עוּב (uv)
uv
to becloud
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb uv appears in only one verse, Lamentations 2:1, where it describes God covering Zion with a cloud. This single usage captures a moment of profound divine withdrawal, portraying judgment not as destruction by fire, but as an obscuring darkness that hides the city from view.
As a Hiphil form, the word conveys the active act of beclouding or shading over. The sources identify it as a denominative verb, likely derived from the noun for cloud or mist. This etymology links the physical phenomenon of a darkened sky directly to the theological reality of God’s presence being veiled during a time of national crisis.
Translators typically render this term as "covered" or "shrouded," emphasizing the sudden and total nature of the obscurity. In Lamentations, this imagery serves as a stark metaphor for the loss of divine favor, where the protective presence that once illuminated Zion is replaced by a heavy, impenetrable cloud.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word עוּב appears only once in Scripture, in Lamentations 2:1. Here it describes how the Lord covered Zion with a cloud during His anger. This is not a gentle mist but a heavy veil that hides God’s presence. It speaks to the deep sorrow of feeling separated from Him when judgment falls.
When you face seasons where God seems distant, this verse reminds you that even in darkness, He is actively involved. The cloud was not random; it was a specific act of divine attention. Though painful, it shows that God cares enough to engage with His people, even in correction. You are never truly abandoned, even when the sky feels dark.
This single occurrence invites us to trust God’s character through all weather. Whether the sun shines or clouds gather, He remains sovereign. We can find comfort knowing that His presence, though sometimes veiled, is never gone forever. Hope remains anchored in His faithfulness beyond the storm.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- he covers with a cloud1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- יָעִ֨יב1×
Key Verses
-
Lamentations 2:1
How has the Lord covered the daughter of Zion with a cloud in his anger! He has cast the beauty of Israel down from heaven to the earth, and hasn’t remembered his footstool in the day of his anger.
This verse uses עוּב to depict God actively shrouding Zion in a cloud of anger, symbolizing the temporary withdrawal of His protective presence during judgment.