Topical Encyclopedia
Twilight, the time of day between daylight and darkness, holds significant symbolic and literal meaning within the biblical narrative. It is the period of transition from day to night, often associated with reflection, change, and the unfolding of divine mysteries. In the Bible, twilight is mentioned in various contexts, each contributing to its rich tapestry of meaning.
Biblical References1.
Genesis 15:17 · In the account of God's covenant with Abram, twilight is depicted as a time of divine encounter. "When the sun had set and darkness had fallen, a smoking firepot with a blazing torch appeared and passed between the pieces." This event occurs at twilight, symbolizing the solemnity and mystery of God's promises.
2.
Exodus 12:6 · The Passover lamb was to be slaughtered "at twilight" on the 14th day of the first month. "You must keep it until the fourteenth day of the month, when the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel will slaughter the animals at twilight." This timing underscores the transition from bondage to freedom, as the Israelites prepared to leave Egypt.
3.
Joshua 10:26-27 · After the defeat of the Amorite kings, Joshua executed them and hung their bodies on trees until evening. "At sunset, Joshua commanded that they be taken down from the trees and thrown into the cave where they had hidden." The removal of the bodies at twilight signifies the end of judgment and the restoration of order.
4.
1 Samuel 30:17 · David's attack on the Amalekites lasted "from twilight until the evening of the next day." This prolonged battle highlights the perseverance and divine assistance granted to David and his men in their quest for justice and recovery.
5.
Job 24:15 · Twilight is also associated with the deeds of the wicked. "The eye of the adulterer watches for twilight, thinking, ‘No eye will see me,’ and he keeps his face concealed." Here, twilight symbolizes the attempt to hide sinful actions under the cover of darkness.
Symbolic MeaningTwilight in the Bible often represents a time of transition and decision. It is a moment when the light of day gives way to the darkness of night, symbolizing the choices between righteousness and sin, revelation and concealment. The dual nature of twilight as both an ending and a beginning reflects the biblical theme of redemption and new beginnings.
Cultural and Theological SignificanceIn biblical times, the day was divided into segments, with twilight marking the end of the day and the beginning of the night. This period was significant for religious observances, such as the offering of sacrifices and the observance of the Sabbath, which began at sunset. Theologically, twilight can be seen as a metaphor for the human condition, caught between the light of God's truth and the darkness of sin.
ConclusionTwilight in the Bible serves as a powerful symbol of transition, judgment, and divine encounter. It is a time when God's presence is keenly felt, whether in the solemnity of a covenant, the deliverance from bondage, or the exposure of hidden sins. Through its various references, twilight invites believers to reflect on their own spiritual journey, poised between the light of day and the darkness of night.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
1. (
n.) The light perceived before the rising, and after the setting, of the sun, or when the sun is less than 18 below the horizon, occasioned by the illumination of the earth's atmosphere by the direct rays of the sun and their reflection on the earth.
2. (n.) faint light; a dubious or uncertain medium through which anything is viewed.
3. (a.) Seen or done by twilight.
4. (a.) Imperfectly illuminated; shaded; obscure.
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
TWILIGHTtwi'-lit (nesheph): The twilight of Palestine is of short duration, owing to the low latitude, there being scarcely more than an hour between sunset and complete darkness. It is a distinct boundary between daytime and the darkness. The people of Palestine still give the time of an event as so many hours before or after sunrise or sunset: "David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day" (1 Samuel 30:17), and "They rose up in the twilight to go" (2 Kings 7:5). The word is evidenly used in the sense of darkness in "the stars of twilight" (Job 3:9) and "The adulterer waiteth for the twilight" (Job 24:15). the King James Version has "twilight" in Ezekiel 12:6;, but the Revised Version (British and American) has "dark."
Alfred H. Joy
Strong's Hebrew
5399. nesheph -- twilight... 5398, 5399. nesheph. 5400 .
twilight. Transliteration: nesheph Phonetic
Spelling: (neh'-shef) Short Definition:
twilight. Word Origin
... 5939. alatah -- thick darkness
... dark, twilight. Feminine from an unused root meaning to cover; dusk -- dark,
twilight. 5938, 5939. alatah. 5940 . Strong's Numbers.
