אוֹר
ʼôwr · H216 · Hebrew · 120 occurrences
Meanings
-
light
Light as a physical phenomenon, mainly observed during daytime, and the opposite of darkness; one of God's most important attributes; first created by God and since produced by sun, moon, and stars, but also by fire; enables people and animals to see; associated with life, goodness, happiness, prosperity, security, favor, and wisdom, loved by the righteous, and hated by the wicked
ExamplesGenesis 1:3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.
Genesis 1:4 God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.
Genesis 1:5 God called the light “day,” and the darkness He called “night.” And there was evening and there was morning, one day.
-
smile, favor
Literally: the light (of someone's) face; hence: state in which humans or deities are favorably disposed to (other) humans which is visible in their facial expression and shown by their actions
ExamplesJob 29:24 “I smiled at them when they did not believe, And they did not look at my kindness ungraciously.
Psalm 4:6 Many are saying, “Who will show us anything good?” Lift up the light of Your face upon us, LORD!
Psalm 44:3 For by their own sword they did not possess the land, And their own arm did not save them, But Your right hand and Your arm and the light of Your presence, For You favored them.
How it’s used In 8 roles
Every occurrence, grouped by the words it is grammatically related to.
the word studied the word it goes with
Whose, or of whatGenitive or possessive
49 occurrences in 22 groups
- בֹּקֶרmorning 8
- הוּhis 7
- פָּנִיםface, presence, before 5
- ךָyour 4
- הֶםtheir 3
- Other words · 17 groups that occur once or twice (22) 22
Words describing itAdjectives, demonstratives, participles
2 occurrences in 1 groups
- גָּדוֹלgreat, large 2
What it doesIt is the subject
24 occurrences in 13 groups
- הָיָהto be, to become 8
- חָשַׁךְto grow dark 3
- Other words · 11 groups that occur once or twice (13) 13
What is done to itIt is the object
21 occurrences in 14 groups
- רָאָהto see 7
- Other words · 13 groups that occur once or twice (14) 14
What it is said to bePredicate
6 occurrences in 6 groups
- טוֹבgood 1
- אַיִןthere is no, not 1
- לֹאnot 1
- לַיִלnight 1
- מָתוֹקtasty 1
- קָרוֹבnear 1
What is said to be itIt is the predicate
5 occurrences in 4 groups
- יְהֹוָהthe LORD, YHWH 2
- חַיalive, living 1
- מִשְׁפָּטjustice, judgment, ordinance 1
- תּוֹרָהlaw, instruction 1
After prepositionsPrepositional phrases
48 occurrences in 7 groups
- לto/for 42
- בin/on/with 16
- עַדto, as far as, until 13
- כlike/as 9
- מִןfrom 2
- בֵּיןbetween, among 2
In phrases “… of it”It is the genitive
8 occurrences in 8 groups
- יוֹםday, time 1
- יִתְרוֹןadvantage 1
- כּוֹכָבstar 1
- מָאוֹרlight 1
- מָרַדto rebel 1
- עָנָןcloud 1
When two words share a role, as in “Paul and Barnabas said”, the verse appears under each, so a section’s counts can add up to more than the number of occurrences.
MACULA Greek Linguistic Datasets, available at https://github.com/Clear-Bible/macula-greek/, licensed CC BY 4.0; MACULA Hebrew Linguistic Datasets © 2022-2024 by Biblica, Inc., CC BY 4.0. Westminster Leningrad Codex (tanach.us). OpenScriptures Hebrew Bible morphology (hb.openscriptures.org), CC BY 4.0.
Near synonyms 4 words
- נֹגַהּ nôgahh · H5051 · brightness, shining
- Both אוֹר and נֹגַהּ denote light, brightness and radiance.
- נְגֹהָה nᵉgôhâh · H5054 · brightness
- Both denote light or brightness; אוֹר (ʼôwr, H216) is the common noun for light, while נְגֹהָה (nᵉgôhâh, H5054), attested only once, denotes brightness specifically.
- זֹהַר zôhar · H2096 · brightness, brilliance, splendor
- Both denote luminous phenomena; זֹהַר (zôhar, H2096) is a rare word for brightness while אוֹר (ʼôwr, H216) is the common word for light, so זֹהַר (zôhar, H2096) functions as a rarer near-synonym for the more common אוֹר (ʼôwr, H216).
- בָּרָק bârâq · H1300 · lightning, flashing, glittering
- אוֹר (ʼôwr, H216) is the general term for light—dawn, daylight, brightness—while בָּרָק (bârâq, H1300) specifically denotes lightning or the glitter of a blade; both overlap within the broader field of bright or shining phenomena.
Contrasting words 1 word
- חֹשֶׁךְ chôshek · H2822 · darkness
- The direct lexical opposite of אוֹר, denoting the absence of light or darkness.
