עֵיפָה (e.phah)
e.phah
darkness
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun eiphah denotes darkness, appearing in only two verses within the biblical text: Job 37:19 and Amos 5:18. In these contexts, it serves as a stark descriptor of obscurity, lacking the rich metaphorical layers found in more common words for night or shadow.
Its rarity is notable, with occurrences confined to poetic and prophetic literature. In Job, it illustrates the impenetrable nature of divine mystery, while Amos uses it to symbolize the unexpected gloom of judgment. The word’s limited usage suggests a specific, perhaps intensified, sense of deep or heavy darkness rather than general night.
Translators typically render eiphah as "darkness" without distinction from other Hebrew terms for night, reflecting its straightforward semantic range. Its scarcity in Scripture highlights the biblical authors' preference for other vocabulary to describe light and dark, reserving this term for moments of particular intensity or obscurity.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word eiphah appears only twice in Scripture, carrying a sense of heavy, impenetrable darkness. In Job 37:19, it helps describe the mystery of God’s ways, which can feel as opaque as midnight. This reminds us that even when we cannot see the path ahead or understand why trouble comes, God remains sovereign and present in the gloom.
Amos 5:18 uses this same intensity to warn against false hope. The prophet declares that for those who reject justice, what they expect as light will turn into eiphah—a sudden, overwhelming shadow. This word invites us to examine our lives, ensuring we walk in truth rather than expecting blessings while ignoring God’s call to righteousness.
When life feels dark and confusing, this rare term encourages trust in the One who controls both light and shadow. We do not need to fully comprehend every detail of our suffering or our future. Instead, we rest in the character of God, who is faithful even when the surroundings are obscure.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- darkness2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- עֵיפָ֨תָה\׀1×
- עֵיפָ֔ה1×
Key Verses
-
Job 10:22
the land dark as midnight, of the shadow of death, without any order, where the light is as midnight.’”
This verse uses the imagery of deep darkness to describe a land without order, highlighting the human experience of confusion and despair in the face of suffering.
-
Amos 4:13
For, behold, he who forms the mountains, creates the wind, declares to man what is his thought, who makes the morning darkness, and treads on the high places of the earth: Yahweh, the God of Armies, is his name.”
Here the text describes God as making morning into darkness, emphasizing His power to overturn human expectations and bring judgment upon those who trust in false security.