Dusk, often referred to as the time of evening twilight, is the period following sunset and preceding nightfall. In biblical times, dusk held significant cultural and religious importance, marking the transition from the activities of the day to the rest and reflection of the night. The Bible frequently references this time of day, often symbolizing the end of a period or the onset of a new phase.

Biblical References:

1. Genesis 24:63 · "And Isaac went out to meditate in the field toward evening; and he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, camels were coming."
In this passage, dusk is depicted as a time for meditation and reflection. Isaac's evening walk in the field suggests a period of contemplation and spiritual connection, a practice that aligns with the biblical theme of seeking God during quiet and transitional times.

2. Joshua 10:26-27 · "After this, Joshua struck them down and killed them, and he hung their bodies on five trees, and they were left hanging on the trees until evening. At sunset, Joshua commanded that they be taken down from the trees and thrown into the cave where they had hidden."
Here, dusk signifies the completion of a judgment. The removal of the bodies at sunset underscores the importance of adhering to the law, as Deuteronomy 21:23 commands that a body should not remain on a tree overnight.

3. Nehemiah 4:21 · "So we continued the work, while half of the men held spears from the break of dawn until the stars came out."
This verse highlights the industrious nature of the Israelites, working from dawn until dusk. The mention of stars coming out indicates the end of the workday, emphasizing the dedication and perseverance of the people in rebuilding Jerusalem's walls.

4. Psalm 104:19-23 · "He made the moon to mark the seasons; the sun knows when to set. You bring darkness, and it becomes night, when all the beasts of the forest prowl. The young lions roar for their prey and seek their food from God. The sun rises, and they withdraw; they lie down in their dens. Man goes out to his work and to his labor until evening."
This passage poetically describes the natural order established by God, with dusk serving as a boundary between the activities of day and night. It reflects the rhythm of creation, where both man and beast have their appointed times for labor and rest.

Symbolism and Themes:

· Transition and Reflection: Dusk is often a metaphor for transition, a time to reflect on the day's events and prepare for the night. It symbolizes the end of a period and the anticipation of what is to come.

· Judgment and Mercy: The Bible sometimes associates dusk with judgment, as seen in the removal of bodies at sunset. This practice reflects the balance of justice and mercy, adhering to divine law while respecting the dignity of life.

· Divine Order: The regularity of dusk and dawn underscores the divine order of creation. It serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty over time and the natural world, as well as His provision for all creatures.

In biblical literature, dusk is more than just a time of day; it is a moment rich with spiritual significance, offering opportunities for reflection, obedience, and recognition of God's eternal order.1. (a.) Tending to darkness or blackness; moderately dark or black; dusky.

2. (n.) Imperfect obscurity; a middle degree between light and darkness; twilight; as, the dusk of the evening.

3. (n.) A darkish color.

4. (v. t.) To make dusk.

5. (v. i.) To grow dusk.

5399. nesheph -- twilight
... From nashaph; properly, a breeze, ie (by implication) dusk (when the evening breeze
prevails) -- dark, dawning of the day (morning), night, twilight. ...
/hebrew/5399.htm - 6k

6153. ereb -- evening
... day, evening, tide, night. From arab; dusk -- + day, even(-ing, tide), night. see
HEBREW arab. 6152b, 6153. ereb. 6154 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/6153.htm - 6k

652. ophel -- darkness, gloom
... darkness, obscurity, privily. From the same as 'aphel; dusk -- darkness, obscurity,
privily. see HEBREW 'aphel. 651, 652. ophel. 653 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/652.htm - 6k

5939. alatah -- thick darkness
... dark, twilight. Feminine from an unused root meaning to cover; dusk -- dark,
twilight. 5938, 5939. alatah. 5940 . Strong's Numbers.
/hebrew/5939.htm - 5k

The Heir to the Throne
... The king was at prayers in the temple of his father, close to the palace, and the
dusk of twilight was settling on the valley of the Nile, before Loi was ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the yoke/chapter v the heir to.htm

