שֵׁנָה
sleep
Definition
The Hebrew noun שֵׁנָה (shênâh) primarily means 'sleep' as a natural, physical state of rest, as seen in Genesis 28:16 when Jacob awakens from his sleep. It can also represent sleep as a metaphor for spiritual inattentiveness or vulnerability, such as Samson's loss of strength when his 'sleep' is exploited (Judges 16:14, 20). In poetic and prophetic contexts, it symbolizes death or a final, deep rest, as in Job 14:12 where a person lies down and does not rise until the heavens are no more. Additionally, it denotes the simple gift of nightly rest granted by God, contrasted with anxious toil (Psalm 127:2).
Biblical Usage
שֵׁנָה is used 23 times across narrative, poetic, and wisdom literature. It describes ordinary physical sleep (Genesis 31:40, Esther 6:1), but in the Psalms and Job, it often carries metaphorical weight, representing God's judgment (Psalm 76:5) or the brevity of human life (Psalm 90:5). A key pattern is its use in contexts of divine revelation or intervention that interrupts sleep (Genesis 28:16) and in narratives of human weakness or deception (Judges 16).
Etymology
The noun שֵׁנָה derives from the root יָשֵׁן (yâshên, H3462), meaning 'to sleep.' The alternate form שֵׁנָא appears in Psalm 127:2. It is a cognate with words for 'sleep' in other Semitic languages, solidifying its core meaning. The derivation from an active verb underscores sleep as a process or state entered into.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it frames sleep both as a gracious gift from God (Psalm 127:2) and a symbol of human limitation and mortality (Psalm 90:5). It highlights themes of divine providence—God watches while Israel sleeps (Psalm 121:4)—and human vulnerability to spiritual danger, as in Samson's story. Understanding שֵׁנָה enriches reading by revealing how the biblical authors use the universal experience of sleep to point to deeper realities of trust, judgment, and our dependence on God.
In the ancient Near East, sleep was often viewed as a liminal state where divine dreams or revelations could occur (Genesis 28:16). It was also a time of heightened physical vulnerability, as night watchmen were essential for security. The cultural understanding aligns closely with the biblical usage, where sleep is a necessary part of life's rhythm but also a moment when God can act or human defenses are down.
תַּרְדֵּמָה (tardêmâh, H8639) — a deep, divinely induced sleep or trance, as in Genesis 2:21. שָׁנַן (shānan) — a rare verb for sleeping soundly. יָשֵׁן (yâshên, H3462) — the root verb 'to sleep.'
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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