דְּאָבָה
𐤃𐤀𐤁𐤄
dᵉʼâbâh
H1670 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A state of emotional or physical fading, languishing, or wasting away, particularly as a result of anxiety, longing, or sorrow. The term conveys a sense of deep inner depletion, whether from grief, distress, or profound desire, rather than fleeting sadness or fear. In context, it is used to describe the debilitating effects of intense inner turmoil, worry, or yearning.
Semantic Range
languishing, faintness (of spirit or heart), pining, wasting away internally, consuming sorrow, debilitating anxiety, emotional collapse
Root / Etymology
From the root דאב (ד-א-ב), which in verb form means 'to faint', 'to languish', 'to pine away', or 'to waste away', primarily in reference to emotional or physical weakness due to prolonged distress. דְּאָבָה is a feminine noun derived from this root, serving as an abstract or collective term for the internal state effected by such languishing.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In biblical usage, דְּאָבָה appears in contexts describing the suffering or inner collapse of individuals under oppressive circumstances (e.g., Deuteronomy 28:65, Proverbs 13:12). The term does not simply refer to everyday sadness or fear, but to a more profound, often protracted emotional deterioration—a wasting away of the 'heart' or spirit under adversity or deferred hope. It differs from related terms like תַּעֲנִית (affliction, self-denial) or עָצֵב (sorrow, grief), in that דְּאָבָה particularly highlights the internal, consuming nature of the suffering, especially as it erodes vitality. English translations sometimes render it as 'sorrow', 'faintness', or 'despair', but these do not always capture its full depth of meaning. The word's usage does not shift dramatically across biblical periods, though its association with exile and divine judgment is pronounced in exilic and post-exilic literature.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from דָּאַב; properly, pining; by analogy, fear; sorrow.
Bantu Hebrew
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+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
דאב (d-ʾ-b) — to languish, to waste away, to faint
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1670-01 |
דְּאָבָֽה | deavah | HNcfsa |
terror | inner wasting-away | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1670-01 |
Job 41:14 | דְּאָבָֽה | deavah | HNcfsa |
terror | inner wasting-away |