Tardemah (H8639) is the 'deep sleep' that falls upon a person — often divinely induced for prophetic vision or covenant transaction. God caused a tardemah to fall upon Adam during the creation of Eve (Gen 2:21) and upon Abraham during the covenant ceremony of Genesis 15:12. The word appears in Job 4:13 (Eliphaz's night vision), Isaiah 29:10 (the spirit of deep sleep as judgment), and Proverbs 19:15 (deep sleep as the result of sloth).
Tardemah carries profound theological weight. The deep sleep that fell on Adam during Eve's creation is a type of the death-sleep of Christ from whose wounded side the Church — His bride — was formed. The deep sleep on Abraham during the covenant ceremony (Gen 15) is significant: God alone passed between the animal pieces, making the covenant unconditional — if either party broke it, the curse would fall on God Himself. This is fulfilled at the cross. Tardemah also appears as judgment (Isa 29:10): when God's people reject His word, He allows spiritual stupor to overtake them. Sleep and awakening become profound spiritual metaphors throughout Scripture.