6153. ereb -- evening
... Origin from an unused word Definition evening NASB Word Usage evening (114), evening*
(1), evenings (2), every evening (1), night (2), sunset (1), twilight (11 ...
6751. tsalal -- to be or grow dark
... A primitive root (identical with tsalal through the idea of hovering over (compare
tselem)); to shade, as twilight or an opaque object -- begin to be dark ...
Library
Twilight
... HYMNS TWILIGHT. "Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far
spent.""Luke 24:29. JA Freylinghausen, 1739. tr., Emma Frances Bevan, 1899. ...
Saw You Never, in the Twilight
... CAROLS Carols 553. Saw you never, in the twilight. 8.7.8.7.D. ... Cecil Frances Alexander,
1853. Saw you never, in the twilight,. When the sun had left the skies,. ...
A Long Twilight. AD 900-1100.
... CHAPTER II. A LONG TWILIGHT. AD 900-1100. Barbarian Incursions The two centuries
we have now reached are a very barren period for literature. ...
'Impossible, --Only I Saw It'
... us fall unto the host of the Syrians: if they save us alive, we shall live; and
if they kill us, we shall but die.5. And they rose up in the twilight, to go ...
"Consider the Lilies. "
... others. The day has gone, the twilight fades, There's stillness everywhere;
I seek some place of solitude, And humbly bow in prayer. ...
It is Admitted, one May Hope, that Common Things are Never ...
... song of my youth which began "In the gloaming, O, my darling," was vulgar enough
as a song; but the connection between human passion and the twilight is none ...
The Broken Tryst.
... That evening early, in the twilight, God came walking in the garden to have the
usual talk with His friend. ... The twilight of that day had a pathetic sight. ...
Excursus on the Choir Offices of the Early Church.
... Of the twilight service we have a most exquisite remains in the hymn to be sung
at the lighting of the lamps. ... And seeing the evening. Twilight, we bless thee,. ...
Evening Hymn with Nature.
... 2 The morn, when stepping down the hills" The noon, which all creation fills With
glory; evening's placid fall, The twilight and the raven pall Of midnight ...
Perpetual Praise.
... 4 As twilight wears a darker hue, And gathering night creation dims, The twilight
and the midnight, too, Shall have their harmonies and hymns. ...
Thesaurus
Twilight (25 Occurrences)... 2. (n.) faint light; a dubious or uncertain medium through which anything is viewed.
3. (a.) Seen or done by
twilight.
... Standard Bible Encyclopedia.
TWILIGHT.
...Dawning (11 Occurrences)
... There are several words in the Bible that indicate this. nesheph, "twilight"
of the morning (Job 7:4 Psalm 119:147). The same word ...
Dusk (21 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) Imperfect obscurity; a middle degree between light and darkness; twilight;
as, the dusk of the evening. 3. (n.) A darkish color. 4. (vt) To make dusk. ...
Dawn (70 Occurrences)
... There are several words in the Bible that indicate this. nesheph, "twilight"
of the morning (Job 7:4 Psalm 119:147). The same word ...
Night (3322 Occurrences)
... morning," indicate an exact space of time (compare Genesis 8:11 Exodus 10:13
Deuteronomy 16:6). The term nesheph, is used for both evening twilight and morning ...
Gloom (29 Occurrences)
... imperfectly; to glimmer. 6. (vi) To become dark or dim; to be or appear dismal,
gloomy, or sad; to come to the evening twilight. 7. (vt) To ...
Twigs (8 Occurrences)
Twin (9 Occurrences)
Noonday (13 Occurrences)
... Isaiah 59:10 We grope for the wall like the blind; yes, we grope as those who have
no eyes: we stumble at noonday as in the twilight; among those who are lusty ...
Outskirts (38 Occurrences)
... 2 Kings 7:5 And they rose up in the twilight, to go unto the camp of the Arameans;
and when they were come to the outermost part of the camp of the Arameans ...
Resources
What does the Bible say about vampires? | GotQuestions.orgWhat was the significance of the altar of incense? | GotQuestions.orgWhat is the Passover Lamb? How is Jesus our Passover Lamb? | GotQuestions.orgTwilight: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.comBible Concordance •
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