29:19, by RSJ Phil. xvi. 1888, 72; Proph. iv. n. 19 Che with אַמְּהֶם (Ges§ 1. R. 1 a) for אֹפֵהֶם; but < We, their anger sleepeth; of Baal 1 Kings 18:27; in simile of ׳י Psalm 78:65; of dead, as sleeping in dust, Daniel 12:2. Topical Lexicon Occurrence and Literary Settings Strong’s 3463 appears only five times, yet these references span historical narrative (1 Samuel 26:7; 1 Kings 3:20), prophetic confrontation (1 Kings 18:27), poetic reflection (Psalm 78:65) and apocalyptic vision (Daniel 12:2). The scattering of the term across varied genres highlights its thematic flexibility: describing literal sleep, mocking idolatry, portraying God anthropomorphically, and depicting the state of the dead prior to resurrection. Literal Human Sleep in Historical Narrative 1 Samuel 26:7 records Saul “sleeping within the camp” while David and Abishai enter the perimeter. The scene underscores the vulnerability of fleshly security; a king surrounded by troops is still helpless if the Lord withdraws vigilance. In 1 Kings 3:20 the slumber of Solomon’s subject (“while your servant slept”) frames the infant‐swapping drama that exposes deceit. In both cases, physical sleep provides the backdrop against which moral choices are revealed—David’s restraint and the mother’s falsehood—demonstrating that unseen realities continue while humans lie oblivious. Mockery of Idolatry Elijah’s taunt on Mount Carmel hinges on the same word: “Perhaps he is sleeping and must be awakened” (1 Kings 18:27). The prophet turns ordinary human sleep into a satirical weapon, exposing Baal as a non-responsive invention of human imagination. The text contrasts the impotence of idols with the covenant Lord who “neither slumbers nor sleeps” (Psalm 121:4, using a different verb but reinforcing the contrast). Ministry application: idolatry invariably attributes creaturely limitations to false gods, whereas biblical revelation insists on the unwearied vigilance of Yahweh. Anthropomorphic ‘Sleep’ of the Lord Psalm 78:65 declares, “Then the Lord awoke as one from sleep, like a warrior overcome by wine.” The psalm recounts Israel’s unfaithfulness and God’s apparent inaction during chastisement. The sudden “awakening” dramatizes divine intervention in spite of previous patience. Far from implying genuine divine fatigue, the figure communicates the shocking swiftness of God’s redemptive reversal once His forbearance reaches its limit. Sleep as a Metaphor for Death and Resurrection Hope Daniel 12:2 broadens the term’s scope: “And many who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake, some to everlasting life, and others to shame and everlasting contempt.” Here physical death is portrayed as temporary sleep, anticipating bodily resurrection. This seminal Old Testament text lays groundwork for New Testament revelation where believers “sleep in Christ” (1 Thessalonians 4:14). The resurrection doctrine rests on the conviction that God’s promise of life transcends the grave, turning the apparent finality of death into a mere interval of rest. Themes for Preaching and Teaching 1. Vigilance versus complacency: Saul’s army asleep while danger stands over them challenges leadership to guard against spiritual lethargy (cf. Matthew 26:40). Practical Ministry Implications Pastors and teachers can employ יָשֵׁן to illustrate: By tracing יָשֵׁן through Scripture, one moves from campfires and cradles to cosmic judgment, discovering how a single Hebrew term enriches the biblical theology of rest, vigilance, and ultimate renewal. Forms and Transliterations יְשֵׁנָ֔ה יָשֵׁ֥ן יָשֵׁן֙ ישן ישנה כְּיָשֵׁ֥ן ׀ כישן מִיְּשֵׁנֵ֥י מישני kə·yā·šên kəyāšên keyaShen mî·yə·šê·nê mîyəšênê miyesheNei yā·šên yāšên yaShen yə·šê·nāh yəšênāh yesheNahLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Samuel 26:7 HEB: שָׁא֗וּל שֹׁכֵ֤ב יָשֵׁן֙ בַּמַּעְגָּ֔ל וַחֲנִית֥וֹ NAS: lay sleeping inside the circle of the camp KJV: lay sleeping within the trench, INT: Saul lay sleeping the circle his spear 1 Kings 3:20 1 Kings 18:27 Psalm 78:65 Daniel 12:2 5 Occurrences |
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