Psalms 91:5 — Word Study
WLCלֹא־ תִ֭ירָא מִפַּ֣חַד לָ֑יְלָה מֵ֝חֵ֗ץ יָע֥וּף יוֹמָֽם׃
BSAYou will notlôʼ [under no circumstances] fearyârêʼ▸ [be afraid or revere] the terrorpachad [dread or fear] of the nightlayil [period of darkness] nor the arrowchêts [sharp object shot from a bow] that fliesʻûwph▸ [soars or is shot] by dayyôwmâm [in the light, daily]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| לֹא־ | not | Particle |
| תִ֭ירָא | you will be afraid | Verb, Qal, imperfect second person masculine singular |
| מִפַּ֣חַד | from [the] dread of | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct |
| לָ֑יְלָה | night | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| מֵ֝חֵ֗ץ | from an arrow | Preposition, noun common masculine singular absolute |
| יָע֥וּף | [which] it will fly | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine singular |
| יוֹמָֽם׃ | by day | Adverb |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, |
| KJV | Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; |
| ASV | Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night, Nor for the arrow that flieth by day; |
| YLT | Thou art not afraid of fear by night, Of arrow that flieth by day, |
| WEB | You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, |
| BBE | You will have no fear of the evil things of the night, or of the arrow in flight by day, |
The translations agree on the assurance of not fearing, reflecting a consistent interpretation of the Hebrew text.
The sentence centers around the main verb, with supporting phrases that clarify the sources of fear.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbיָרֵא
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Psalms 91:5
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — God's Protection in Times of Dangergenerated
Psalm 91:5 assures believers that they need not fear the dangers that may come at night or during the day. The surrounding verses emphasize God's protective nature, illustrating that He covers and shelters those who trust in Him. This theme resonates throughout the psalm, encouraging reliance on God's faithfulness amid fear and uncertainty.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Psalm 3:6 | I will not fear the myriads set against me on every side. |
| 2 | Psalm 27:1–3 | The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— whom shall I dread? |
| 3 | Psalm 46:2 | Therefore we will not fear, though the earth is transformed and the mountains are toppled into the depths of the seas, |
| 4 | Psalm 112:7 | He does not fear bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. |
| 5 | Job 5:19–27 | He will rescue you from six calamities; no harm will touch you in seven. |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 18 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — תִ֭ירָא, Ti.ra'generated
The verb יָרֵא (yare') means to fear or be afraid, and it is used in the imperfect tense here, indicating a future action. It encompasses a range of meanings from simple fear to reverence, suggesting that the believer will not experience fear in the face of danger.
The use of this verb in the second person masculine singular addresses the individual believer, emphasizing personal assurance against fear. The context of the verse reinforces the idea that trust in God negates the need for fear.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The translations generally agree on the wording of this verse, with all versions reflecting the idea that the believer will not fear the dangers described.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb תִ֭ירָא governs the sentence, indicating what the believer will not do. The structure includes a prepositional phrase that specifies the source of fear and two noun phrases that describe the dangers — one at night and one during the day.
The sentence's arrangement highlights the contrast between fear and the assurance of safety, with the verb placed prominently to emphasize the believer's response.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates תִ֭ירָא as φοβηθήσῃ, indicating a direct rendering of the Hebrew meaning of fear. This choice aligns with the original intent of conveying a sense of dread that is countered by faith.
The use of φοβηθήσῃ maintains the emphasis on the emotional response to danger, consistent with the Hebrew text.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalm 91:5 tells us that those who trust in God do not need to be afraid of dangers that come at night or during the day. The psalm emphasizes God's protection and care, assuring believers that they can find safety in Him.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means that believers can trust in God's protection during times of darkness or danger, knowing He is with them.
It reassures believers that they can face daily challenges without fear, as God is their protector.
This symbolizes sudden dangers that may arise during the day, emphasizing that God's protection extends at all times.
We can cultivate trust in God, reminding ourselves that He is our refuge and that we need not fear whatever comes our way.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What fears do I face in my life, and how can I trust God to protect me from them?
- How does knowing that God is my protector change the way I approach challenges?
- In what ways can I remind myself of God's faithfulness during difficult times?
- How can I encourage others to trust in God's protection when they are afraid?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
Early church fathers referenced this verse to illustrate the believer's security in God, highlighting the assurance found in His protection.
