Definition and Meaning:
The term "dim" generally refers to a lack of brightness or clarity, either in a literal or metaphorical sense. In the context of the Bible, "dim" can describe physical sight, spiritual understanding, or the fading of glory or strength.

Biblical References:

1. Physical Sight:
The concept of dimness is often associated with physical sight, particularly in the context of aging or illness. In 1 Samuel 3:2, Eli, the priest, is described as having eyes that "had grown dim so that he could not see." This physical dimness symbolizes the decline of Eli's spiritual insight and leadership.

2. Spiritual Understanding:
Dimness can also refer to a lack of spiritual understanding or perception. In Isaiah 6:10, the prophet is instructed to "make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed." Here, the dimness of sight and hearing is metaphorical, representing the people's spiritual blindness and resistance to God's message.

3. Fading Glory or Strength:
Dimness can signify the fading of glory or strength. In Job 17:7, Job laments, "My eyes have grown dim with grief, and my whole frame is but a shadow." This expression of dimness reflects the profound sorrow and weakening of Job's physical and emotional state.

Theological Implications:

· Human Frailty:
The use of "dim" in the Bible often highlights human frailty and the limitations of physical and spiritual perception. It serves as a reminder of the need for divine intervention and enlightenment.

· Judgment and Restoration:
Dimness can be a form of divine judgment, as seen in the spiritual blindness of the people in Isaiah's time. However, it also points to the possibility of restoration and healing when individuals turn back to God.

· Symbol of Decline:
The dimming of sight or strength is frequently symbolic of a broader decline, whether in leadership, spiritual vitality, or moral integrity. It underscores the transient nature of human life and the enduring need for God's sustaining power.

Cultural and Historical Context:

In ancient Near Eastern cultures, physical sight was often linked to spiritual insight. The dimming of one's eyes could be seen as a loss of favor or divine guidance. This cultural understanding enriches the biblical narrative, where physical and spiritual dimness are intertwined.

Application for Believers:

Believers are encouraged to seek spiritual clarity and enlightenment through prayer, study of Scripture, and reliance on the Holy Spirit. The metaphor of dimness serves as a caution against spiritual complacency and a call to remain vigilant in faith.

Related Concepts:

· Blindness: Often used interchangeably with dimness in a spiritual context, representing a complete lack of understanding or perception.
· Light and Darkness: The contrast between light and dimness/darkness is a recurring biblical theme, symbolizing the struggle between good and evil, knowledge and ignorance.

Conclusion:
While the Bible does not frequently use the term "dim," its occurrences carry significant weight in illustrating themes of human limitation, spiritual insight, and the need for divine illumination.1. (superl.) Not bright or distinct; wanting luminousness or clearness; obscure in luster or sound; dusky; darkish; obscure; indistinct; overcast; tarnished.

2. (superl.) Dull of apprehension; of weak perception; obtuse.

3. (v. t.) To render dim, obscure, or dark; to make less bright or distinct; to take away the luster of; to darken; to dull; to obscure; to eclipse.

4. (v. t.) To deprive of distinct vision; to hinder from seeing clearly, either by dazzling or clouding the eyes; to darken the senses or understanding of.

5. (v. i.) To grow dim.

4547. sandalion -- a sandal
... a sandal. Word Origin dim. of sandalon (a wooden sole, sandal) Definition
a sandal NASB Word Usage sandals (2). sandal. Neuter of ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4547.htm - 6k

4252. Priskilla -- Priscilla, the same person as Prisca.
... Aquila. Word Origin dim. of Priska (indicating endearment) Definition
Priscilla, the same person as Prisca. Priscilla. Diminutive ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4252.htm - 6k

3608. othonion -- a piece of fine linen
... wrapping. Word Origin dim. of othone Definition a piece of fine linen NASB
Word Usage linen wrappings (5). linen clothes. Neuter ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3608.htm - 6k

2777. kephalis -- a little head, a roll
... a book). Word Origin dim. of kephale Definition a little head, a roll NASB
Word Usage scroll (1). volume, roll of a book. From kephale ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2777.htm - 6k

