In the Bible, sleep is portrayed in various contexts and holds diverse implications. It is seen as a gift from God, an essential part of human life, which is to be valued. As indicated in Psalm 127:2, sleep is presented as a divine gift to those He loves and not the result of laborious efforts or anxiety.
Proverbs 3:24 mentions that when in a state of tranquility and security, one’s sleep will be sweet. The Bible also uses sleep as a metaphor for spiritual complacency or laziness, warning against excessive sleep and idleness that could lead to poverty.
Scriptures about Sleep
Psalm 127:2
“It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.”
Psalm 4:8
“In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.”
Ecclesiastes 5:12
“Sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich will not let him sleep.”
Job 7:21
“Why do you not pardon my transgression and take away my iniquity? For now I shall lie in the earth; you will seek me, but I will not be.”
Proverbs 20:13
“Love not sleep, lest you come to poverty; open your eyes, and you will have plenty of bread.”
Psalm 121:4
“Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.”
1 Kings 19:5
“And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, ‘Arise and eat.'”
Psalm 3:5
“I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the LORD sustained me.”
Jeremiah 31:26
“At this I awoke and looked, and my sleep was pleasant to me.”
Job 33:15
“In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, while they slumber on their beds.”
Proverbs 6:9-10
“How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest.”
Psalm 91:5
“You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day.”
Mark 4:38
“But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?'”
Psalm 139:12
“Even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.”
Daniel 2:1
“In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his spirit was troubled, and his sleep left him.”
Proverbs 24:33-34
“A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.”
Matthew 8:24
“And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep.”
Acts 12:6
“Now when Herod was about to bring him out, on that very night, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison.”
Final Thoughts about Sleep in the Bible
In the Old Testament, sleep symbolizes death in several instances, and God’s power to awaken from sleep parallels the resurrection (1 Kings 19:5). Another important aspect is the divine revelations and messages conveyed through dreams during sleep (Job 33:15, Daniel 2:1).
In closing, the Bible presents sleep not just as a physiological necessity, but also as a spiritual metaphor and a medium for divine communication.
