Word Study for H8541 (תִּמָּהוֹן)

timmâhôwn /tim-maw-hone'/ Ask about this word

Meaningconsternation

KJV usageastonishment.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of timmâhôwn — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word timmâhôwn, represented by H8541, is defined as consternation; astonishment. It appears 2 times across 2 unique verses in the Bible. This rare term describes a profound state of shock and confusion brought about by a sudden, overwhelming event.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, H8541 is exclusively presented as an affliction from God. In Deuteronomy 28:28, it is listed as a curse for disobedience, where the LORD promises to "smite thee with madness, and blindness, and astonishment of heart." Similarly, in a prophetic context, Zechariah 12:4 states that the LORD will "smite every horse with astonishment" as a means of defending Judah. In both instances, it is a divinely inflicted state of disabling panic.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words appear alongside H8541, clarifying its meaning as a severe mental and emotional assault:

H7697 shiggâʻôwn (craziness; furiously, madness): This term is paired with H8541 in both of its occurrences, highlighting a state of mental chaos and frenzy as part of the divine punishment (Deuteronomy 28:28, Zechariah 12:4).
H5788 ʻivvârôwn (blindness; blind(-ness)): Also appearing with H8541 in both verses, it completes a trio of afflictions, suggesting a complete sensory and mental shutdown inflicted by God (Deuteronomy 28:28, Zechariah 12:4).
H3824 lêbâb (the heart... mind, ... understanding): This word specifies the affliction in Deuteronomy 28:28 as an "astonishment of heart," indicating that the consternation is an internal collapse of one's mind and courage.

Theological Significance

The theological significance of H8541 is concentrated in its role as an instrument of divine power.

Divine Judgment: The word is used solely to describe a punishment or strategic action originating directly from the LORD. It is a tool for enacting His will, whether as a curse for sin or as a method of defeating enemies Deuteronomy 28:28.
Psychological Warfare: The astonishment described is not mere surprise but a debilitating mental state. When God inflicts H8541, He targets the mind and spirit, causing confusion and terror that renders the recipient helpless Zechariah 12:4.
Loss of Control: To be smitten with H8541 is to lose one's faculties. It represents a complete overpowering of human reason and strength by a divine force, demonstrating God's ultimate sovereignty.

Summary

In summary, H8541 is a powerful and specific term for a divinely inflicted state of consternation. Though used only twice, its context alongside madness and blindness paints a vivid picture of a judgment that assaults the very heart and mind. It serves as a stark reminder of God's power to bring about confusion and panic as a means of executing His judgment and purpose.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 2 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

תִּמָּהוֹן
תִמְהוֹן

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 2 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Deuteronomy and Zechariah (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

Deuteronomy

Zechariah

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.