מָעוּף (ma.uph)
ma.uph
gloom
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun ma’uf denotes a state of darkness or gloom, specifically the oppressive shadow that follows distress. It appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, within Isaiah 8:22, where it describes the heavy atmosphere surrounding a land in turmoil.
In this context, the word captures more than simple absence of light; it conveys the psychological weight of despair. The prophet uses it to illustrate how fear and judgment can create a suffocating environment for those who have turned away from divine guidance.
Its rarity makes its single occurrence particularly significant. By placing ma’uf in Isaiah’s prophecy, the text emphasizes the tangible reality of spiritual abandonment, where the lack of hope feels as physical as nightfall.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word ma’uf appears just once in Scripture, painting a picture of heavy, suffocating darkness that follows distress. In Isaiah 8:22, it describes not merely the absence of light, but the psychological weight of despair that settles over a land in turmoil. This imagery reminds us that spiritual abandonment feels tangible, like nightfall pressing against the soul.
Yet this single occurrence carries a quiet hope for those facing their own shadows. When the world feels dark and judgment seems near, the text acknowledges the reality of our pain without leaving us there. It invites us to look beyond the gloom toward the light that persists even in the deepest valleys.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- gloom of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מְע֣וּף1×
Key Verses
-
Isaiah 8:22
then look to the earth and see distress, darkness, and the gloom of anguish. They will be driven into thick darkness.
This verse uniquely uses ma'uf to describe the specific 'gloom of anguish' that drives people into thick darkness, linking emotional despair with physical and spiritual consequences.