Lexical Summary
maor: Light, luminary
Original Word:מָאוֹר
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:ma'owr
Pronunciation:mah-OR
Phonetic Spelling:(maw-ore')
KJV: bright, light
NASB:light, lights, lighting, bright, shining
Word Origin:[fromH215 (אוֹר - shine)]
1. (properly) a luminous body or luminary
2. (abstractly) light (as an element)
3. (figuratively) brightness, i.e.cheerfulness
4. (specifically) a chandelier
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
bright, light
Or maor {maw-ore'}; also (in plural) feminine mpowrah {meh-o-raw'}; or morah {meh-o-raw'}; from'owr; properly, a luminous body or luminary, i.e. (abstractly) light (as an element): figuratively, brightness, i.e.cheerfulness; specifically, a chandelier -- bright, light.
see HEBREW'owr
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
orDefinitiona luminary
NASB Translationbright (1), light (12), lighting (2), lights (3), shining (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
— absolute
Genesis 1:16 +; construct
Proverbs 15:30 +; plural
Genesis 1:15;
Genesis 1:14;
Genesis 1:16; construct
Ezekiel 32:8 —
light, light-bearer, luminary, lamp, of sun & moon
Genesis 1:14,15,16 (3 t. in verse) (P)
Ezekiel 32:8; moon
Psalm 74:16;
the lamp-stand of the luminary or light (where is sum of seven sacred lamps on golden lamp-stand)
Exodus 35:14 (twice in verse);
Exodus 35:28;
Exodus 39:37;
Numbers 4:9,16, compare
Exodus 25:6;
Exodus 27:20;
Exodus 35:8;
Leviticus 24:2 (all P);
Proverbs 15:30the luminary of the eyes (= the eyes as a lamp)
gives the light of joy to the heart;
Psalm 90:8the luminary of thy face (thy face as a lamp) in the light of which the secrets are exposed.
Topical Lexicon
Meaning and Scopeמָאוֹר (ma’or) designates a light-bearing object or the light it emits. The word embraces the heavenly luminaries, the artificial lamps of Israel’s worship, and metaphorically the inner and outward brightness that proceeds from God.
Occurrences in Scripture
Genesis 1:14–16 introduces the term three times for the sun and moon, “the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night”. From that initial creative act the word reappears chiefly in two clusters: the tabernacle materials lists (Exodus 25–40;Leviticus 24;Numbers 4) and the poetic or prophetic books (Psalms, Proverbs, Ezekiel). These contexts trace a movement from cosmic order, to covenant worship, to moral and eschatological light.
Cosmic Foundation
InGenesis 1 the ma’or establishes the rhythm of “signs, seasons, days, and years.” The lights are servants of the Creator, not objects of worship, anchoring Israel’s resistance to the astral religions of the surrounding nations. Their ordered governance bears witness to the reliability of God’s covenant dealings (cf.Jeremiah 31:35 where the fixed patterns of sun and moon underwrite God’s oath to Israel).
Covenant Worship and the Lampstand
Exodus 25:6; 27:20; 35:8, 14, 28; 39:37; andLeviticus 24:2 link ma’or with the pure beaten olive oil that feeds the golden lampstand. The perpetual flame mirrored the heavenly lights inside the sanctuary, declaring that the God who set the sun in the sky also dwelt among His people.Numbers 4:9, 16 assigns the care of this “light” to the Kohathites, highlighting priestly stewardship over divine illumination.
Moral and Personal Illumination
Proverbs 15:30 applies the word to human countenance: “The light of the eyes rejoices the heart”.Psalm 90:8 moves from face to conscience: “You have set our iniquities before You, our secret sins in the light of Your presence.” Here ma’or discloses the holiness that exposes sin and the grace that invites repentance.
National and Cosmic Judgment
Psalm 74:16 affirms God’s ownership of day and night, whileEzekiel 32:8 threatens Egypt, “All the shining lights of heaven I will darken over you”. The same word that signals blessing may portend judgment when nations resist the Creator.
Christological Foreshadowing
The Genesis lights presage the coming of “the true Light which gives light to every man” (John 1:9). The tabernacle lampstand, fashioned of one beaten piece, anticipates the unity of Christ and His Church (Revelation 1:12–13, 20). As the menorah reflected and intensified oil-fed fire, so the incarnate Son radiates the glory of the Father (Hebrews 1:3).
Practical Ministry Implications
1. Worship: Faithful proclamation and sacramental life must keep the “lamp of God” burning (compare1 Samuel 3:3) by the continual supply of the Spirit.
2. Discipleship: Believers are called “children of light” (Ephesians 5:8); living ma’or-lives dispels cultural darkness.
3. Mission: Just as the Genesis lights govern time, the Church orders its calendar—Lord’s Day, feasts, and fasts—around the redemptive light of Christ.
4. Pastoral Care:Proverbs 15:30 encourages cultivating a radiant countenance grounded in gospel hope, strengthening the hearts of the flock.
Eschatological Consummation
Revelation culminates the theme when “The city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light” (Revelation 21:23). The created ma’or of Genesis yields to the uncreated Light, securing the promise that “night will be no more” (Revelation 22:5).
Summary
מָאוֹר traverses Scripture from the first dawn to the everlasting day. Whether marking time, illuminating worship, exposing sin, or heralding judgment and salvation, it consistently points back to the character of the God who is light and in whom is no darkness at all.
Forms and Transliterations
הַמְּאֹרֹ֖ת הַמָּא֛וֹר הַמָּא֤וֹר הַמָּאֽוֹר׃ הַמָּאוֹר֙ המאור המאור׃ המארת לְמָא֕וֹר לִמְא֥וֹר לִמְאוֹרֹת֙ לַמָּא֑וֹר לַמָּאֹ֑ר למאור למאורת למאר מְֽאוֹר־ מְא֤וֹרֵי מְאֹרֹת֙ מָא֥וֹר מאור מאור־ מאורי מארת ham·mā·’ō·wr ham·mə·’ō·rōṯ hammā’ōwr hammaor hammə’ōrōṯ hammeoRot lam·mā·’ō·wr lam·mā·’ōr lammā’ōr lammā’ōwr lammaOr lə·mā·’ō·wr ləmā’ōwr lemaor lim’ōwr lim’ōwrōṯ lim·’ō·w·rōṯ lim·’ō·wr limor limoRot mā’ōwr mā·’ō·wr maor mə’ōrōṯ mə’ōwr- mə’ōwrê mə·’ō·rōṯ mə·’ō·w·rê mə·’ō·wr- meor meorei meoRot
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