6079. aphaph
Lexical Summary
aphaph: To surround, to encompass, to cover

Original Word: עַפְעַף
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: `aph`aph
Pronunciation: ah-fahf
Phonetic Spelling: (af-af')
KJV: dawning, eye-lid
NASB: eyelids, breaking, gaze
Word Origin: [from H5774 (עוּף - To fly)]

1. an eyelash (as fluttering)
2. (figuratively) morning ray

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
dawning, eye-lid

From uwph; an eyelash (as fluttering); figuratively, morning ray -- dawning, eye-lid.

see HEBREW uwph

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from uph
Definition
eyelid
NASB Translation
breaking (1), eyelids (8), gaze (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
[עַפְעַף] noun masculineJer 9:17 eyelid (Late Hebrew id.; from fluttering ?); — only dual construct (see below) and suffix עַפְעַמַּי Job 16:16; Psalm 132:4, עַפְעַמֶּיךָ Proverbs 4:25; Proverbs 6:4, etc.; — eyelids, usually nearly = eyes (6 t. "" עֵינַיִם), as weeping, עַפְעַמֵּינוּ Jeremiah 9:17; closed in sleep Psalm 132:4; Proverbs 6:4, compare of צַלְמָוֶת Job 16:16; looking Proverbs 4:25 compare Psalm 11:4 (of ׳י, testing men); used seductively by wanton women Proverbs 6:25; raised, in arrogance (' superciliousness ' Proverbs 30:13; figurative עַפְעַמֵּישָֿׁ֑חַר Job 3:9 eyelids of dawn, break of dawn, Job 41:10 (simile).

Topical Lexicon
Physical and Poetic Imagery

The Hebrew Scriptures use עַפְעַף to paint striking pictures of movement from darkness to light. Job curses the day of his birth by pleading that it “may not see the dawn’s first light” (Job 3:9), a poetic reference to the “eyelids of the morning” remaining shut. In the description of Leviathan, “his eyes are like the rays of dawn” (Job 41:18), suggesting the creature’s terrifying brilliance as eyelids open to pour forth light. These images treat the eyelid as a hinge between night and day, concealment and revelation.

Divine Watchfulness

Psalm 11:4 declares, “The LORD is in His holy temple… His eyes are watching closely; His eyelids examine the sons of men.” The anthropomorphic mention of the LORD’s eyelids underscores His penetrating scrutiny: nothing slips past His gaze, whether they are fully open or seemingly at rest. The verse reminds readers that divine observation is continuous, intimate, and righteous.

Human Vigilance and Resolve

Several texts use eyelids to exhort alertness and purpose. The pilgrim-king pledges, “I will not give sleep to my eyes or slumber to my eyelids” (Psalm 132:4) until he finds a dwelling place for the LORD, illustrating consecrated determination. Proverbs echoes the call: “Allow no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids” (Proverbs 6:4), urging decisive action to escape financial entanglement. A positive counterpart appears in Proverbs 4:25, where the root idea underlies the command, “Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead,” stressing steady moral direction.

Sorrow and Repentance

Eyelids also frame grief. Job laments, “My face is red with weeping, and deep darkness covers my eyes” (Job 16:16), portraying lids swollen and shadowed by tears. In a national lament Jeremiah cries, “Let them come quickly and wail over us, that our eyes may overflow with tears, and our eyelids flow with water” (Jeremiah 9:18). Here the eyelids become channels of contrition, calling the community to mourn sin and judgment.

Pride and Arrogance

Proverbs 30:13 warns of a generation whose “eyes are haughty, and pretentious are their glances.” The lifted eyelids signify an inflated self-estimate, contrasting sharply with the humility God requires.

Seduction and Moral Threat

The adulteress in Proverbs 6:25 “captivate[s] you with her eyes.” The fluttering eyelids represent subtle temptation; what begins as a glance can enslave the heart. By spotlighting so small a feature, the verse unmasks the power of visual allure and urges covenant fidelity.

Ministry Significance

1. Watchfulness in Prayer and Service Believers are to imitate the psalmist’s refusal of slumber until God’s purposes are advanced, cultivating spiritual alertness.
2. Confidence in God’s All-Seeing Care Psalm 11:4 comforts the righteous: even when human justice fails, the LORD’s examining eyelids never close.
3. Guarding the Eye-Gate Proverbs links eyelids to both seduction and pride. Faithful discipleship begins with disciplined sight, recognizing that what passes the eyelid often gains entrance to the soul.
4. Compassionate Lament Jeremiah’s tear-filled eyelids model authentic intercession for a wayward people, an enduring pattern for pastoral ministry.

Canonical Harmony

From dawn’s first gleam to tears of repentance, from divine surveillance to human resolve, עַפְעַף threads through Scripture as a reminder that what is small in the body carries great spiritual weight. The One whose own eyelids “examine the sons of men” calls His people to holy vigilance, humble eyes, and steadfast vision fixed on His glory until the eternal morning fully breaks.