In the other Testament 2 words
- φῶς phōs · G5457 · light, fire, bonfire
- Greek φῶς is the direct translation equivalent of Hebrew אוֹר across the full range of physical and metaphorical light.
- φέγγος phéngos · G5338 · light
- Both denote physical luminosity or brightness, with φέγγος typically emphasizing the brilliance or radiance of celestial light sources (moon, stars) while אוֹר encompasses a broader semantic range including daylight, divine light, and general illumination.
Semantic domains 1 entry
- Shine002001001053
- אוֹר is the ordinary noun for light, as the light God called into being and separated from the darkness on the first day.
Word family 7 words
Words formed from the same root. They share a form, not always a meaning.
Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon H216. or אוֺר121 noun masculineGen 1:3 (feminineJob 36:32; Jer 13:16) light (Assyrian…
אוֺר121 noun masculineGen 1:3 (feminineJob 36:32; Jer 13:16) light (Assyrian urru = ûru Dlw). — absolute Gen 1:3 +; construct Jdg 16:2 +; suffix אוֺרִי Psa 27:1, etc.; plural אוֺרִים Psa 136:7; —
1 light as diffused in nature, light of day Gen 1:3-4, Gen 1:5 (P) Job 3:9; Job 38:19 +.
2 morning light, dawn, הַבֹּקֶר אוֺר light of the morning Jdg 16:2; 1Sa 14:36; 1Sa 25:34, 1Sa 25:36; 2Sa 17:22; 2Ki 7:9; Mic 2:1; ׳א בֹּקֶר 2Sa 23:4 (poem of David); ׳עַדהָֿא Jdg 19:26 (compare עַדהַֿבֹּקֶר Jdg 19:25); לָאוֺר Job 24:14; הַיּוֺם מַחֲצִית עַד מִןהָֿאוֺר from dawn till mid-day, Neh 8:3 compare Pro 4:18.
3 light of the heavenly luminaries; ׳א הַלְּבָנָה, || ׳א הַחַמָּה moonlight & sunlight Isa 30:26; אוֺר כּוֺכְבֵי stars of light Psa 148:3; אוֺר מְאוֺרֵי luminaries of light Eze 32:8; אוֺרִים = מְאוֺרִים Psa 136:7; so עֲלֵיאֿוֺר in sunshine Isa 18:4; the sun itself Job 31:26.
4 daylight רְשָׁעִים אוֺר light of the wicked Job 38:15 (their work-day being the night); אוֺר יוֺם a day of light Amo 8:9 (= a clear, sunshiny day).
5 lightning Job 36:32; Job 37:3, Job 37:11, Job 37:15 compare Hab 3:11.
6 light of lamp Pro 13:9; Jer 25:10; of crocodile's hot breath Job 41:10.
7 light of life ׳א חַיִּים Job 33:30; Psalm 56:14; compare אוֺר Job 3:16, Job 3:20.
8 light of prosperity Job 22:28; Job 30:26; Psa 97:11; Lam 3:2.
9 light of instruction אוֺר וְתוֺרָה מִצְוָה נֵר Pro 6:23 the commandment is a lamp and instruction a light; so the Messian. servant is גּוֺיִם אוֺר Isa 42:6; Isa 49:6; compare ׳א עַמִּים Isa 51:4; the advent of Messiah is shining of great light Isa 9:1 (twice in verse).
10 light of face מָּנִים אוֺר = bright, cheerful face (of men) Job 29:24; betokening king's favour Pro 16:15 (compare ׳א עֵינַיִם Psa 38:11); of God = his shining, enlightening, favouring face Psa 4:7; Psa 44:4; Psa 89:16.
11 Yahweh is ׳א יִשְׂרָאֵל Isa 10:17, as source enlightenment & prosperity; light & salvation Psa 27:1; light to guide Mic 7:8 compare Psa 43:3; everlasting light of Zion, instead of sun & moon Isa 60:19-20, house of Jacob is to walk in his light Isa 2:5.
Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), public domain
Topical studies with this word 2 entries
Meanings adapted from the UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament, © United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0 and the UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew (from the Semantic Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew), © United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0; MACULA Greek Linguistic Datasets, available at https://github.com/Clear-Bible/macula-greek/, licensed CC BY 4.0; MACULA Hebrew Linguistic Datasets © 2022-2024 by Biblica, Inc., CC BY 4.0. Westminster Leningrad Codex (tanach.us). OpenScriptures Hebrew Bible morphology (hb.openscriptures.org), CC BY 4.0.
Sources
eRhema lexical overview, based on the UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew and the UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament (© United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Macula Hebrew and Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0); released under CC BY-SA 4.0
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