דֹּבֶא
𐤃𐤁𐤀
dôbeʼ
H1679 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A state of calmness or quiet, often indicating rest or lack of disturbance; the word appears in poetic contexts to convey tranquility or peacefulness, and in some cases is associated metaphorically with health or vitality.
Semantic Range
quiet, stillness, rest, inactivity, tranquility, idleness; (poetically) lack of effective help or strength
Root / Etymology
Derived from the root דָּבַב (davav), which has the core idea of moving gently, flowing or being sluggish. The noun דֹּבֶא (dôbeʼ) appears to extend the idea of 'gentle movement' to a figurative sense of stillness, rest, or quiet. The precise formation is rare or possibly from an unused root related to דָּבַב, but the connection is based on comparative Semitic evidence.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term is extremely rare, occurring only once in the Hebrew Bible (Isaiah 30:7), and functions within a poetic passage describing Egypt’s supposed lack of effective action. There it is traditionally translated as 'strength,' but the immediate context supports a metaphorical use meaning 'inactivity,' 'stillness,' or 'idleness.' It contrasts with more common Hebrew terms for strength (e.g., עֹז, כֹּחַ), pointing instead not to physical might but to a passive state. In some modern translations, this nuance is lost or rendered simply as 'strength,' but the sense is closer to a satirical 'inactivity' or 'quietness.' Later Jewish interpreters and the Septuagint understood it as 'help' or 'aid,' though this likely reflects interpretive tradition rather than the original nuance. The root and word do not persist in post-biblical Hebrew, and the term’s meaning is accessed mainly through its poetic context and related Semitic cognates.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root (compare דָּבַב) (probably meaning to be sluggish, i.e. restful); quiet; strength.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
דבב (d-b-b) — to move gently, flow, be sluggish
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1677 | דֹּב | bear |
| H1680 | דָּבַב | gently gliding one |
| H1681 | דִּבָּה | malicious report |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1679-01 |
דָּבְאֶֽ/ךָ | daveekha | HNcmsc/Sp2ms |
so your strength | your quietness | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1679-01 |
Deuteronomy 33:25 | דָּבְאֶֽ/ךָ | daveekha | HNcmsc/Sp2ms |
so your strength | your quietness |