הָלַל
ha.lal
to shine
Lexicon Entry
Lexicon data from STEPBible TIPNR, Tyndale House, Cambridge. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
What Original Readers Understood
ExploredThe Hebrew word "הָלַל" (ha.lal) means 'to shine'. As a verb, it conveys the concept of luminosity, where something emits light. This can be applied to various contexts, such as celestial bodies (stars, sun) or a successful, radiant, or attractive person. The significance of "הָלַל" lies in the contrast to darkness, indicating the presence or absence of light. "הָלַל" appears four times in the Hebrew Bible, likely denoting instances where light is a symbol of knowledge, hope, or divinity. The range of usage encompasses both literal (daylight, sun) and figurative (honor, radiance) meanings. In a broader sense, "הָלַל" can be seen as a metaphor for something that elevates our perception of reality or offers an understanding beyond the mundane. The fact that it appears only four times suggests the word is likely used deliberately and with specific intent, underscoring its symbolic importance in those contexts.
Source data & methodology
Occurrences in Scripture
4 total occurrences across the text
when his lamp shone on my head, and by his light I walked through darkness,
Job 31:26if I have seen the sun when it shined, or the moon moving in splendor,
Job 41:18His sneezing flashes out light. His eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.
Isaiah 13:10For the stars of the sky and its constellations will not give their light. The sun will be darkened in its going out, and the moon will not cause its light to shine.