a.ra.phel denotes dense, obscuring cloud-darkness in scenes of divine presence, storm, and darkness.

The attested noun denotes dense, obscuring cloud-darkness: it surrounds scenes of divine appearance and speech, as in Exodus 20:21 and Deuteronomy 5:22, and it also belongs to descriptions of darkness, gloom, and distress in Isaiah 60:2, Joel 2:2, and Zephaniah 1:15.

1. Dense, obscuring cloud-darkness · dominant

   The masculine singular absolute noun occurs amid fire, cloud, darkness, and divine speech in Deuteronomy 4:11, Deuteronomy 5:22, and Exodus 20:21; in Exodus 20:21 the APB renders the setting as "the thick darkness where God was." It also marks encompassing darkness in Isaiah 60:2 and the repeated descriptions of a day of darkness, cloud, and thick darkness in Joel 2:2 and Zephaniah 1:15.

   Deuteronomy 4:11Deuteronomy 5:22Exodus 20:21Isaiah 60:2Joel 2:2Zephaniah 1:15

In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB commonly presents the term within phrases such as "thick darkness" or "thick cloud," while 1 Kings 8:12 and 2 Chronicles 6:1 render the setting simply as "the cloud." Psalm 18:10 does not visibly supply a corresponding English expression, so the translation does not consistently isolate the noun.