(And Last): Homeward Bound
... There was Morrison's"our good Scotch host of seven weeks since; and the glasses
were turned on it, to see, if possible, through the dusk, the almond-tree and ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter xvii and last homeward.htm

Night
... He had made the tomb a home for her, he had knelt on its rock pavement and kissed
her hands in its dusk and had passed its threshold, like a shadow, to return ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the yoke/chapter xxxiv night.htm

The Debt of Israel
... The dusk settled down over the valley. ... Rachel, startled out of her dream, hesitated,
her face coloring hotly, though unseen, beneath the kindly dusk of night. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the yoke/chapter x the debt of.htm

Departure from Ireland. Death and Burial at Clairvaux.
... 73. Towards the dusk of night, when now somehow the celebration of the day had been
finished by us, Malachy had drawn near, not to dusk but to dawn. ...
/.../chapter viii departure from ireland.htm

Expatriation
... Jambres beheld him recede into the dusk and wavered. "Stay!" he called. Kenkenes
stopped. "Wilt thou swear fidelity by the holy Name?". ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the yoke/chapter xlii expatriation.htm

The Blessedness of Possessing Nothing
... Men have now by nature no peace within their hearts, for God is crowned there no
longer, but there in the moral dusk stubborn and aggressive usurpers fight ...
/.../tozer/the pursuit of god/ii the blessedness of possessing.htm

Victory Found
... One day (I can never forget it), as I sat inside the house by a paper window at
dusk, two Chinese Christian women sat down on the other side. ...
/.../goforth/how i know god answers prayer/x victory found.htm

In the Sunless Crypt
... took one of the older women and timidly climbing the steps from which the rubbish
had been pushed away by the climbing hundreds, went through the dusk of the ...
/.../miller/the city of delight/chapter xviii in the sunless.htm

As the Foam Upon Water
... Laodice, sensing something climacteric in his atmosphere, kept aloof from him, and
regarded him from the dusk of her corner with wonder and a pity that she ...
//christianbookshelf.org/miller/the city of delight/chapter xx as the foam.htm

Dusk (21 Occurrences)
... 2. (n.) Imperfect obscurity; a middle degree between light and darkness; twilight;
as, the dusk of the evening. 3. (n.) A darkish color. 4. (vt) To make dusk. ...
/d/dusk.htm - 12k

Dusky (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary 1. (a.) Partially dark or obscure; not luminous;
dusk; as, a dusky valley. 2. (a.) Tending to blackness ...
/d/dusky.htm - 7k

Durst (9 Occurrences)

/d/durst.htm - 9k

Nighttime (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (n.) The time from dusk to dawn; -- opposed to
daytime. Multi-Version Concordance Nighttime (1 Occurrence). ...
/n/nighttime.htm - 6k

Night (3322 Occurrences)
... 1. (n.) That part of the natural day when the sun is beneath the horizon, or the
time from sunset to sunrise; esp., the time between dusk and dawn, when there ...
/n/night.htm - 15k

Bat (2 Occurrences)
... The insect bats, as in other countries, flit about at dusk and through the night
catching mosquitoes and larger insects, and so are distinctly beneficial. ...
/b/bat.htm - 10k

Extremity (46 Occurrences)
... 2 Kings 7:5 And they rose up in the dusk to go to the camp of the Syrians; and they
came to the extremity of the camp of the Syrians; and behold, there was no ...
/e/extremity.htm - 22k

Accordance (118 Occurrences)
... Numbers 9:3 In the fourteenth day of this month, at dusk, ye shall keep it in its
appointed season; according to all the statutes of it, and according to all ...
/a/accordance.htm - 37k

Israelites (468 Occurrences)
... Speak unto them, saying: At dusk ye shall eat flesh, and in the morning ye shall
be filled with bread; and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God.' (See NIV ...
/i/israelites.htm - 35k

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