### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **chăthullâh**, represented by `{{H2854}}`, means a **swaddling band** or a swathing cloth. Its usage is highly specific, appearing just **1 time** in **1 unique verse** in the entire Bible. The term is derived from a root meaning to swathe, and its single instance is used in a powerful figurative sense.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The sole appearance of `{{H2854}}` is in [[Job 38:9]], where God describes the creation of the world. In this powerful divine speech, God recounts how He "made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkness a **swaddlingband** for it." Here, the word is used metaphorically to illustrate God's complete control over the elements. The vast and imposing "thick darkness" is depicted as a simple **swaddlingband**, an item used to wrap and contain a newborn, highlighting God's role as the master and sovereign creator.
### Related Words & Concepts
The context of `{{H2854}}` in [[Job 38:9]] is enriched by several surrounding words that build its cosmic and creative imagery:
* `{{H7760}}` **sûwm**: A primitive root meaning **to put** or **make**. In the verse, it establishes God as the active agent who appointed the roles of the clouds and darkness.
* `{{H6051}}` **ʻânân**: Meaning **a cloud**, this word is often associated with God's presence and power, as seen in the pillar of cloud that guided Israel [[Exodus 13:21]]. In Job, it acts as a "garment."
* `{{H3830}}` **lᵉbûwsh**: Defined as a **garment** or **vesture**. It is paired with the cloud to begin the metaphor of clothing creation, which is completed by `{{H2854}}`.
* `{{H6205}}` **ʻărâphel**: This word for **thick darkness** or gloom often signifies God's unapproachable and majestic presence [[1 Kings 8:12]]. In this context, it is what constitutes the swaddling band itself.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of `{{H2854}}` is tied exclusively to its appearance in the book of Job.
* **Creative Sovereignty:** The word is central to a metaphor that portrays God's absolute authority over creation. Forces as immense as cosmic darkness are treated as a simple cloth in His hands.
* **Bringing Order from Chaos:** A swaddling band restrains and protects. By wrapping creation in "thick darkness," God demonstrates His power to bring order, set boundaries, and control what would otherwise be untamed.
* **Divine Majesty:** The imagery communicates the sheer scale of God's power. He handles the foundational elements of the world with the same ease a parent would swaddle a child, placing His actions on an incomprehensibly vast scale.
### Summary
In summary, **chăthullâh** `{{H2854}}` is a rare but impactful word. Its single, figurative use in scripture provides a profound glimpse into the biblical understanding of God's power. By describing thick darkness as a **swaddling band**, the text elevates a common, domestic object into a symbol of divine, cosmic control, emphasizing God's role as the sovereign who orders, contains, and sustains all of creation.
TRV