a secret or mystery (through the idea of silence imposed by initiation into religious rites)

1. hidden thing, secret, mystery

a. generally mysteries, religious secrets, confided only to the initiated and not to ordinary mortals

b. a hidden or secret thing, not obvious to the understanding

c. a hidden purpose or counsel

1. secret will 1c

d. of men 1c

e. of God: the secret counsels which govern God in dealing with the righteous, which are hidden from ungodly and wicked men but plain to the godly

2. in rabbinic writings, it denotes the mystic or hidden sense

a. of an OT saying

b. of an image or form seen in a vision

c. of a dream