Hebrew word · Strong's H216

אוֹר

ʼôwr · ore · noun · “light”

In a sentence

Or means light — God’s first creative word, and one of the Bible’s great metaphors for his presence, truth, and salvation.

Or is light — physical and spiritual at once. God’s first creative word is “Let there be light (or),” and light becomes a key image of his presence and goodness throughout Scripture.

The Psalms call him “my light and my salvation”; Isaiah speaks of a great light dawning on those in darkness. The New Testament identifies that light with Jesus, “the light of the world,” and his followers as lights in their turn.

Strong's reference

Definition: illumination or (concrete) luminary (in every sense, including lightning, happiness, etc.)

KJV usage: bright, clear, [phrase] day, light (-ning), morning, sun.

Reference gloss from Strong's Concordance (1890, public domain).

Key verses BSB · Public Domain (CC0)

Genesis 1:3 “And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.” Psalms 27:1 “The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life— whom shall I dread?” Isaiah 9:2 “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned.”

Original BibleDawn word study. Original-language data and the public-domain Strong's (1890) gloss are referenced; see sources.