He said these things about the just and wise person and these are said in the blessings, "You will sleep and there will not be anyone who frightens you." For if I am made just, no one can frighten me;Early Church Fathers on Psalms 91 →
"His truth shall surround you with a shield" [Psalms 91:5]. What are "the wings," the same is "the shield:" since there are neither wings nor shield.Early Church Fathers on Psalms 91 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 91:5 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night,.... The terrible things that happen in the night; as fire, storms and tempests, invasion of enemies, murders, thefts, and, robberies: a good man,
Read John Gill on Psalms 91 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Thou shalt not be afraid of the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day.
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 91 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleBy night, when evil accidents are most terrible and least avoidable. The arrow; the pestilence, or any such common and destructive calamity; for such are frequently called God’ s arrows, as Dent. ,42 La 3:12,13, &c. By day, which is the time for shooting of arrows. The sense of the verse is, He shall be kept from secret and open mischiefs at all times.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 91 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 91:5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; [nor] for the arrow [that] flieth by day;Ver. 5. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night] Thou shalt be freed, if not from the common destruction, yet from the common distraction. Impavidum ferient ruinae. Nor for the arrow that flieth by day] Sudden ill occurrences quae nec praevident nec praecavent fideles, the arrows of death shall come whisking by thine ears, and not hit. (Hor. lib 2, Od. 13.) Quid quisque vitet nunquam homini saris Cautum est in horas - Improvisa lethi Vis rapuit, rapietque gentes. True faith is a target, and sayeth a man if not from the smart, yet from the hurt of evil accidents.
Read John Trapp on Psalms 91 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(5) Terror by night.—Possibly a night attack by an enemy. (Comp. Son 3:8; Proverbs 3:23-26.) Comp. Milton: “To bless the doors from nightly harm.” In this case the arrow flying by day would refer to dangers of actual battle. But it is quite possible that the latter may be merely the Oriental expression for the pestilence, since it is still so called by Arabians. “I desired to remove to a less contagious air. I received from Solyman the emperor this message: that the emperor wondered what I meant in desiring to remove my habitation. Is not the pestilence God’s arrow, which will always hit his mark?”—Quoted in Spurgeon’s Treasury of David, from Busbequin’s Travels.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 91 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 5. The terror by night] Night is a time of terrors, because it is a time of treasons, plunder, robbery, and murder. The godly man lies down in peace, and sleeps quietly, for he trusts his body, soul, and substance, in the hand of God; and he knows that he who keepeth Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps. It may also mean all spiritual foes, - the rulers of the darkness of this world. I have heard the following petition in an evening family prayer: "Blessed Lord, take us into thy protection this night; and preserve us from disease, from sudden death, from the violence of fire, from the edge of the sword, from the designs of wicked men, and from the influence of malicious spirits!" Nor…
Read AdamClarke on Psalms 91 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges5. Neither sudden assaults of enemies by night, nor open attacks by day (Son 3:8; Jeremiah 6:4-5; Proverbs 3:24-25) shall have power to harm thee. The language is figurative: all hostility, whether secret or avowed, is meant.
Read Cambridge on Psalms 91 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night - That which usually causes alarm at night - a sudden attack; an unexpected incursion of enemies; sudden disease coming on by night; or the pestilence
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 91 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day,
You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day,
You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day,
You need not fear the terrors of the night, the arrow that flies by day,
Tyndale line
Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night, Nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night, nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
Thou shalt not be afraide of the feare of the night, nor of the arrowe that flyeth by day:
Strictly literal
Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night, for the arrow that flieth by day,
Thou art not afraid of fear by night, Of arrow that flieth by day,
You are not afraid of fear by night, || Of arrow that flies by day,
Thou shalt not be afraid of the terror of the night; nor of the arrow that flieth by day;
You will not be afraid of terror in the night, or of the arrow that flies by day,
From the Latin
For thou hast given me, O Lord, a delight in thy doings: and in the works of thy hands I shall rejoice.
Simplified
You will not be afraid of terror at night or an arrow that flies in the day,
You will have no fear of the evil things of the night, or of the arrow in flight by day,
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text aligns with the Septuagint, as both versions convey the same message without significant variation. The Dead Sea Scrolls fragment partially agrees, though some words are restored by an editor, indicating a similar understanding of the text.
לֹא־ תִ֭ירָא מִפַּ֣חַד לָ֑יְלָה מֵ֝חֵ֗ץ יָע֥וּף יוֹמָֽם׃
7 of the 7 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
[מחץ] יעוף [יומם]
3 words of the verse are on this fragment — 1 partly restored, 2 supplied entire by an editor.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 91:5
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
לֹא (lo') is a Hebrew word meaning 'not' or 'no.' It serves as a simple negation and can imply absence or prohibition. The word can also be used in various contexts, often combined with other particles for emphasis or clarification. Its Aramaic equivalent is לָא (la), which also means 'not.'
