Lexical Summary
shachar: dawn, daybreak, morning
Original Word:שַׁחַר
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:shachar
Pronunciation:shah-khar
Phonetic Spelling:(shakh'-ar)
KJV: day(-spring), early, light, morning, whence riseth
NASB:dawn, daybreak, morning, charm away, dawning of the day
Word Origin:[fromH7836 (שָׁחַר - seek)]
1. dawn (literal, figurative or adverbial)
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
dayspring, early, light, morning, whence rises
Fromshachar; dawn (literal, figurative or adverbial) -- day(-spring), early, light, morning, whence riseth.
see HEBREWshachar
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom an unused word
Definitiondawn
NASB Translationcharm away (1), dawn (16), dawn* (1), dawning of the day (1), daybreak (2), morning (2).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
Genesis 19:15 ; — absolute
1 Samuel 9:26 +,
Judges 19:25 +; suffix
Isaiah 47:11 (but read probably ); —
dawn, with
riseGenesis 19:15;
Genesis 32:25,27;
Joshua 6:15 (all J),
Judges 19:25;
1 Samuel 9:26;
Nehemiah 4:15;
Jonah 4:7; opposed to
Amos 4:13; as adverb
at dawnPsalm 57:9 =
Psalm 108:3;
Job 3:9;
Job 41:10;
Psalm 139:9;
Psalm 110:3 read probably (see below); also
Job 38:12, in simile
Hosea 6:3 (but read as infinitive, see following, Gie
Beitr. 208 We Now GASm Marti),
Isaiah 58:8;
Songs 6:10;
Joel 2:2 (al.
blackness, "" );
Isaiah 14:12 (of star, figurative of royal splendour; — literal as myth RS
K 300);
Isaiah 8:20 is obscure, so also
Hosea 10:15 (We
in storm, i.e. ). —
Isaiah 47:11 usually, but improbably,
dawn (origin) of calamity: JHMich Hi Ew Rö (Thes) De Di and others
charm away (RVm) (Arabic
enchant (We
Heid. 2. 159, 200),
enchantment [= Sabean DHM
Hofmus. 24. 1]); but see [ ].
Topical Lexicon
Overviewשַׁחַר denotes the earliest light of day, the transition from darkness to sunrise. Across the Old Testament its twenty-five occurrences cluster around literal mornings, decisive divine interventions, poetic praise, and prophetic promise or warning. The theme that binds the usages together is the certainty that God orders every dawning, making it a symbol of both hope and accountability.
Literal Dawn as Transition from Night to Day
In narrative texts שַׁחַר is the hour when crucial events unfold. Angels urge Lot out of Sodom “when the dawn came” (Genesis 19:15). Jacob wrestles the mysterious man “until the breaking of day” (Genesis 32:24, 26), a turning-point that births both a new name and a lifelong limp. Israel encircles Jericho “at daybreak” on the seventh day (Joshua 6:15), and victory coincides with sunrise. Similar timing marks Samuel’s commissioning of Saul (1 Samuel 9:26), the Levite’s departure inJudges 19:25, and Jonah’s object lesson with the withered plant (Jonah 4:7). Scripture’s chronicling of dawn underscores God’s sovereign scheduling of salvation and discipline.
Dawn in Covenant Work and Watchfulness
Nehemiah’s builders labored “from first light till the stars appeared” (Nehemiah 4:21), illustrating vigilance amid opposition. The practice of rising before sunrise to serve God anticipates the Psalmist’s resolve, “I will awaken the dawn” (Psalm 57:8;Psalm 108:2). The faithful greet the day as stewards, not spectators.
Divine Command of Dawn
Job is interrogated: “Have you ever given orders to the morning or shown the dawn its place?” (Job 38:12). The question exposes human limitation and magnifies the Creator who not only begins each day but assigns it purpose.Job 41:18 compares Leviathan’s eyes to “the rays of dawn,” hinting that even terrifying creatures bear traces of the divine artistry embedded in first light.
Poetic and Prophetic Imagery
Psalms and Prophets deploy שַׁחַר metaphorically.
•Psalm 139:9 exalts the inescapable presence of God: “If I rise on the wings of the dawn, … even there Your hand will guide me.”
•Song of Solomon 6:10 likens the beloved’s beauty to “the dawn,” pure and awe-inspiring.
•Isaiah 58:8 promises restoration: “Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will come quickly,” tying obedience to a radiant new beginning.
• Hosea assures the repentant, “His coming is as sure as the dawn” (Hosea 6:3), whileHosea 10:15 warns that judgment can also strike “at dawn.”
•Joel 2:2 uses dawn’s spreading light to describe an invading army, underscoring inevitability.
•Amos 4:13 declares the Lord “turns dawn to darkness,” wielding authority to reverse the natural order when confronting sin.
Personification and Polemic
Isaiah 14:12 exposes Babylon’s king as the fallen “morning star, son of the dawn,” a hubristic figure cast down by the God who authored light. The phrase taps ancient myths that deified dawn, yet Scripture demythologizes and subordinates it to Yahweh.Isaiah 8:20 warns that those who reject divine revelation will have “no light of dawn,” a stark verdict against occult counsel. LikewiseIsaiah 47:11 foresees disaster that will come upon Babylon with a speed “you will not know its dawn,” portraying calamity that beats the sunrise.
Messianic Resonance
The title ofPsalm 22, “The Doe of the Dawn,” frames the suffering cry later answered by resurrection’s morning. Subsequent biblical theology identifies Jesus Christ as “the bright Morning Star” (Revelation 22:16), fulfilling every hint that the true dawn is a Person who banishes night forever.
Ministry Applications
1. Habitual Early Seeking: The pattern of patriarchs, prophets, and psalmists commends deliberate morning communion with God, anchoring the day in worship and obedience.
2. Hope amid Darkness: Each mention of dawn testifies that night, whether literal or figurative, is temporary. Believers facing trial may cling to the assurance, “Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning” (Psalm 30:5).
3. Urgency of Repentance: Just as judgment or mercy can arrive at sunrise, the present moment is the only guaranteed occasion for turning to the Lord.
4. Proclamation of Light: Ministry that reflects the character of dawn—clarity, freshness, promise—embodies the gospel’s call to “shine like lights in the world” (Philippians 2:15).
Through every textual appearance, שַׁחַר proclaims the God who begins, sustains, and concludes history. The sunrise we witness each day is both reminder and rehearsal of the final, eternal dawn prepared for those who trust Him.
Forms and Transliterations
בַּשַּׁ֕חַר בשחר הַשַּׁ֔חַר הַשַּׁ֖חַר הַשַּׁ֗חַר הַשַּׁ֙חַר֙ הַשַּׁ֣חַר הַשָּֽׁחַר׃ הַשָּׁ֑חַר הַשַּׁ֣חַר השחר השחר׃ כְּשַׁ֖חַר כַּעֲל֣וֹת כַּשַּׁ֙חַר֙ כעלות כשחר שַׁ֙חַר֙ שַׁחְרָ֔הּ שָּֽׁחַר׃ שָֽׁחַר׃ שָׁ֑חַר שחר שחר׃ שחרה baš·ša·ḥar bashShachar baššaḥar haš·ša·ḥar haš·šā·ḥar hashShachar haššaḥar haššāḥar ka‘ălōwṯ ka·‘ă·lō·wṯ kaaLot kaš·ša·ḥar kashShachar kaššaḥar kə·ša·ḥar kəšaḥar keShachar ša·ḥar šā·ḥar šaḥ·rāh šaḥar šāḥar šaḥrāh Shachar shachRah
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