---
title: אוֹר — light · The Tanakh dictionary
description: אוֹר (216), a word of Biblical Hebrew, used 120 times: light. BDB 1906: light. With 2 verses in Hebrew, word for word and JPS 1917.
---

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# אוֹר

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«אוֹר» in the Tanakh dictionary: **light** — how often it is used, MACULA's glosses, its meanings in the printed dictionaries and why they were chosen, and 2 verses in layers.

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**Used:** 120 times · **Key:** 216 · **BDB:** אוֹר²

### Glosses

light (80); the.light (21); a.light (5)

### Meaning (OSHB)

light [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1488/216/#m1)

### Meaning (BDB 1906)

light [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1488/216/#m2)

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**The whole BDB entry:** אוֹר121 f. Jb 36:32; Je 13:16; cf. Gn 1:3 light (Assyrian urru = ûru DlW)—abs. Gn 1:3 +; cstr. Ju 16:2 +; sf. אוֹרִי ψ 27:1, etc.; pl. אוֹרִים ψ 136:7;— light as diffused in nature, light of day Gn 1:3, 4, 5 (P) Jb 3:9; 38:19 +. morning light, dawn, אוֹר הַבֹּקֶר light of the morn. Ju 16:2 1 S 14:36; 25:34, 36 2 S 17:22 2 K 7:9 Mi 2:1; א׳ בֹּקֶר 2 S 23:4 (poem of David); עַד־הָא׳ Ju 19:26 (cf. עַד־הַבֹּקֶר v 25); לָאוֹר Jb 24:14; מִן־הָאוֹר עַד מַחֲצִית הַיּוֹם from dawn till mid-day, Ne 8:3 cf. Pr 4:18. light of the heavenly luminaries; א׳ הַלְּבָנָה, ‖ א׳ הַחַמָּה moonlight \& sunlight Is 30:26; כּוֹכְבֵי אוֹר stars of light ψ 148:3; מְאוֹרֵי אוֹר luminaries of light Ez 32:8; אוֹרִים = מְאוֹרִים ψ 136:7; so עֲלֵי־אוֹר in sunshine Is 18:4; the sun itself Jb 31:26. daylight אוֹר רְשָׁעִים light of the wicked Jb 38:15 (their work-day being the night); יוֹם אוֹר a day of light Am 8:9 (= a clear, sunshiny day). lightning Jb 36:32; 37:3, 11, 15 cf. Hb 3:11. light of lamp Pr 13:9 Je 25:10; of crocodile’s hot breath Jb 41:10. light of life א׳ חַיִּים Jb 33:30 ψ 56:14; cf. אוֹר Jb 3:16, 20. light of prosperity Jb 22:28; 30:26 ψ 97:11 La 3:2. light of instruction נֵר מִצְוָה וְתוֹרָה אוֹר Pr 6:23 the commandment is a lamp and instruction a light; so the Messian. servant is אוֹר גּוֹיִם Is 42:6; 49:6; cf. א׳ עַמִּים Is 51:4; the advent of Mess. is shining of great light Is 9:1(×2). light of face אוֹר פָּנִים = bright, cheerful face (of men) Jb 29:24; betokening king’s favour Pr 16:15 (cf. א׳ עֵינַיִם ψ 38:11); of God = his shining, enlightening, favouring face ψ 4:7; 44:4; 89:16. Yahweh is א׳ יִשְׂרָאֵל Is 10:17, as source of enlightenment \& prosperity; light \& salvation ψ 27:1; light to guide Mi 7:8 cf. ψ 43:3; everlasting light of Zion, instead of sun \& moon Is 60:19, 20; house of Jacob is to walk in his light Is 2:5.

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Why these entries: BDB: headword, part of speech not compared, 59 of its verses cited, 1 words shared with the glosses, lists its Strong's number (13 candidates); OSHB: headword, part of speech agrees, 1 words shared with the BDB entry, 1 with the glosses (10 candidates)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every English meaning of «אוֹר» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/tanakh/1488/216/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.

### In the verses

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[Proverbs 13:9](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/ketuvim/PRO.13.9/)

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אוֹר־צַדִּיקִ֥ים יִשְׂמָ֑ח וְנֵ֖ר רְשָׁעִ֣ים יִדְעָֽךְ׃

*Word for word:* \[the\].light of.righteous.\[people\] it.rejoices and.\[the\] lamp of.wicked.\[people\] it.is.extinguished

*JPS 1917:* The light of the righteous rejoiceth; but the lamp of the wicked shall be put out.

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[Genesis 1:3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/torah/GEN.1.3/)

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וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֱלֹהִ֖ים יְהִ֣י א֑וֹר וַֽיְהִי־אֽוֹר׃

*Word for word:* and he.said God let.it.be light and it.was light

*JPS 1917:* And God said: 'Let there be light.' And there was light.

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