Lexical Summary aphel: Dark, darkness, gloomy Original Word: אָפֵל Strong's Exhaustive Concordance very dark From an unused root meaning to set as the sun; dusky -- very dark. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom the same as ophel Definition gloomy NASB Translation gloom (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs אָפֵל adj. gloomy, of day of ׳י Amos 5:20 ("" כשׁך opp נֹגַהּ) compareאֲפֵלָה . Topical Lexicon Biblical Context The word אָפֵל appears a single time in the Old Testament, in Amos 5:20: “Will not the Day of the LORD be darkness and not light, even gloom with no brightness in it?”. Here it functions as a vivid image of the utter absence of hope that accompanies divine judgment. Literary Setting in Amos Amos prophesied during the prosperous reign of Jeroboam II in the northern kingdom. National affluence masked rampant social injustice and religious hypocrisy (Amos 5:11–13). The prophet unveils the “Day of the LORD” not as a moment of national vindication but as a catastrophic reversal. By choosing a rare term for darkness, Amos intensifies the warning: Israel’s anticipated celebration will instead be plunged into a catastrophic gloom from which no natural or spiritual light can rescue them. Historical Background Mid-eighth-century Israel enjoyed economic success, yet ignored covenantal responsibilities (Deuteronomy 10:18–19). Assyria loomed on the geopolitical horizon, and Amos’ prophecy materialized within a generation when Samaria fell in 722 BC. The singular use of אָפֵל accents the uniqueness of that coming calamity; no ordinary eclipse or storm could convey it. Relation to Other Biblical Imagery of Darkness 1. Physical Judgment—Exodus 10:21 records a plague of “darkness that may be felt,” prefiguring later judgments. Theological Significance • Covenant Accountability: Israel’s privileged status did not exempt them from retribution (Amos 3:2). Prophetic and Eschatological Dimensions Amos 5:20 reverberates through later apocalyptic passages. The prophet views history through a covenant lens, where judgment and restoration form a single divine agenda. The Day of the LORD remains a future reality, culminating in the final separation of light and darkness (Revelation 21:25). Practical Ministry Applications • Preaching: Highlight that religiosity without righteousness invites divine gloom. Christological and Redemptive Connections At Calvary, “darkness fell over all the land” (Matthew 27:45), signaling that the ultimate Day of the LORD judgment descended on the Sin-Bearer. The singular gloom of Amos meets its answer in the singular light of the risen Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6). Believers are delivered “from the domain of darkness” (Colossians 1:13) and called to “shine as lights in the world” (Philippians 2:15). Devotional Reflection When personal or societal darkness seems irreversible, Amos 5:20 reminds us that God’s judgment is just, but it also drives us to the Light who dispels every shadow. True worship flourishes where repentance meets grace, transforming former gloom into radiant testimony (1 Peter 2:9). Forms and Transliterations וְאָפֵ֖ל ואפל veaFel wə’āp̄êl wə·’ā·p̄êlLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Amos 5:20 HEB: וְלֹא־ א֑וֹר וְאָפֵ֖ל וְלֹא־ נֹ֥גַֽהּ NAS: of light, Even gloom with no KJV: and not light? even very dark, and no brightness INT: no of light gloom no brightness 1 Occurrence |
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