לֹא or לוֹא adv. not
base
H3808 לֹא or לוֹא not
3808 lo' lo
or lowi {lo}; or loh (Deut. 3:11) {lo}; a primitive particle;
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often
used with other particles (as follows):--X before, + or else,
ere, + except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never,
no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), (X as though...,(can-), for) not (out
of), of nought, otherwise, out of, + surely, + as truly as, +
of a truth, + verily, for want, + whether, without.
לֹא (lo) — not.
1) not, no
1a) not (with verb-absolute prohibition)
1b) not (with modifier-negation)
1c) nothing (subst)
1d) without (with particle)
1e) before (of time)
Aramaic equivalent: la (לָא "not" H3809)
Part — ParticleHTn
יָרֵא (yare') is a Hebrew verb meaning to fear or be afraid, encompassing a range of meanings from reverence and honor to causing terror. It appears in various forms, including Qal (to fear), Niphal (to be fearful), and Piel (to terrify). The entries highlight its moral and emotional dimensions, emphasizing awe and respect, particularly in relation to the divine.
יָרֵא vb. fear
Qal
fear, be afraid
stand in awe of
fear, reverence, honour
Niph.
be fearful, dreadful
cause astonishment and awe
inspire reverence, godly fear, and awe
Piel. make afraid, terrify
base
H3372 יָרֵא fear .. fear, be afraid
. stand in awe of
. fear, reverence, honour
. . be fearful, dreadful
. cause astonishment and awe
. inspire reverence, godly fear, and awe
. make afraid, terrify
3372 yare' yaw-ray'
a primitive root; to fear; morally, to revere; caus. to
frighten:--affright, be (make) afraid, dread(-ful), (put in)
fear(-ful, -fully, -ing), (be had in) reverence(-end), X see,
terrible (act, -ness, thing).
יָרֵא (ya.re) — to fear.
: frightening(DANGER)
1) to fear, revere, be afraid
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to fear, be afraid
1a2) to stand in awe of, be awed
1a3) to fear, reverence, honour, respect
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be fearful, be dreadful, be feared
1b2) to cause astonishment and awe, be held in awe
1b3) to inspire reverence or godly fear or awe
1c) (Piel) to make afraid, terrify
2) (TWOT) to shoot, pour
יָרֵא (ya.re) — to fear: revere.
: awesome(god)
1) to fear, revere, be afraid
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to fear, be afraid
1a2) to stand in awe of, be awed
1a3) to fear, reverence, honour, respect
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be fearful, be dreadful, be feared
1b2) to cause astonishment and awe, be held in awe
1b3) to inspire reverence or godly fear or awe
1c) (Piel) to make afraid, terrify
2) (TWOT) to shoot, pour
Also means: ya.re (יָרֵא ": frightening" H3372)
V-Qal-Imperf-2ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect second person masculine singularHVqi2ms
פַּ֫חַד (pachad) refers to the concept of dread or terror, often indicating both the feeling of fear and the object that inspires it. The word is derived from a root meaning to be alarmed, and it encompasses a range of meanings related to fear and terror.
פַּ֫חַד 49 n.m. dread
dread
= object of dread
as design. dei
base
H6343 פַּ֫חַד dread . dread
. = object of dread
. as design. dei
6343 pachad pakh'-ad
from 6342; a (sudden) alarm (properly, the object feared, by
implication, the feeling):--dread(-ful), fear, (thing) great
(fear, -ly feared), terror.
see HEBREW for 06342
פַּ֫חַד (pa.chad) — dread.
1) terror, dread
1a) dread
1b) object of dread
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular constructHR/Ncmsc
ov:
(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.
OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]
1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.
For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.
It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.
Lamentations 3:1.
The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.
Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.
That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.
Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…
לַ֫יְלָה (layil) means 'night' and is derived from a root that suggests a twist away from light. It encompasses the literal sense of night as opposed to day, as well as figurative uses related to gloom or adversity. The term appears in contexts like Isaiah 21:11.
לַ֫יְלָה, לַ֫יִל 242 n.m. night
base
H3915 לַ֫יְלָה, לַ֫יִל night
3915 layil lah'-yil
or (Isa. 21:11) leyl {lale}; also laylah {lah'- yel-aw}; from
the same as 3883; properly, a twist (away of the light), i.e.
night; figuratively, adversity:--((mid-))night (season).
see HEBREW for 03883
לַ֫יְלָה (lay.lah) — night.
