652. ophel

Lexicon

ophel: Mound, hill, fortress, stronghold

Original Word: אֹפֶל
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: ophel
Pronunciation: OH-fel
Phonetic Spelling: (o'fel)
Definition: Mound, hill, fortress, stronghold
Meaning: dusk

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

darkness, obscurity, privily

From the same as 'aphel; dusk -- darkness, obscurity, privily.

see HEBREW 'aphel

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
darkness, gloom
NASB Translation
darkness (6), gloom (3).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

אֹ֫פֶל noun masculine Job 3:6 darkness, gloom (only in poetry) -׳א always absolute —

1 darkness,, of night Psalm 91:6 (opposed to צָֽהֳרַיִם deep in the earth,׳אֶבֶן א Job 28:3 ("" חשֶׁח צַלְמָוֶת); darkness, gloom of underworld Job 10:22 (twice in verse) ("" אֶרֶץ חשֶׁח עֵיפָפָה׳א צַלְמָוֶת); personified Job 3:6 that night — let darkness take it ׳יִקָּחֵהוּ א; figurative of spiritual darkness Isaiah 29:18 ("" חשֵׁח); of secrecy, treachery Psalm 11:2.

2 especially figurative of calamity, Job 23:17 ("" חשׁ ך q. v.), Job 30:26 (opposed to אוֺר ).

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the root אָפַל (afal), which means to grow dark or to be obscure.

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • G3491: νεότης (neotes) • While not directly related in meaning, this Greek term refers to youth or newness, contrasting the concept of darkness with the idea of new beginnings or vitality.
• G4653: σκοτάδι (skotadi) • This Greek word means darkness, aligning closely with the Hebrew אֹפֶל in its literal sense of absence of light.
• G4655: σκότος (skotos) • Similar to G4653, this term also denotes darkness, often used metaphorically in the New Testament to describe spiritual blindness or moral depravity.

In summary, אֹפֶל (ophel) is a multifaceted term in the Hebrew Bible, rich in both literal and metaphorical significance, illustrating the profound impact of darkness in both physical and spiritual realms.

Usage: The word אֹפֶל appears in various contexts within the Hebrew Bible, often symbolizing a lack of clarity or understanding, as well as physical darkness. It is used to describe the time of day when light fades, as well as metaphorical darkness, such as ignorance or adversity.

Context: אֹפֶל (ophel) is a Hebrew noun that conveys the concept of darkness or obscurity. It is frequently used in the Old Testament to describe both literal and figurative darkness. In a literal sense, it refers to the time of dusk, when daylight diminishes and night approaches. This term is often associated with the absence of light, creating an environment where visibility is reduced and activities are limited.

Metaphorically, אֹפֶל is employed to depict situations of confusion, ignorance, or distress. It can symbolize the spiritual or moral darkness that envelops individuals or nations when they stray from divine guidance. For instance, in Job 3:6, the term is used to describe a day of darkness and gloom, reflecting Job's deep despair and suffering.

The use of אֹפֶל in prophetic literature often serves as a warning of impending judgment or calamity, where darkness represents the withdrawal of God's favor and the onset of divine retribution. In such contexts, the imagery of darkness underscores the severity of the situation and the need for repentance and return to righteousness.

Forms and Transliterations

אֹ֗פֶל אֹ֝֗פֶל אֹ֣פֶל אֹ֥פֶל אֹֽפֶל׃ אפל אפל׃ בָּאֹ֣פֶל באפל וּמֵאֹ֣פֶל ומאפל ’ō·p̄el ’ōp̄el bā’ōp̄el bā·’ō·p̄el baOfel Ofel ū·mê·’ō·p̄el ūmê’ōp̄el umeOfel

Englishman's Concordance

Job 3:6
HEB: הַהוּא֮ יִקָּחֵ֪ה֫וּ אֹ֥פֶל אַל־ יִ֭חַדְּ
NAS: [As for] that night, let darkness seize
KJV: As [for] that night, let darkness seize
INT: he seize darkness nay rejoice

Job 10:22
HEB: עֵיפָ֨תָה ׀ כְּמ֥וֹ אֹ֗פֶל צַ֭לְמָוֶת וְלֹ֥א
NAS: of utter gloom as darkness [itself], Of deep shadow
KJV: of darkness, as darkness [itself; and] of the shadow of death,
INT: of utter as darkness deep without

Job 10:22
HEB: וַתֹּ֥פַע כְּמוֹ־ אֹֽפֶל׃ פ
NAS: And which shines as the darkness.
KJV: and [where] the light [is] as darkness.
INT: shines according to as the darkness

Job 23:17
HEB: וּ֝מִפָּנַ֗י כִּסָּה־ אֹֽפֶל׃
NAS: Nor deep gloom [which] covers
KJV: [neither] hath he covered the darkness from my face.
INT: my face covers gloom

Job 28:3
HEB: חוֹקֵ֑ר אֶ֖בֶן אֹ֣פֶל וְצַלְמָֽוֶת׃
NAS: out The rock in gloom and deep shadow.
KJV: the stones of darkness, and the shadow of death.
INT: searches the rock gloom and deep

Job 30:26
HEB: לְ֝א֗וֹר וַיָּ֥בֹא אֹֽפֶל׃
NAS: for light, then darkness came.
KJV: for light, there came darkness.
INT: light came darkness

Psalm 11:2
HEB: לִיר֥וֹת בְּמוֹ־ אֹ֝֗פֶל לְיִשְׁרֵי־ לֵֽב׃
NAS: To shoot in darkness at the upright
KJV: upon the string, that they may privily shoot
INT: to shoot for darkness the upright heart

Psalm 91:6
HEB: מִ֭דֶּבֶר בָּאֹ֣פֶל יַהֲלֹ֑ךְ מִ֝קֶּ֗טֶב
NAS: that stalks in darkness, Or of the destruction
KJV: [that] walketh in darkness; [nor] for the destruction
INT: of the pestilence darkness stalks of the destruction

Isaiah 29:18
HEB: דִּבְרֵי־ סֵ֑פֶר וּמֵאֹ֣פֶל וּמֵחֹ֔שֶׁךְ עֵינֵ֥י
NAS: of a book, And out of [their] gloom and darkness
KJV: shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.
INT: words of a book of gloom and darkness the eyes

9 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 652
9 Occurrences

bā·’ō·p̄el — 1 Occ.
’ō·p̄el — 7 Occ.
ū·mê·’ō·p̄el — 1 Occ.