כִּמְרִיר

כִּמְרִיר

obscuration (as if from shrinkage of light, i.e. an eclipse (only in plural)

Definition

כִּמְרִיר (kimrîyr) refers to a state of deep, oppressive darkness or gloom, often described as an 'obscuration' akin to an eclipse. It specifically denotes a thick, enveloping blackness that suggests a withdrawal or shrinking of light. This word appears only in the plural form in the Old Testament, intensifying its sense of profound and pervasive shadow. Its sole biblical occurrence is in Job 3:5, where Job curses the day of his birth, invoking darkness to reclaim it.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in the poetic book of Job. In Job 3:5, Job uses it in a dramatic curse, praying for 'darkness and the shadow of death' and 'a cloud' to dwell over his birth day, with 'כִּמְרִיר' (blackness) terrifying it. The context is one of profound despair and the desire for absolute, terrifying obscurity, fitting the word's intense connotation of eclipse-like darkness.

Etymology

The noun כִּמְרִיר is a reduplicated form derived from the root כָּמַר (kāmar, H3648), which means 'to be hot' or 'to grow warm,' but also carries a sense of fermenting or being agitated. This connection suggests a development in meaning from internal agitation or heat to an external manifestation of oppressive, swirling gloom, much like dark storm clouds.

Semantic Range

Though used only once, this word is theologically significant as it captures the depth of human anguish and the perceived absence of God's light. In Job's lament, it represents the total eclipse of hope and blessing, a darkness so complete it becomes an active, terrifying force. Understanding this Hebrew term enriches the reading of Job 3 by highlighting the poetic intensity of Job's suffering and his symbolic invocation of primordial chaos and disorder against his own life. In the ancient Near Eastern worldview, darkness was often associated with chaos, danger, and the divine realm of judgment or the underworld. An eclipse (a key concept in the gloss) was a particularly terrifying celestial event, seen as an ominous sign. Job's use of this term would have resonated with listeners as a call for the most profound and portentous darkness possible, aligning his personal tragedy with cosmic disorder. חֹשֶׁךְ (ḥōshekh, H2822) — The general, common term for darkness. כִּמְרִיר implies a more intense, specific, and terrifying obscurity. צַלְמָוֶת (ṣalmāwet, H6757) — 'deep darkness' or 'shadow of death,' often paired with כִּמְרִיר in poetry (as in Job 3:5), emphasizing mortal peril.

Word Details