Lexical Definition

‎חָשַׁךְ‎ châshak (khaw-shak') to darken ^H:V
a primitive root

be black, be (make) dark, darken, cause darkness, be dim, hide.

• to be dark (as withholding light)
• transitively, to darken

1) to be or become dark, grow dim, be darkened, be black, be hidden
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to be or grow dark
1a2) to have a dark colour
1a3) to grow dim
1b) (Hiphil)
1b1) to make dark, cause to be dark
1b2) to hide, conceal
1b3) to obscure, confuse (fig.)

See Greek: κρύπτω · σκοτία · σκοτίζω · σκοτόω

Brown-Driver-Briggs

‎חָשַׁךְ‎ verb be, grow dark (Late Hebrew id.; Aramaic ‎חֲשַׁךְ‎, ; Arabic bear rancour, see Lag^{BN 30}) —

Qal Perfect ‎׳‎‎ח‎ Isa 5:30 + 4 t.; ‎וְחָֽשְׁכָה‎ consecutive Mic 3:6 (but see below); ‎חָֽשְׁכוּ‎ Lam 5:17 ‎וְחָֽשְׁכוּ‎ consecutive Eccl 12:3 Imperfect 3 feminine singular ‎תֶּחְשַׁךְ‎ Eccl 12:2 ‎וַתֶּחְשַׁךְ‎ Exod 10:15 3 masculine plural ‎יֶחְשְׁכוּ‎ Job 3:9 3 feminine plural ‎תֶּחְשַׁכְנָה‎ Ps 69:24* —

1. be, grow dark, ‎אוֺר‎ Isa 5:30, compare (figurative) Job 18:6 ‎הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ‎ Isa 13:10 (figurative); ‎היום‎ Ezek 30:18 (where read ‎חשׁך‎, for ᵑ0 Baer ‎חשׂך‎); Job 3:9 (subject ‎כוכבים‎), compare Eccl 12:2 (subject ‎השׁמשׁ‎, ‎האור‎, ‎הירח‎, ‎הכוכבים‎); impersonal Mic 3:6 (si vera 1.; but read probably ‎וַחֲשֵׁכָה‎, corresponding with ‎לַיְלָה‎ preceding).

2. have a dark colour: ‎מִשְּׁחוֺר‎ ‎׳‎‎ח‎ ‎תָּֽאֳרָם‎ Lam 4:8 darker than blackness is their visage; of the earth ‎הָאֶרֶץ‎ Exod 10:15.

3. grow dim Lam 5:17 (subject ‎עינינו‎), compare Ps 69:24* (figurative), Eccl 12:3 subject ‎הָראֹוֺת‎ i.e. the eyes. Hiph`il Perfect ‎הֶחְשִׁיךְ‎ Amos 5:8, ‎וְהַחֲשַׁכְתִּ֫י‎ Amos 8:9 Imperfect ‎יַחֲשִׁיךְ‎ Ps 139:12 ‎יַחְשִׁךְ‎ Jer 13:16‎וַיַּחְשִׁךְ‎ Ps 105:28 Participle ‎מַחְשִׁיךְ‎ Job 38:2 —

1. make dark, ‎׳‎‎יום לילה הח‎ Amos 5:8 absolute cause darkness Jer 13:16; Ps 105:28, compare Amos 8:9 (‎לארץ‎).

2. = hide, conceal, followed by ‎מִמֶּךָּ‎ Ps 139:12.

3. figurative obscure, confuse Job 38:2 (object ‎עֵצָה‎).

Brown-Driver-Briggs References