1) night
1a) night (as opposed to day)
1b) of gloom, protective shadow (fig.)
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
nit.
See DAY AND NIGHT for the natural usage and the various terms.
1. In the Old Testament:
Figurative uses: The word "night" (laylah or layil is sometimes used figuratively in the Old Testament. Thus, Moses compares the brevity of time, the lapse of a thousand years, to "a watch in the night" (Ps 90:4). Adversity is depicted by it in such places as Job 35:10; compare Isa 8:20; Jer 15:9. Disappointment and despair are apparently depicted by it in the "burden of Dumah" (Isa 21:11,12); and spiritual blindness, coming upon the false prophets (Mic 3:6); again sudden and…
[DAY]
The ancient Hebrews began their artificial day at evening, and ended it the next evening, so that the night proceeded the day. This usage may probably be traced to the terms employed in describing the creation, Ge 1:5,8,13, etc., "The evening and the morning were the first day." The Hebrews allowed twelve to the day; but these hours were not equal, except at the equinox. At other times, when the hours of the night were long, those of the day were short, as in winter; and when the hours of night were short, as at midsummer, the hours of the day were long in proportion. See HOURS.
The nights are sometimes extremely cold in Syria, when the days are very hot; and travelers in the deserts and among the mountains near Palestine refer to their own sufferings from these opposite extremes, in illustration of Jacob’s words in
חֵץ (chets) means 'arrow,' primarily found in poetic and prophetic contexts. It is derived from a root meaning 'to pierce' and can imply a wound or refer to a thunderbolt in a figurative sense. The word also encompasses related terms like 'dart' and 'shaft,' indicating its use in various forms of weaponry.
חֵץ n.m. arrow, mostly poet. and proph.
base
H2671 חֵץ arrow, mostly poet. and proph.
2671 chets khayts
from 2686; properly, a piercer, i.e. an arrow; by
implication, a wound; figuratively, (of God) thunder-bolt; (by
interchange for 6086) the shaft of a spear:--+ archer, arrow,
dart, shaft, staff, wound.
see HEBREW for 02686
see HEBREW for 06086
חֵץ (chets) — arrow.
arrow
Prep | N-ms — Preposition · noun common masculine singular absoluteHR/Ncmsa
ar'-o. See ARCHERY; ARMOR.
Used by the Jews both in hunting and in war; sometimes merely a sharpened reed, sometimes feathered, barbed, and even poisoned, Job 6:4. The bow was of various forms and materials, and many could be used only by the strongest men, Ps 18:34. Arrows were used to convey fire to an enemy’s house, and for divination, Eze 21:21. The word is applied symbolically to children, Ps 127:4,5; to the lightning, Ps 18:14 Hab 3:11; to sudden calamities, Job 6:4 Ps 38:2 91:5
עוּף (uwph) is a Hebrew verb primarily meaning 'to fly,' with various nuances including hovering and fleeing. It can also imply covering or dimness, as seen in the related noun תְּעֻפָה (teʾuphah), which refers to gloom. The word appears in different forms, such as Qal and Hiphil, indicating various actions related to flight.
עוּף vb. fly
Qal
fly, of birds
hover (protectingly)
fly away
Hiph. dost thou cause thine eyes to fly
Pō‛l.
fly about, to and fro
cause to fly to and fro, brandish
Hithpō‛l. like a bird their glory shall fly away
H5774a עוּף fly H5774b תְּעֻפָה n. f. id. [מוּעָף]
5774 `uwph oof
a primitive root; to cover (with wings or obscurity); hence
(as denominative from 5775) to fly; also (by implication of
dimness) to faint (from the darkness of swooning):--brandish,
be (wax) faint, flee away, fly (away), X set, shine forth,
weary.
see HEBREW for 05775
עוּף (uph) — to fly.
v
1) to fly, fly about, fly away
1a)(Qal)
1a1) to fly, hover
1a2) to fly away
1b) (Hiphil) to cause to fly, light upon
1c) (Polel)
1c1) to fly about or to and fro
1c2) to cause to fly to and fro, brandish
1d) (Hithpolel) to fly away
2) (Qal) to cover, be dark
תְּעֻפָה (te.u.phah) — gloom.
gloom
V-Qal-Imperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine singularHVqi3ms
(Verb; `uph petaomai, or, contracted, ptaomai):
Used in preference to "flee" when great speed is to be indicated. "To fly" is used: (1) Literally, of birds, `uph (Ge 1:20; Ps 55:6); da'ah (De 28:49), of sparks (Job 5:7); of the arrow (Ps 91:5); of the seraphim (Isa 6:2,6); of an angel (Da 9:21, ya`aph, "to be caused to fly"); of swift action or movement (Ps 18:10; Jer 48:40); of people (
Fly
Heb. zebub, (Eccl. 10:1; Isa. 7:18). This fly was so grievous a pest that the Phoenicians invoked against it the aid of their god Baal-zebub (q.v.). The prophet Isaiah (7:18) alludes to some poisonous fly which was believed to be found on the confines of Egypt, and which would be called by the Lord. Poisonous flies exist in many parts of Africa, for instance, the different kinds of tsetse.
