Original Word: קַדְרוּת
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: qadruwth
Pronunciation: kahd-ROOTH
Phonetic Spelling: (kad-rooth')
KJV: blackness
NASB: blackness
Word Origin: [from H6937 (קָדַר - mourning)]

1. duskiness

blackness

From qadar; duskiness -- blackness.

see HEBREW qadar

Word Origin
from qadar
Definition
darkness, gloom
NASB Translation
blackness (1).

קַדְרוּת noun feminine darkness, gloom; — אַלְבִּישׁ ׳שָׁמַיִם ק Isaiah 50:3 (compare √, Jeremiah 4:28; 1 Kings 18:45; "" שַׂק).

Biblical Occurrence

The word appears once, in Isaiah 50:3, where the LORD declares, “I clothe the heavens with darkness, and I make sackcloth their covering” (Berean Standard Bible). The single use highlights its weightiness; when יְהוָה adopts the vocabulary of deepest gloom, He signals an event of cosmic magnitude.

Literary and Historical Background

Isaiah 50 is situated within the so-called “Servant Songs” (Isaiah 49–53). The prophet addresses exiles who feared that their covenant account had ended. Into that disorientation comes the language of total eclipse. By invoking קַדְרוּת, Isaiah evokes the plague of darkness in Egypt (Exodus 10:21-23) and the prophesied “day of darkness and gloom” (Joel 2:2). Ancient Near-Eastern peoples associated celestial darkening with divine judgment; Scripture adopts the imagery but anchors it in the one true God, who alone commands both light and darkness (Genesis 1:2-5; Psalm 104:20).

Theological Significance

1. Divine Sovereignty: Darkness on a cosmic scale underscores that creation itself is subject to its Creator.
2. Judgment and Mourning: Sackcloth is the garment of lament (Jonah 3:6; Revelation 11:3). By pairing sackcloth with celestial darkness, God portrays a universe put into mourning over human rebellion.
3. Covenant Hope: The same God who clothes the heavens in gloom later promises that “the LORD will be your everlasting light” (Isaiah 60:19). Darkness yields to dawn when redemption is accomplished.

Prophetic Implications

Isaiah’s imagery anticipates later eschatological scenes—“the sun will be darkened” (Matthew 24:29) and the cosmic signs of Revelation 6:12. The unique Hebrew term heightens the seriousness of these events; they are not random astronomical anomalies but purposeful acts in the drama of salvation history.

Christological Perspective

At Calvary “from the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land” (Matthew 27:45). While the Gospel writers use Greek terminology, Isaiah’s קַדְרוּת provides the Old Testament backdrop. The Servant of Isaiah 50 endures the ultimate gloom so that believers “may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9).

Ministerial Application

• Preaching: Use Isaiah 50:3 to remind congregations that no human darkness is beyond God’s control.
• Pastoral Care: In seasons of grief, the image of heavenly sackcloth affirms that God recognizes and shares the sorrow of His people.
• Worship: Songs and prayers can juxtapose the darkening of the heavens with the promise of Revelation 21:23, leading worshipers from lament to hope.

Related Biblical Themes and References

Darkness as Judgment – Exodus 10:21-23; Amos 5:18-20

Darkness as Divine Presence – Exodus 20:21; 1 Kings 8:12

Transition from Darkness to Light – Isaiah 9:2; John 8:12; 2 Corinthians 4:6

Summary

קַדְרוּת is a rare, potent word that describes a divinely ordained darkness draped over the heavens. In Isaiah’s prophecy it signals judgment, lament, and the gravity of the Servant’s mission, while ultimately pointing forward to the victory of light in Christ and the consummation of all things.

קַדְר֑וּת קדרות kadRut qaḏ·rūṯ qaḏrūṯInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts