a primitive root; to be ashy, i.e. darkcolored; by implication, to mourn (in sackcloth or sordid garments); be black(-ish), be (make) dark(-en), [idiom] heavily, (cause to) mourn.
### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **qâdar**, represented by `{{H6937}}`, conveys a state of being dark or ashy. It is a primitive root that appears 18 times in 17 unique verses. Its definition encompasses being dark-colored but also extends by implication to mourning, often in sackcloth or sordid garments. This creates a powerful link between literal darkness and the figurative darkness of grief, being black, or being made dark.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In scripture, `{{H6937}}` is used to describe both cosmic and personal states of darkness. It frequently depicts the darkening of the heavens as a sign of divine action or judgment, as when the heavens are made **black** [[Jeremiah 4:28]] or when the sun and **moon** shall be **dark** [[Joel 2:10]]. The word is also used to express profound human sorrow and mourning. The psalmist asks why he must go **mourning** due to oppression [[Psalms 43:2]], and Jeremiah declares, "I am **black**; astonishment hath taken hold on me" in response to the hurt of his people [[Jeremiah 8:21]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words clarify the concepts of darkness and mourning associated with `{{H6937}}`:
* `{{H56}}` **ʼâbal** (to bewail; lament, mourn): This word for mourning is directly paired with `{{H6937}}` to link the sorrow of the earth with the darkness of the sky [[Jeremiah 4:28]].
* `{{H2821}}` **châshak** (to be dark...; transitively, to darken): This verb for becoming dark is used alongside `{{H6937}}` to intensify the description of a day of judgment for prophets, when the day itself will be **dark** over them [[Micah 3:6]].
* `{{H7817}}` **shâchach** (to sink or depress...; bend, bow (down)...): This describes the physical posture of grief. It is used to show a person who is **bowed down** greatly while going **mourning** all day long [[Psalms 38:6]].
* `{{H2822}}` **chôshek** (the dark; hence (literally) darkness; figuratively, misery, destruction, death, ignorance, sorrow, wickedness): This noun for darkness is the result of God making the "bright lights of heaven" **dark** `{{H6937}}`, thereby setting **darkness** upon the land [[Ezekiel 32:8]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H6937}}` is demonstrated in its dual application to creation and human experience.
* **Cosmic Signs of Judgment:** The darkening of the sun `{{H8121}}`, moon `{{H3394}}`, and stars `{{H3556}}` is a powerful prophetic motif. God makes the heavens **black** [[Jeremiah 4:28]] or the stars **dark** [[Joel 2:10]] to signify a time of immense upheaval and divine judgment.
* **The Outward Expression of Grief:** The word connects deep internal sorrow with a visible, physical state. A person can "go **mourning**" [[Psalms 42:9]] or "be **black**" [[Jeremiah 8:21]] from grief, linking a darkened disposition to the hurt `{{H7667}}` and astonishment `{{H8047}}` caused by affliction.
* **Divine Sovereignty:** The use of `{{H6937}}` often highlights God's authority. He causes Lebanon to **mourn** [[Ezekiel 31:15]], makes the heavens **black** [[1 Kings 18:45]], and makes the stars **dark** [[Ezekiel 32:7]], showing His control over both nature and the emotional state of humanity.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H6937}}` is more than a simple term for darkness. It functions as a bridge between the literal and the figurative, describing both the physical darkening of the celestial bodies and the deep, visible mourning of the human soul. Whether depicting a sky made **black** by clouds and wind [[1 Kings 18:45]] or a person going **mourning** in distress [[Job 30:28]], **qâdar** powerfully illustrates how the Bible links the condition of the created world to the spiritual and emotional state of humanity under God.
TRV