Forms and Transliterations
בְּעַפְעַפֵּי־ בְּעַפְעַפֶּֽיהָ׃ בעפעפי־ בעפעפיה׃ וְ֝עַפְעַפֶּ֗יךָ וְ֝עַפְעַפָּ֗יו וְעַפְעַפֵּ֖ינוּ ועפעפיו ועפעפיך ועפעפינו כְּעַפְעַפֵּי־ כעפעפי־ לְֽעַפְעַפַּ֥י לְעַפְעַפֶּֽיךָ׃ לעפעפי לעפעפיך׃ עַפְעַפַּ֣י עַפְעַפָּ֥יו עפעפי עפעפיו ‘ap̄‘appāw ‘ap̄‘appay ‘ap̄·‘ap·pāw ‘ap̄·‘ap·pay afapPai afapPav bə‘ap̄‘appê- bə‘ap̄‘appehā bə·‘ap̄·‘ap·pê- bə·‘ap̄·‘ap·pe·hā beafappei beafapPeiha kə‘ap̄‘appê- kə·‘ap̄·‘ap·pê- keafappei lə‘ap̄‘appay lə‘ap̄‘appeḵā lə·‘ap̄·‘ap·pay lə·‘ap̄·‘ap·pe·ḵā leafapPai leafapPeicha veafapPav veafapPeicha veafapPeinu wə‘ap̄‘appāw wə‘ap̄‘appeḵā wə‘ap̄‘appênū wə·‘ap̄·‘ap·pāw wə·‘ap̄·‘ap·pe·ḵā wə·‘ap̄·‘ap·pê·nū
Links
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Englishman's Concordance
Job 3:9
HEB: וְאַל־ יִ֝רְאֶ֗ה בְּעַפְעַפֵּי־ שָֽׁחַר׃
NAS: And let it not see the breaking dawn;
KJV: but [have] none; neither let it see the dawning of the day:
INT: not see the breaking dawn

Job 16:16
HEB: בֶ֑כִי וְעַ֖ל עַפְעַפַּ֣י צַלְמָֽוֶת׃
NAS: And deep darkness is on my eyelids,
KJV: with weeping, and on my eyelids [is] the shadow of death;
INT: weeping is on my eyelids and deep

Job 41:18
HEB: א֑וֹר וְ֝עֵינָ֗יו כְּעַפְעַפֵּי־ שָֽׁחַר׃
NAS: And his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning.
KJV: and his eyes [are] like the eyelids of the morning.
INT: light and his eyes the eyelids of the morning

Psalm 11:4
HEB: עֵינָ֥יו יֶחֱז֑וּ עַפְעַפָּ֥יו יִ֝בְחֲנ֗וּ בְּנֵ֣י
NAS: behold, His eyelids test
KJV: behold, his eyelids try,
INT: his eyes behold his eyelids test the sons

Psalm 132:4
HEB: שְׁנַ֣ת לְעֵינָ֑י לְֽעַפְעַפַּ֥י תְּנוּמָֽה׃
NAS: to my eyes Or slumber to my eyelids,
KJV: [or] slumber to mine eyelids,
INT: sleep to my eyes to my eyelids slumber

Proverbs 4:25
HEB: לְנֹ֣כַח יַבִּ֑יטוּ וְ֝עַפְעַפֶּ֗יךָ יַיְשִׁ֥רוּ נֶגְדֶּֽךָ׃
NAS: directly ahead And let your gaze be fixed straight
KJV: right on, and let thine eyelids look straight
INT: directly look your gaze be fixed front

Proverbs 6:4
HEB: לְעֵינֶ֑יךָ וּ֝תְנוּמָ֗ה לְעַפְעַפֶּֽיךָ׃
NAS: Nor slumber to your eyelids;
KJV: nor slumber to thine eyelids.
INT: to your eyes slumber to your eyelids

Proverbs 6:25
HEB: וְאַל־ תִּ֝קָּֽחֲךָ֗ בְּעַפְעַפֶּֽיהָ׃
NAS: let her capture you with her eyelids.
KJV: neither let her take thee with her eyelids.
INT: Nor her capture her eyelids

Proverbs 30:13
HEB: רָמ֣וּ עֵינָ֑יו וְ֝עַפְעַפָּ֗יו יִנָּשֵֽׂאוּ׃
NAS: are his eyes! And his eyelids are raised
KJV: are their eyes! and their eyelids are lifted up.
INT: lofty are his eyes and his eyelids are raised

Jeremiah 9:18
HEB: עֵינֵ֙ינוּ֙ דִּמְעָ֔ה וְעַפְעַפֵּ֖ינוּ יִזְּלוּ־ מָֽיִם׃
NAS: tears And our eyelids flow
KJV: with tears, and our eyelids gush out
INT: our eyes tears and our eyelids flow water

10 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 6079
10 Occurrences


‘ap̄·‘ap·pay — 1 Occ.
‘ap̄·‘ap·pāw — 1 Occ.
bə·‘ap̄·‘ap·pê- — 1 Occ.
bə·‘ap̄·‘ap·pe·hā — 1 Occ.
kə·‘ap̄·‘ap·pê- — 1 Occ.
lə·‘ap̄·‘ap·pay — 1 Occ.
lə·‘ap̄·‘ap·pe·ḵā — 1 Occ.
wə·‘ap̄·‘ap·pāw — 1 Occ.
wə·‘ap̄·‘ap·pe·ḵā — 1 Occ.
wə·‘ap̄·‘ap·pê·nū — 1 Occ.

6078
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