4765. strouthion -- a sparrow
... bird, sparrow. Word Origin dim. of strouthos (a sparrow) Definition a
sparrow NASB Word Usage sparrows (4). sparrow. Diminutive ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4765.htm - 6k

3556a. nossion -- a young bird
... nossion. 3556b . a young bird. Transliteration: nossion Short Definition: chicks.
Word Origin dim. of nossos Definition a young bird NASB Word Usage chicks (1 ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3556a.htm - 5k

5413. phortion -- a burden
... to someone else. 5413 () in Galatians 6:5. Gal 6:5: "For each one will bear
his own (5413 )" (). Word Origin dim. of phortos (load ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5413.htm - 7k

5286. hupopodion -- a footstool
... under his . Word Origin from hupo and the dim. of pous Definition a footstool
NASB Word Usage footstool (7). footstool. Neuter of ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5286.htm - 7k

2952. kunarion -- a little dog
... Cognate: 2952 -- properly, puppy, a diminutive of 2965 ("dog"). Word Origin dim.
of kuon Definition a little dog NASB Word Usage dogs (4). dog, puppy. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2952.htm - 6k

2769. keration -- a carob pod
... husk (pod) of the carob. Word Origin dim. of keras Definition a carob pod NASB
Word Usage pods (1). husk. Neuter of a presumed derivative ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2769.htm - 6k

3544. keheh -- dim, dull, faint
... 3543b, 3544. keheh. 3545 . dim, dull, faint. Transliteration: keheh Phonetic
Spelling: (kay-heh') Short Definition: dim. Word Origin ...
/hebrew/3544.htm - 6k

3543a. kahah -- to be or grow dim or faint
... 3543, 3543a. kahah. 3543b . to be or grow dim or faint. Transliteration:
kahah Short Definition: dim. Word Origin a prim. root Definition ...
/hebrew/3543a.htm - 5k

6004. amam -- to darken, dim
... 6003, 6004. amam. 6005 . to darken, dim. Transliteration: amam Phonetic Spelling:
(aw-mam') Short Definition: match. Word Origin a prim. ... become dim, hide. ...
/hebrew/6004.htm - 6k

3543. kahah -- to be or grow dim or faint
... to be or grow dim or faint. Transliteration: kahah Phonetic Spelling: (kaw-haw')
Short Definition: darken. darken, be dim, fail, faint, restrain, utterly ...
/hebrew/3543.htm - 5k

2821. chashak -- to be or grow dark
... root Definition to be or grow dark NASB Word Usage blacker (1), brings darkness
(1), dark (3), darkened (5), darkens (2), dim (1), grow dim (2), made it dark (1 ...
/hebrew/2821.htm - 6k

3513. kabad -- to be heavy, weighty, or burdensome
... or burdensome NASB Word Usage abounding (1), achieve honor (1), became fierce (1),
became heavy (1), boasting (1), burdensome (1), dim (1), distinguished (3 ...
/hebrew/3513.htm - 7k

6965. qum -- to arise, stand up, stand
... 1), certainly help (1), certainly help him to raise (1), come (2), confirm (13),
confirmed (3), confirming (1), confirms (1), deeded over (2), dim (1), endure ...
/hebrew/6965.htm - 7k

8159. shaah -- to gaze
... depart, be dim, be dismayed, look away, regard, have respect, spare, turn.
A primitive root; to gaze at or about (properly, for help ...
/hebrew/8159.htm - 6k

7835. shachar -- to be black
... be black. A primitive root (identical with shachar through the idea of the duskiness
of early dawn); to be dim or dark (in color) -- be black. ...
/hebrew/7835.htm - 6k

1832. dimah -- tears (of one weeping)
... 1831, 1832. dimah. 1833 . tears (of one weeping). Transliteration: dimah
Phonetic Spelling: (dim-aw') Short Definition: tears. Word ...
/hebrew/1832.htm - 6k

The Relation Between the Human Will and the Divine Agency.
... improved. For aught we can see, our notions on this point would remain
as dim and feeble as if we possessed no such knowledge. If ...
/.../chapter v the relation between.htm

The Child Prophet
... in those days; there was no open vision.2. And it came to pass at that time, when
Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the child prophet.htm

