אֶ֫מֶשׁ (e.mesh)
e.mesh
last night
H:AdvQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 5 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:Adv
Word Overview
The Hebrew word emesh refers to "yesterday" or "last night," marking a specific point in the recent past. It appears five times in the Old Testament, primarily in narrative and poetic texts such as Genesis, Job, and II Kings. Rather than serving as a general term for history, it pinpoints a moment that has just passed, often to contrast immediate circumstances with what came before.
In its most common usage, emesh functions as an adverb of time. For instance, in Genesis 31:40, Jacob recounts his labor, distinguishing the heat he endured "by day" from the biting cold and sleepless restlessness he faced "at night," or literally, "emesh." This precise temporal marker helps establish the timeline of events and the weight of recent experience.
The sources also note a figurative sense where emesh can mean "recently." This usage allows the word to bridge the gap between immediate memory and current action. By anchoring descriptions in the very recent past, the term emphasizes the immediacy of change or the continuity of events, reminding readers that today is built directly upon yesterday.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word emesh anchors us in the immediate past, specifically pointing to last night or yesterday. It is not a vague memory but a precise marker of time that has just passed. In Genesis, Jacob uses it to describe the physical toll of his labor, distinguishing the heat of day from the cold and sleeplessness of emesh. This specificity reminds us that our current struggles are often built upon recent, tangible experiences.
Yet this word also carries a sense of divine intervention in the quiet hours. In Genesis 31, God speaks to Laban last night, setting boundaries before dawn breaks. The immediacy of emesh suggests that God’s guidance is not distant but active in the moments we often forget or overlook. It bridges the gap between what has just happened and what is about to unfold.
When life feels heavy with recent hardship, this word invites us to remember that our current circumstances are rooted in a past that God sees. Whether it is the exhaustion of labor or the silence of night, emesh reminds us that we are not alone in our immediate struggles. The same God who spoke last night is present today.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 5 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- last night3×
- yesterday of1×
- yesterday1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- אָֽמֶשׁ\׃1×
- אֶ֣מֶשׁ\׀1×
- אֶ֝֗מֶשׁ1×
- אֶ֙מֶשׁ֙1×
- אֶ֖מֶשׁ1×
Key Verses
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Genesis 31:42
Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now you would have sent me away empty. God has seen my affliction and the labor of my hands, and rebuked you last night.”
This verse highlights how God’s rebuke of Laban came specifically last night, showing divine awareness of Jacob’s recent affliction.
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Genesis 19:34
It came to pass on the next day, that the firstborn said to the younger, “Behold, I lay last night with my father. Let’s make him drink wine again tonight. You go in, and lie with him, that we may preserve our father’s family line.”
The firstborn daughter references lying with her father last night, anchoring the narrative in a specific, albeit troubling, recent event.
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Genesis 31:29
It is in the power of my hand to hurt you, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful that you don’t speak to Jacob either good or bad.’
God’s warning to Laban during the night underscores the immediacy of divine protection over Jacob’s family.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does emesh mean in Hebrew?
How is emesh different from other words for yesterday?
Where does emesh appear in the Bible?
Every Occurrence (5 verses across 3 books)
Genesis 3 verses
It came to pass on the next day, that the firstborn said to the younger, “Behold, I lay last night with my father.…
Genesis 31:29It is in the power of my hand to hurt you, but the God of your father spoke to me last night, saying, ‘Be careful that…
Genesis 31:42Unless the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac, had been with me, surely now you would have…