צלמות

Hebrew

Etymology

Found in biblical Hebrew scripture. Uncertain origin, but possibly a compound of צֵל (tsél, “shadow, shade”) +‎ מָוֶת (mávet, “death”).

Noun

צַלְמָוֶת • (tsalmávet) m

1. Death-shadow, shadow of death.
   • Psalm 23:4:

     גַּם כִּי־אֵלֵךְ בְּגֵיא צַלְמָוֶת לֹא־אִירָא רָע כִּי־אַתָּה עִמָּדִי […]

     gam ki-elékh b'gé' tsalmávet lo-irá ra' ki-atá 'imadí […]

     Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me […]

2. Deep darkness.
   • a. 400 B.C.E., Book of Job 3:5:

     יִגְאָלֻהוּ חֹשֶׁךְ וְצַלְמָוֶת תִּשְׁכָּן־עָלָיו עֲנָנָה יְבַעֲתֻהוּ כִּמְרִירֵי יוֹם

     yigalúhu khóshekh v'tsalmávet tishkan-'aláv 'ananá y'va'atúhu kimrírey yom

     Let darkness and the shadow of death claim it for their own; let a cloud dwell upon it; let all that maketh black the day terrify it.