The Heavenly Father
... And so, like the Greeks and Romans, and many other heathen nations, they had dim
thoughts of an All-Father, as they called him; Father of gods and men; the ...
/.../kingsley/the good news of god/sermon xxvi the heavenly father.htm

The End of Theology
... (1.) The one is, "How can it be that the eye of the human understanding does not
become dim and beclouded when an object of such transcendent light is ...
/.../arminius/the works of james arminius vol 1/the end of theology.htm

The Kinsman-Redeemer
... This singular institution was gradually discerned to be charged with lofty meaning
and to be capable of being turned into a dim shadowing of something greater ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/the kinsman-redeemer.htm

Death, the Friend
... that which makes Death a foe to the ordinary experience is, that it is like a step
off the edge of a precipice in a fog; a step into a dim condition of which ...
/.../maclaren/romans corinthians to ii corinthians chap v/death the friend.htm

Eternal Life.
... The sun himself will wax dim and become useless as a source of energy, until at
last the favourable conditions of the present solar system will have quite ...
/.../drummond/natural law in the spiritual world/eternal life.htm

Love's Complaining
... robes which are at once royal and priestly, he is seen lighting the holy lamps,
pouring in the sacred oil, and removing impurities which would dim the light. ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 32 1886/loves complaining.htm

The Grave in a Garden
... mention so particularly its situation, and that they both discerned in that garden
round the sepulchre, the expression of what was to the one a dim desire, to ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture st john chaps xv to xxi/the grave in a garden.htm

"Ye Shall be Hated of all Men"
... Father Henry cast. Out into the dim old cloister,. And the wintry blast. ... As a jewel
rare. Many a winter and a summer,. Through those cloisters dim,. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bevan/three friends of god/chapter liv ye shall be.htm

Dim (22 Occurrences)
... 3. (vt) To render dim, obscure, or dark; to make less bright or distinct; to take
away the luster of; to darken; to dull; to obscure; to eclipse. ...
/d/dim.htm - 13k

Dim-sighted (1 Occurrence)
Dim-sighted. Dimo'nah, Dim-sighted. Din . Noah Webster's Dictionary (a.)
Having dim sight; lacking perception. Multi-Version Concordance ...
/d/dim-sighted.htm - 6k

Dull (16 Occurrences)
... 5. (superl.) Not bright or clear to the eye; wanting in liveliness of color or luster;
not vivid; obscure; dim; as, a dull fire or lamp; a dull red or yellow ...
/d/dull.htm - 12k

Dimmed (3 Occurrences)
... (imp. & pp) of Dim. Multi-Version Concordance Dimmed (3 Occurrences). Job 17:7 Mine
eye also is dim by reason of sorrow, And all my members are as a shadow. ...
/d/dimmed.htm - 7k

Obscure (7 Occurrences)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (superl.) Covered over, shaded, or darkened;
destitute of light; imperfectly illuminated; dusky; dim. ...
/o/obscure.htm - 9k

Looks (76 Occurrences)
... Leviticus 13:21 But if the priest look on it, and, behold, there be no white hairs
therein, and it be not lower than the skin, but be dim, then the priest ...
/l/looks.htm - 28k

Faded (12 Occurrences)
... 1. (imp. & pp) of Fade. 2. (a.) That has lost freshness, color, or brightness;
grown dim. Multi-Version Concordance Faded (12 Occurrences). ...
/f/faded.htm - 10k

Shinar (8 Occurrences)
... The System Employed, with an Example: E nu-DU URU nu-DIM, A house was not built,
a city was not constructed; URU nu-DIM ADAM nu-mun-GAR, A city was not ...
/s/shinar.htm - 27k

Weak (102 Occurrences)
... Genesis 27:1 It happened, that when Isaac was old, and his eyes were dim, so that
he could not see, he called Esau his elder son, and said to him, "My son?" He ...
/w/weak.htm - 38k

Grown (77 Occurrences)
... (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS NAS). Job 17:7 My eye also is dim by reason of sorrow. ...
Lamentations 4:1 How is the gold become dim! how is the most pure gold changed! ...
/g/grown.htm - 30k

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