6757. tsalmaveth

Lexicon

tsalmaveth: Shadow of death

Original Word: צַלְמָוֶת
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: tsalmaveth
Pronunciation: tsal-maw'-veth
Phonetic Spelling: (tsal-maw'-veth)
Definition: Shadow of death
Meaning: shade of death, the grave

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

shadow of death

From tsel and maveth; shade of death, i.e. The grave (figuratively, calamity) -- shadow of death.

see HEBREW tsel

see HEBREW maveth

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from tsel and maveth
Definition
death-like shadow, deep shadow
NASB Translation
black gloom (1), dark (1), deep darkness (6), deep shadow (4), shadow of death (4), thick darkness (2).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

צַלְמָ֫וֶת noun [masculine] death-shadow, deep shadow, in poetry (probably = צֵל + מָוֶת, ᵐ5. (usually) σκιὰ θανάτου, compare ᵑ6 ᵑ9, so Thes Schw^{Leben n. d. Tode, 194}, see especially Nö^{ZAW xvii (1897), 183 ff.}; Ew Br and most modern (after older commentaries) read צַלְמוּת darkness, deep darkness, compare Arabic IV, Assyrian [ƒalâmu], Ethiopic be black, dark); **compare darkness; We^{Kl. Proph. ed. 3, 81} would read feminine plural צְלָמוֺת, like Qor 2:16; 2:18; and frequently. — death-shadow, often "" חשֶׁךְ, לַיְלָה etc., and opposed to בֹּקֶר, אוֺר.

1 = deep shadow, darkness (compare הַרְרֵי אֵל, אַרְזֵי אֵל): Amos 5:8; Job 3:5; Job 12:22; Job 24:17a Job 28:3; Job 34:22; of eyes heavy with weeping Job 16:16; ׳בַּלְהוֺת צJob 24:17b terrors of the darkness.

2 figurative

a. of distress Jeremiah 13:16; Psalm 107:10; Psalm 107:14; ׳אֶרֶץ צ Isaiah 9:1.

b. of extreme danger Jeremiah 2:6; Psalm 23:4; Psalm 44:20.

3 characterizing world of the dead, ׳אֶרֶץ חשֶׁךְ וצ Job 10:21, ׳כְּמוֺ אֹפֶל צ Job 10:22 (text dubious, see Bu Du); ׳וְשַׁעֲרֵי צ Job 38:17 (ᵐ5 πυλωροὶ δὲ ᾅδου; "" שַׁעֲרֵימָֿ֑וֶת).

Topical Lexicon

Word Origin: Derived from the combination of צֵל (tsel, meaning "shadow") and מָוֶת (maveth, meaning "death").

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • G86 (ᾅδης, hades): Refers to the abode of the dead, often translated as "Hades" or "the grave."
• G175 (ἀκαταστασία, akatastasia): While not a direct equivalent, it conveys a sense of disorder or confusion, akin to the chaos associated with death.
• G2288 (θάνατος, thanatos): Directly translates to "death," often used in the New Testament to describe physical death or spiritual separation from God.
• G4639 (σκιᾷ, skia): Meaning "shadow," it can metaphorically relate to the concept of darkness or obscurity.
• G4655 (σκότος, skotos): Translates to "darkness," often used to describe spiritual or moral darkness, paralleling the Hebrew concept of deep gloom or peril.

Usage: The word "tsalmaveth" appears in various contexts within the Hebrew Bible, often used metaphorically to describe situations of severe danger, distress, or the presence of death. It is frequently associated with the imagery of a dark valley or a place devoid of light and hope.

Context: • Occurrences in Scripture: The term "tsalmaveth" is found in several passages throughout the Old Testament. Notably, it appears in the poetic and wisdom literature, such as the Psalms and Job, where it is used to depict the profound darkness and fear associated with death or divine judgment.
• Key Verses:
• Psalm 23:4 (BSB): "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me."
• Job 10:21-22 (BSB): "before I go—never to return—to a land of darkness and gloom, to a land of utter darkness, of deep shadow and disorder, where even the light is like darkness."
• Isaiah 9:2 (BSB): "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."
• Theological Implications: The concept of "tsalmaveth" underscores the human experience of fear and vulnerability in the face of mortality and divine judgment. It serves as a powerful metaphor for the absence of God's presence and the hope of deliverance through divine intervention.
• Cultural Context: In ancient Near Eastern thought, the "shadow of death" was a common motif representing the unknown and terrifying aspects of the afterlife or the realm of the dead. It reflects the existential dread and uncertainty surrounding death and the afterlife.

