שֵׁנָה (she.nah)
she.nah
sleep
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 21 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun shenah denotes the natural state of rest that restores the body and mind. It appears twenty-one times in the Old Testament, with a notable concentration in Proverbs where it serves as a practical metaphor for spiritual laziness or the consequences of ignoring wisdom. In these contexts, sleep is not merely a biological necessity but a condition to be managed wisely.
The word carries a dual nuance depending on its context. While it primarily refers to physical slumber, as seen in the account of Samson being betrayed while dozing (Judges 16:14), it can also describe a dreamlike state or a profound stillness. Psalm 90:5 uses the term to illustrate how fleeting human life feels when viewed from an eternal perspective, comparing days to a night’s sleep that vanishes upon waking.
Translators consistently render shenah as "sleep," capturing its straightforward meaning without adding theological abstraction. The sources highlight its use in Proverbs 6:4, where the wise are urged not to allow their eyes to slumber, emphasizing vigilance over comfort. This usage underscores a common biblical theme: rest is good, but negligence is dangerous.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
For most of us, sleep is simply a biological reset button. We close our eyes to let the body recover from the day’s work. The Hebrew word shenah captures this natural rest, but Scripture also invites us to see it as a gift rather than just a necessity. In Psalm 127:2, we learn that giving sleep to those He loves is an act of grace. It reminds us that our efforts do not carry the entire weight of the world; sometimes the most faithful thing we can do is rest.
Yet the word also carries a warning in Proverbs. There, sleep becomes a metaphor for spiritual negligence. The wise are urged not to let their eyes slumber when attention is needed. This contrast helps us balance our lives. We value the peace of a quiet night, but we also recognize that there are moments calling for vigilance. God’s wisdom guides us in knowing when to rest and when to wake.
Ultimately, shenah points to trust. Whether we are resting after hard labor or waking with a sense of purpose, our days are held in His hands. We can find comfort in the knowledge that He provides rest for His people, even when life feels uncertain. This rhythm of work and rest reflects a deeper reliance on God’s provision.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 21 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- sleep5×
- from/ sleep/ his4×
- sleep<s>2×
- a sleep of2×
- sleep/ your1×
- sleep/ their1×
- sleep/ my1×
- from/ sleep/ your1×
- from/ sleep/ their1×
- and/ sleep/ my1×
- and/ sleep/ his1×
- [the] sleep of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- שֵׁנָ֣ה2×
- שֵׁ֭נוֹת2×
- שְׁנַת\־2×
- שֵׁנָֽא\׃1×
- שֵׁנָ֕ה1×
- שֵׁ֭נָה1×
- שְׁנָתֶֽ/ךָ\׃1×
- שְׁנָתִ֖/י1×
- שְׁנַ֣ת1×
- שְׁ֝נָתָ֗/ם1×
- מִ/שְּׁנָתֽ/וֹ\׃1×
- מִ/שְּׁנָתָֽ/ם\׃1×
Key Verses
-
Psalms 127:2
It is vain for you to rise up early, to stay up late, eating the bread of toil, for he gives sleep to his loved ones.
This verse redefines sleep not as lost time, but as a specific gift granted by God to those He loves.
-
Proverbs 6:4
Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids.
Here the word functions as a metaphor for spiritual alertness, urging the reader to prioritize wisdom over comfort.
-
Genesis 28:16
Jacob awakened out of his sleep, and he said, “Surely Yahweh is in this place, and I didn’t know it.”
Jacob’s awakening reveals that God was present in his vulnerable state, showing that divine encounters often happen when we are at rest.
-
Psalms 90:5
You sweep them away as they sleep. In the morning they sprout like new grass.
The psalmist uses the fleeting nature of sleep to illustrate how brief human life appears from an eternal perspective.