Bible Encyclopedias
Shadow of Death

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

( צלמות , calmāweth ): The Hebrew word translated "shadow of death" is used poetically for thick darkness ( Job 3:5 ), as descriptive of Sheol (Job 10:21 f; Job 12:22; Job 38:17 ); figuratively of deep distress ( Job 12:22; Job 16:16; Job 24:17 twice; Job 28:3; Job 34:22 (in the last three passages the American Standard Revised Version has "thick darkness" and "thick gloom"); Psalm 23:4 , the Revised Version margin "deep darkness (and so elsewhere)"; Psalm 44:19; Psalm 107:10 , Psalm 107:14; Isaiah 9:2; Jeremiah 2:6; Jeremiah 13:16; Amos 5:8; Matthew 4:16; Luke 1:79 , skiá thanátou ). The Hebrew word is perhaps composed of cēl , "shadow," and māweth , "death," and the idea of "the valley of the shadow of death" was most probably derived from the deep ravines, darkened by over-hanging briars, etc., through which the shepherd had sometimes to lead or drive his sheep to new and better pastures.