Original Word: שְׁנָת
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: shnath
Pronunciation: shay-nath'
Phonetic Spelling: (shen-awth')
Definition: Year
Meaning: sleep

sleep

From yashen; sleep -- sleep.

see HEBREW yashen

Word Origin
the same as shenah, q.v.

Word Origin: Derived from the root verb יָשֵׁן (yashen), meaning "to sleep."

Corresponding Greek / Hebrew Entries: • G5258 (ὕπνος, hypnos): This Greek term is used in the New Testament to denote sleep, both in the literal sense and metaphorically, similar to its Hebrew counterpart. It appears in passages such as Matthew 8:24, where Jesus is described as sleeping during a storm, and in Romans 13:11, which calls believers to awaken from spiritual slumber.

Usage: The term is used in the Hebrew Bible to describe the physical state of sleep, often in contexts that highlight rest, inactivity, or a metaphorical sense of spiritual or moral slumber.

Context: The Hebrew noun שְׁנָת (shenat) appears in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, emphasizing both literal and figurative aspects of sleep. In its literal sense, it describes the natural, restorative state of rest experienced by humans and sometimes animals. For example, in Genesis 2:21, God causes a deep sleep to fall upon Adam. In a metaphorical sense, sleep can symbolize a lack of awareness or vigilance, as seen in Proverbs 6:9, which warns against excessive sleep leading to poverty: "How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep?" (BSB). The concept of sleep is also used to describe death metaphorically, as in Daniel 12:2, where those who "sleep in the dust of the earth" will awaken to eternal life or shame. The dual nature of sleep as both a necessary physical rest and a potential spiritual danger is a recurring theme in biblical literature.

שְׁנַ֣ת שנת šə·naṯ šənaṯ sheNatInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts