Lexical Summary
shenah or shena: Sleep
Original Word:שֵׁנָה
Part of Speech:Noun Feminine
Transliteration:shehah
Pronunciation:shay-naw'
Phonetic Spelling:(shay-naw')
KJV: sleep
NASB:sleep, asleep
Word Origin:[fromH3462 (יָשֵׁן - sleep)]
1. sleep
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
sleep
Or shena (Psa. 127:2) {shay-naw'}; fromyashen; sleep -- sleep.
see HEBREWyashen
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Originfrom
yashenDefinitionsleep
NASB Translationasleep (1), sleep (22), sleep* (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
, ,
—Psalm 90:5 3t.;Psalm 127:2,Psalm 132:4 (Ges§ 80 g, h.); constructJeremiah 51:39 3t.;Genesis 31:40;Jeremiah 31:26, etc.; plural absoluteProverbs 6:10;Proverbs 24:33; —sleepGenesis 28:16 (J),Judges 16:14,20;Proverbs 3:24;Proverbs 6:9;Proverbs 20:13;Ecclesiastes 5:11;Jeremiah 31:26;Zechariah 4:1;Proverbs 6:4 ("" );Proverbs 6:10 =Proverbs 24:33 (these two of sluggard ; see alsoProverbs 6:9;Proverbs 20:13); note alsoGenesis 31:40 (E)and my sleep fled from mine eyes;Esther 6:1;Proverbs 4:16;Daniel 2:1;Ecclesiastes 8:16;Psalm 132:4 (all of lack of sleep);Psalm 127:2 =he giveth to his beloved in sleep, compare Ges§ 118, 3; of sleep of death (so Arabic
Dozyii. 806)Job 14:12;Psalm 90:5 (compare De Che); so, as accusative of congnate meaning with verb,Psalm 76:6;Jeremiah 51:39,57 (in these two ).
see .
Topical Lexicon
שֵׁנָה
Overview
שֵׁנָה designates natural sleep, yet Scripture employs it to illustrate divine revelation, covenant blessing, moral warning, and even death. The twenty-three occurrences span Torah, Historical Books, Wisdom Literature, Prophets and Exile narratives, underscoring its theological breadth.
Ordinary Rest and Refreshment
Sleep is presented as a good, God-given rhythm of life. “When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you rest, your sleep will be sweet” (Proverbs 3:24). The labourer “sleeps…sweet” regardless of his menu (Ecclesiastes 5:12), and the psalmist affirms, “He gives sleep to His beloved” (Psalm 127:2). Jeremiah’s report, “My sleep had been pleasant to me” (Jeremiah 31:26), follows a vision of promised restoration, implying that enjoyable sleep accompanies covenant hope.
Sleep and Divine Revelation
Sleep becomes a threshold for encounter with the LORD. Jacob awakens at Bethel exclaiming, “Surely the LORD is in this place” (Genesis 28:16). Nebuchadnezzar’s lost sleep (Daniel 2:1) and Zechariah’s angelic awakening (Zechariah 4:1) both precede prophetic disclosure. Thus, God can suspend or bestow sleep to call attention to His purposes.
Sleep Withheld for Providential Intervention
Sleeplessness inEsther 6:1 propels the narrative of Israel’s preservation: “That night sleep escaped the king.” Likewise, Jacob’s toil in harsh conditions is underscored by, “sleep fled from my eyes” (Genesis 31:40). The loss of sleep serves as an instrument in the LORD’s redemptive strategy.
Vulnerability and Moral Danger
Samson’s defeats are framed by sleep (Judges 16:14, 20), warning that complacency in covenant obligation invites loss of strength. Wisdom texts press the point: “Do not love sleep, or you will grow poor” (Proverbs 20:13). Repeated refrains—“A little sleep, a little slumber…” (Proverbs 6:10; 24:33)—make lethargy a metaphor for moral inertia.
Sleep as Metaphor for Death and Judgment
Job declares concerning mankind, “He will not…be roused from his sleep” (Job 14:12).Psalm 76:5 pictures defeated warriors who “have slipped into sleep.” The climactic warnings inJeremiah 51:39, 57 announce a “perpetual sleep” for Babylon’s leaders, signalling irrevocable judgment. Sleep in these contexts is not soul-annihilation but a temporary state awaiting resurrection or final reckoning, cohering with the wider biblical doctrine of bodily resurrection.
Covenant Blessing versus Covenant Curse
The Mosaic and prophetic corpus sets restful sleep alongside covenant fidelity, whereas restless nights attend disobedience, oppression, or looming judgment.Psalm 90:5’s fleeting human lifespan—“You whisk them away in their sleep”—contrasts God’s eternal constancy, urging reverent obedience.
Pastoral and Ministry Implications
1. Encouragement: Believers may receive sleep as a tangible token of God’s care (Psalm 127:2) and need not fear the night (Proverbs 3:24).
2. Watchfulness: Leaders must avoid Samson-like complacency; spiritual vigilance guards the flock.
3. Stewardship of Work: Proverbs balances diligence with rest, instructing godly labor that trusts divine provision.
4. Eschatological Hope: Death’s “sleep” is temporary; the resurrection promises awakening to everlasting life with the Lord.
5. Spiritual Sensitivity: Sleepless stirrings can signal divine prompting for intercession, planning, or repentance.
Summary
שֵׁנָה portrays more than biological rest. It is a sphere where God speaks, tests, blesses, or judges. Properly received, sleep becomes a sacrament of dependence on the Lord; improperly indulged, it illustrates sloth and spiritual blindness. In life, ministry, and eschatology, Scripture calls believers to value sleep as God’s gift while remaining ever awake to His voice.
Forms and Transliterations
וּשְׁנָת֖וֹ וּשְׁנָתִ֖י ושנתו ושנתי מִשְּׁנָת֔וֹ מִשְּׁנָת֗וֹ מִשְּׁנָתֶֽךָ׃ מִשְּׁנָתָֽם׃ מִשְּׁנָתֽוֹ׃ מִשְּׁנָתוֹ֒ משנתו משנתו׃ משנתך׃ משנתם׃ נה נות נתם שְׁ֝נָתָ֗ם שְׁנַ֣ת שְׁנַת־ שְׁנָתִ֖י שְׁנָתֶֽךָ׃ שְׁנָתָ֑ם שֵׁ֭נָה שֵׁ֭נוֹת שֵׁנָ֕ה שֵׁנָ֣ה שֵׁנָֽא׃ שנא׃ שנה שנת שנת־ שנתי שנתך׃ שנתם miš·šə·nā·ṯām miš·šə·nā·ṯe·ḵā miš·šə·nā·ṯōw mishshenaTam mishshenaTecha mishshenaTo miššənāṯām miššənāṯeḵā miššənāṯōw nā·ṯām nah nāh naTam nāṯām nō·wṯ not nōwṯ šê·nā šə·nā·ṯām šə·nā·ṯe·ḵā šə·nā·ṯî šê·nāh šə·naṯ šə·naṯ- šênā šênāh šənaṯ šənaṯ- šənāṯām šənāṯeḵā šənāṯî sheNa sheNah sheNat shenaTam shenaTecha shenaTi ū·šə·nā·ṯî ū·šə·nā·ṯōw ūšənāṯî ūšənāṯōw ushenaTi ushenaTo
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