What does תְּהוֹם (tĕhwōm) mean in the Bible?
תְּהוֹם (tĕhwōm): Cosmic chaos-water personified; represents untamed, primordial forces opposing divine order and human stability.
Hebrew · H8415
תְּהוֹם
An abyss (as a surging mass of water), especially the deep (the main sea or the subterranean watersupply)
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תְּהוֹםH8415
Pronunciationtĕhwōm
What does תְּהוֹם (tĕhwōm) mean in the Bible?
תְּהוֹם (tĕhwōm): Cosmic chaos-water personified; represents untamed, primordial forces opposing divine order and human stability.
Full entry for תְּהוֹם (H8415) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H8415?
The BSB source-word alignment has 36 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include of the deep (6), deep (5), the deep (4), The depths (4), the watery depths (2).
Where does תְּהוֹם (tĕhwōm) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 1:2. Its strongest book concentrations include Psalms (12), Genesis (4), Job (4), Proverbs (4).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itof the deep6×Genesis 1:2, Genesis 8:2, Job 38:16, Job 38:30
deep5×Genesis 7:11, Psalms 42:7, Isaiah 51:10, Amos 7:4
the deep4×Job 41:32, Ezekiel 26:19, Ezekiel 31:15, Habakkuk 3:10
The depths4×Exodus 15:5, Exodus 15:8, Psalms 33:7, Psalms 77:16
the watery depths2×Proverbs 3:20, Jonah 2:5
through the depths2×Psalms 106:9, Isaiah 63:13
and ocean depths1×Psalms 148:7
and springs1×Deuteronomy 8:7
and the deep waters1×Deuteronomy 33:13
as the seas1×Psalms 78:15
Even from the depths1×Psalms 71:20
it with the deep1×Psalms 104:6
like the deepest sea1×Psalms 36:6
of the depths1×Genesis 49:25
the deep springs1×Ezekiel 31:4
The ocean depths1×Job 28:14
their depths1×Psalms 135:6
to the depths1×Psalms 107:26
watery depths1×Proverbs 8:24
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 1:2תְה֑וֹםtoof the deepNoun - common singularGenesis 7:11תְּה֣וֹםtodeepNoun - common singularGenesis 8:2תְּה֔וֹםtoof the deepNoun - common singularGenesis 49:25תְּה֖וֹםtoof the depthsNoun - common singularExodus 15:5תְּהֹמֹ֖תtoThe depthsNoun - common pluralExodus 15:8תְהֹמֹ֖תtothe depthsNoun - common pluralDeuteronomy 8:7וּתְהֹמֹ֔תtoand springsConjunctive waw | Noun - common pluralDeuteronomy 33:13וּמִתְּה֖וֹםtoand the deep watersConjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - common singularJob 28:14תְּה֣וֹםtoThe ocean depthsNoun - common singularJob 38:16תְּ֝ה֗וֹםtoof the deepNoun - common singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 1:2
Aligned rows36
Books represented11
Genesis4Exodus2Deuteronomy2Job4Psalms12Proverbs4Isaiah2Ezekiel3Amos1Jonah1Habakkuk1
Source forms
תְּה֣וֹם7xtə·hō·wmGenesis 7:11, Job 28:14, Job 41:32, Psalms 36:6
תְּה֔וֹם3xtə·hō·wmGenesis 8:2, Ezekiel 26:19, Ezekiel 31:15
תְּה֖וֹם3xtə·hō·wmGenesis 49:25, Ezekiel 31:4, Jonah 2:5
תְּהוֹמֽוֹת׃2xtə·hō·w·mō·wṯPsalms 33:7, Psalms 135:6
בַּ֝תְּהֹמ֗וֹת1xbat·tə·hō·mō·wṯPsalms 106:9
בַּתְּהֹמ֑וֹת1xbat·tə·hō·mō·wṯIsaiah 63:13
וּמִתְּה֖וֹם1xū·mit·tə·hō·wmDeuteronomy 33:13
וּֽמִתְּהֹמ֥וֹת1xū·mit·tə·hō·mō·wṯPsalms 71:20
Parsing patterns
Noun - common singular21xGenesis 1:2, Genesis 7:11, Genesis 8:2, Genesis 49:25
Noun - common plural9xExodus 15:5, Exodus 15:8, Psalms 33:7, Psalms 77:16
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common plural2xPsalms 106:9, Isaiah 63:13
Conjunctive waw | Noun - common plural1xDeuteronomy 8:7
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - common plural construct1xPsalms 71:20
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - common singular1xDeuteronomy 33:13
Preposition-k | Noun - common plural construct1xPsalms 78:15
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Cosmic chaos-water personified; represents untamed, primordial forces opposing divine order and human stability.
Source Gloss
an abyss (as a surging mass of water), especially the deep (the main sea or the subterranean watersupply)
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Cosmic chaos-water personified; represents untamed, primordial forces opposing divine order and human stability.
an abyss (as a surging mass of water), especially the deep (the main sea or the subterranean watersupply) BDB: deep Usage: deep (place), depth.
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Word Origins
תְּהוֹם is built from this root:
הוּםH1949
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.