### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **kimrîyr**, represented by `{{H3650}}`, describes a profound **obscuration** or **blackness**. Derived from a root suggesting a shrinkage of light, as in an eclipse, its meaning is intense and absolute. This term is exceptionally rare, appearing only **1 time** in **1 unique verse** in the entire Bible, which concentrates its meaning within a single, powerful context.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The sole appearance of `{{H3650}}` is in [[Job 3:5]], where Job curses the day of his birth. In his anguish, he cries, "Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it; let a cloud dwell upon it; let the **blackness** of the day terrify it." Here, **kimrîyr** is the climax of a list of dreadful phenomena, invoked to completely obliterate the day. It is used alongside **darkness** `{{H2822}}`, the **shadow of death** `{{H6757}}`, and a **cloud** `{{H6053}}` to express a wish for the day to be terrifyingly dark and erased from memory.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words from its context in [[Job 3:5]] highlight the themes of darkness and dread:
* `{{H2822}}` **chôshek** (darkness): Defined as **the dark**, this word can signify literal darkness, but also figuratively represents misery, destruction, and death. It appears in the account of creation [[Genesis 1:2]] and is contrasted with divine light [[Isaiah 9:2]].
* `{{H6757}}` **tsalmâveth** (shadow of death): This term literally means the "shade of death" and is used to describe the grave or a state of extreme calamity. It is famously used in [[Psalms 23:4]] to depict a valley of ultimate peril, and is often paired with **darkness** `{{H2822}}`, as seen in [[Psalms 107:14]].
* `{{H1204}}` **bâʻath** (terrify): This root word means to **affright** or **terrify**. In [[Job 3:5]], it is the **blackness** `{{H3650}}` that is meant to **terrify** the day, linking the visual image of darkness directly to an emotional state of fear and trouble, as when Haman was afraid before the king and queen [[Esther 7:6]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H3650}}` is derived entirely from its singular, potent use in the book of Job.
* **Expression of Anguish:** The word gives voice to the depth of human suffering. Its use in Job's curse is a raw expression of a desire to see a day completely annihilated, capturing a level of despair that longs for non-existence.
* **Imagery of Uncreation:** By invoking the ultimate **blackness**, Job essentially calls for a reversal of creation. The terms used in [[Job 3:5]], especially **darkness** `{{H2822}}`, echo the formless state of the earth before God's creative act [[Genesis 1:2]], framing Job's suffering as an "un-creating" force.
* **Stark Contrast to Light:** This intense **obscuration** stands as the ultimate opposite of God, who forms light and creates darkness [[Isaiah 45:7]]. While scripture proclaims that the Lord is a light in the darkness [[Micah 7:8]], the cry for **kimrîyr** is a cry for a darkness so absolute that no light can penetrate it.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H3650}}` **kimrîyr** is a uniquely powerful term for **blackness**. Though used only once, its placement in [[Job 3:5]] makes it a cornerstone for understanding the biblical expression of profound despair. It functions alongside other words of dread, like **darkness** `{{H2822}}` and the **shadow of death** `{{H6757}}`, to paint a picture of utter desolation. Theologically, it represents the human experience of suffering at its limit, invoking an "uncreation" that stands in stark and terrifying contrast to the life and light of God.