1 darkness (opposed to אוֺר) literal Genesis 1:2,4 (P), Isaiah 45:7; Job 26:10; Ecclesiastes 2:13, compare in imprecation Job 3:4,5 (וצלמות ׳ח) = לילה Genesis 1:5,18 (P), compare Joshua 2:5 (JE), Isaiah 45:19; Job 17:12; Job 24:16; Job 38:19; Psalm 104:20; darkness in mines Job 28:3; of extraordinary darkness, in Egypt Exodus 10:21 (twice in verse) (E); אֲֿפֵלָה׳ח Exodus 10:22 (E), Psalm 105:28, from pillar of cloud Exodus 14:20; at Mt. Sinai Deuteronomy 4:11; Deuteronomy 5:20; of clouds of theophany 2 Samuel 22:12 = Psalm 18:12; of darkness in death, or She'ô l, 1 Samuel 2:9; Job 10:21 (וצלמות ׳אֶרֶץ ח), Job 17:13; Job 18:18; Psalm 88:13; Proverbs 20:20 (׳אִישׁוֺן ח = extreme of darkness).

2 = secret place(s) Isaiah 45:3; Job 12:22 ("" צלמות); = hiding-place Job 34:22 ("" id.), compare Psalm 139:11; Psalm 139:12; — on Ezekiel 8:12, see above 3 figurative,

a. = distress Isaiah 5:30; Isaiah 9:1; Isaiah 29:18 (figurative of blindness), Isaiah 42:7; Isaiah 49:9; Isaiah 58:10; Isaiah 59:9; Isaiah 60:2; Lamentations 3:2; Micah 7:8; Psalm 18:29 = 2 Samuel 22:29; Job 15:22,23,30; Job 20:26; Job 22:11; Job 23:17; Job 29:3; Psalm 107:10; Psalm 107:14 (in both "" צלמות), Psalm 112:4; Ecclesiastes 5:16; Ecclesiastes 11:8.

b. = dread, terror, symbolic of judgment Amos 5:18,20; Zephaniah 1:15; Nahum 1:8; Ezekiel 32:8; Joel 2:4; Joel 3:4.

c. = mourning Isaiah 47:5.

d. = perplexity Job 5:14; Job 12:25; Job 19:8; confusion Psalm 35:6.

e. = ignorance Job 37:19; Ecclesiastes 2:14.

f. = evil, sin Isaiah 5:20 (twice in verse); Proverbs 2:13.

g. = obscurity Ecclesiastes 6:4 (twice in verse).

חשׁך (see Biblical Hebrew חֹשֶׁךְ darkness, √ חשׁך).