Forms and Transliterations

בְצַלְמָֽוֶת׃ בצלמות׃ וְ֭צַלְמָוֶת וְצַלְמָ֑וֶת וְצַלְמָ֔וֶת וְצַלְמָֽוֶת׃ וצלמות וצלמות׃ לְצַלְמָ֔וֶת לצלמות צַ֭לְמָוֶת צַלְמָ֑וֶת צַלְמָ֔וֶת צַלְמָ֡וֶת צַלְמָ֣וֶת צַלְמָֽוֶת׃ צלמות צלמות׃ ḇə·ṣal·mā·weṯ ḇəṣalmāweṯ lə·ṣal·mā·weṯ ləṣalmāweṯ letzalMavet ṣal·mā·weṯ ṣalmāweṯ Tzalmavet Vetzalmavet wə·ṣal·mā·weṯ wəṣalmāweṯ

Englishman's Concordance

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

Job 10:21
HEB: אֶ֖רֶץ חֹ֣שֶׁךְ וְצַלְמָֽוֶת׃
NAS: of darkness and deep shadow,
KJV: of darkness and the shadow of death;
INT: the land of darkness and deep

Job 10:22
HEB: כְּמ֥וֹ אֹ֗פֶל צַ֭לְמָוֶת וְלֹ֥א סְדָרִ֗ים
NAS: as darkness [itself], Of deep shadow without
KJV: as darkness [itself; and] of the shadow of death, without any order,
INT: as darkness deep without order

Job 12:22
HEB: וַיֹּצֵ֖א לָא֣וֹר צַלְמָֽוֶת׃
NAS: And brings the deep darkness into light.
KJV: to light the shadow of death.
INT: and brings light the deep

Job 16:16
HEB: וְעַ֖ל עַפְעַפַּ֣י צַלְמָֽוֶת׃
NAS: from weeping, And deep darkness is on my eyelids,
KJV: and on my eyelids [is] the shadow of death;
INT: is on my eyelids and deep

Job 24:17
HEB: בֹּ֣קֶר לָ֣מוֹ צַלְמָ֑וֶת כִּֽי־ יַ֝כִּ֗יר
NAS: is the same to him as thick darkness,
KJV: [is] to them even as the shadow of death: if [one] know
INT: as the morning thick for is familiar

Job 24:17
HEB: יַ֝כִּ֗יר בַּלְה֥וֹת צַלְמָֽוֶת׃
NAS: to him as thick darkness, For he is familiar
KJV: [them, they are in] the terrors of the shadow of death.
INT: is familiar the terrors darkness

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

Job 34:22
HEB: חֹ֭שֶׁךְ וְאֵ֣ין צַלְמָ֑וֶת לְהִסָּ֥תֶר שָׁ֝֗ם
NAS: darkness or deep shadow Where
KJV: [There is] no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers
INT: darkness is no deep may hide Where

Job 38:17
HEB: מָ֑וֶת וְשַׁעֲרֵ֖י צַלְמָ֣וֶת תִּרְאֶֽה׃
NAS: the gates of deep darkness?
KJV: the doors of the shadow of death?
INT: of death the gates of deep seen

Psalm 23:4
HEB: אֵלֵ֨ךְ בְּגֵ֪יא צַלְמָ֡וֶת לֹא־ אִ֘ירָ֤א
NAS: through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear
KJV: through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear
INT: walk the valley of the shadow no fear

Psalm 44:19
HEB: וַתְּכַ֖ס עָלֵ֣ינוּ בְצַלְמָֽוֶת׃
NAS: And covered us with the shadow of death.
KJV: and covered us with the shadow of death.
INT: and covered with the shadow

Psalm 107:10
HEB: יֹ֭שְׁבֵי חֹ֣שֶׁךְ וְצַלְמָ֑וֶת אֲסִירֵ֖י עֳנִ֣י
NAS: in darkness and in the shadow of death, Prisoners
KJV: in darkness and in the shadow of death, [being] bound
INT: dwelt darkness the shadow Prisoners misery

Psalm 107:14
HEB: יֽ֭וֹצִיאֵם מֵחֹ֣שֶׁךְ וְצַלְמָ֑וֶת וּמוֹסְר֖וֹתֵיהֶ֣ם יְנַתֵּֽק׃
NAS: them out of darkness and the shadow of death And broke
KJV: of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake
INT: brought of darkness and the shadow their bands and broke

Isaiah 9:2
HEB: יֹשְׁבֵי֙ בְּאֶ֣רֶץ צַלְמָ֔וֶת א֖וֹר נָגַ֥הּ
NAS: Those who live in a dark land,
KJV: in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light
INT: live land A dark the light will shine

Jeremiah 2:6
HEB: בְּאֶ֙רֶץ֙ צִיָּ֣ה וְצַלְמָ֔וֶת בְּאֶ֗רֶץ לֹֽא־
NAS: of drought and of deep darkness, Through a land
KJV: of drought, and of the shadow of death, through a land
INT: A land of drought deep A land no

Jeremiah 13:16
HEB: לְאוֹר֙ וְשָׂמָ֣הּ לְצַלְמָ֔וֶת [יָשִׁית כ]
NAS: He makes it into deep darkness, [And] turns
KJV: he turn it into the shadow of death, [and] make
INT: light makes deep apply gloom

Amos 5:8
HEB: וְהֹפֵ֤ךְ לַבֹּ֙קֶר֙ צַלְמָ֔וֶת וְי֖וֹם לַ֣יְלָה
NAS: And changes deep darkness into morning,
KJV: and turneth the shadow of death into the morning,
INT: and changes morning deep day night

18 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 6757
18 Occurrences

lə·ṣal·mā·weṯ — 1 Occ.
ṣal·mā·weṯ — 10 Occ.
wə·ṣal·mā·weṯ — 7 Occ.