Heb. ‘arob, the name given to the insects sent as a plague on the land of Egypt (Ex. 8:21-31; Ps. 78:45; 105:31). The LXX. render this by a word which means the “dog-fly,” the cynomuia. The Jewish commentators regarded the Hebrew word here as connected with the word ’arab, which means…
A genus of insects, of which there are a great many species. Moses declares them and most other insects to be unclean, Le 11:42. They abound in Egypt, and are annoying and vexatious in the extreme, attacking the eyelids, etc., in swarms and with the utmost pertinacity. How intolerable a plague of flies may be, is evident from the fact that whole districts in the Levant have been for a time depopulated by them, the inhabitants being unable to stand against their incessant attacks, Ex 8:24. The Philistines and Canaanites adored Beelzebub, the fly-god, probably as a patron to protect them against these tormenting insects.
In Isa 7:18, the prophet describing the armies of Egypt and Assyria, each under the symbol of one of the…
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יוֹמָם (yowmam) refers to the concept of daytime or the period of light in a day. It functions both as a noun meaning 'daytime' and as an adverb meaning 'by day.' The word is derived from יוֹם (yom), which means 'day.'
יוֹמָם 51 subst. and adv. daytime, by day
base
H3119 יוֹמָם subst. and adv. daytime, by day
3119 yowmam yo-mawm'
from 3117; daily:--daily, (by, in the) day(-time).
see HEBREW for 03117
יוֹמָם (yo.mam) — by day.
adv
1) by day, in the daytime
subst
2) daytime
Adv — AdverbHD
da (yom; hemera): This common word has caused some trouble to plain readers, because they have not noticed that the word is used in several different senses in the English Bible. When the different uses of the word are understood the difficulty of interpretation vanishes. We note several different uses of the word:
(1) It sometimes means the time from daylight till dark. This popular meaning is easily discovered by the context, e. g. Ge 1:5; 8:22, etc. The marked periods of this daytime were morning, noon and night, as with us. See Ps 55:17. The early hours were sometimes called "the cool of the day" (Ge 3:8). After the exile the day. or daytime was divided into twelve hours and the night into twelve (see
Day
The Jews reckoned the day from sunset to sunset (Lev. 23:32). It was originally divided into three parts (Ps. 55:17). “The heat of the day” (1 Sam. 11:11; Neh. 7:3) was at our nine o’clock, and “the cool of the day” just before sunset (Gen. 3:8). Before the Captivity the Jews divided the night into three watches, (1) from sunset to midnight (Lam. 2:19); (2) from midnight till the cock-crowing (Judg. 7:19); and (3) from the cock-crowing till sunrise (Ex.…
The variable length of the natural day at different seasons led in the very earliest times to the adoption of the civil day (or one revolution of the sun) as a standard of time. The Hebrews reckoned the day from evening to evening, (Leviticus 23:32) deriving it from (Genesis 1:5) "the evening and the morning were the first day." The Jews are supposed, like the modern Arabs, to have adopted from an early period minute specifications of the parts of the natural day. Roughly, indeed, they were content to divide it into "morning, evening and noonday," (Psalms 55:17) but when they wished for greater accuracy they pointed to six unequal parts, each of which was again subdivided. These are held to have been -- "the dawn." "Sunrise."…
The day is distinguished into natural, civil, and artificial. The natural day is one revolution of the earth on its axis. The civil day is that, the beginning and the end of which are determined by the custom of any nation. The Hebrews began their day in the evening, Le 23:32; the Babylonians at sunrise; and we begin at midnight. The artificial day is the time of the sun’s continuance above the horizon, which is unequal according to different seasons, on account of the obliquity of the equator. The sacred writers generally divide the day into twelve hours. The sixth hour always ends at noon throughout the year; and the twelfth hour is the last hour before sunset. But in summer, all the hours of the day were longer than in winter, while those of night were shorter. See HOURS, and THREE.