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דְּבֵלָה

𐤃𐤁𐤋𐤄

dᵉbêlâh

H1690 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A cake or mass of pressed figs, typically formed by compacting multiple figs into a lump or block for storage, preservation, or consumption; refers specifically to a foodstuff made by pressing together figs into a dense, portable unit.

Semantic Range

cake of pressed figs, fig cake, pressed mass of figs, lump or block of figs, foodstuff for storage, medical poultice

Root / Etymology

From an uncertain root, possibly related to the root זבל (zbl, 'to heap, pile up'), suggesting the idea of pressing or compacting. The word itself is a noun denoting the product resulting from pressing figs together. Root association with זבל is based on phonetic similarity and the shared notion of aggregation or compaction, but the root דבל is otherwise unattested in biblical Hebrew outside this noun.

Historical & Contextual Notes

דְּבֵלָה is attested in the Hebrew Bible as a food product prepared and stored in ancient Israelite society, mentioned in contexts of nutrition and healing (e.g., 1 Samuel 25:18; 1 Samuel 30:12; 2 Kings 20:7; Isaiah 38:21). Unlike fresh figs (תאנה, te'enah), דְּבֵלָה refers to figs after processing—specifically, after they have been pressed and compacted into a cake form. This allowed storage, transport, and use as a staple or provision, especially in times of scarcity or travel. In some passages (e.g., medical application to Hezekiah’s boil), the cake of figs was applied as a poultice, suggesting traditional medicinal use. While most English translations render it as 'cake of figs', the term describes a specific method of food preparation familiar in the ancient Near East. This differs from uncompacted figs or other ancient dried fruits, highlighting both the process and the resultant form. Later translations or interpretations have sometimes narrowly called it a 'cake' or 'lump' of figs, but the emphasis is on the collective, compressed nature of the food over its shape or culinary sophistication. There is no evidence the term ever refers to other foods or cakes not involving figs.

Translation Consistency

primary "fig cake" 0 occurrences

Natural, plain English that captures the typical sense — a cake or compacted mass of figs. More specific and readable than just “pressed” and better conveys the noun’s identity than alternatives like “fig paste” or “pressed-fig.” Usable consistently for singular/plural and for both food and occasional medicinal sense (poultice).

Alternatives (5 occurrences):
"pressed fig-cakes" (2x) "pressed-fig cake of" (2x) "pressed-fig cake" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from an unused root (akin to זָבַל) probably meaning to press together; a cake of pressed figs; cake (lump) of figs.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

דבל (Divelayim) — to press together, to compact, to heap

Root דבל to press together, to compact, to heap
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1691 דִּבְלַיִם Two Fig-Cakes

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H1690-02 דְּבֶ֣לֶת develet HNcfsc a cake of pressed-fig cake of pressed-fig cake of 2
H1690-03 דְּבֵלִ֨ים develim HNcfpa cakes of figs pressed fig-cakes pressed fig-cakes 2
H1690-01 דְּבֵלָ֜ה develah HNcfsa of a cake of figs pressed-fig cake pressed-fig cake 1

Occurrences in Scripture

5 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H1690-03 1 Samuel 25:18 דְּבֵלִ֑ים develim HNcfpa cakes of figs pressed fig-cakes pressed fig-cakes
H1690-01 1 Samuel 30:12 דְּבֵלָ֜ה develah HNcfsa of a cake of figs pressed-fig cake pressed-fig cake
H1690-02 2 Kings 20:7 דְּבֶ֣לֶת develet HNcfsc a lump/cake pressed-fig cake of pressed-fig cake of
H1690-02 Isaiah 38:21 דְּבֶ֣לֶת develet HNcfsc a cake of pressed-fig cake of pressed-fig cake of
H1690-03 1 Chronicles 12:41 דְּבֵלִ֨ים develim HNcfpa cakes of figs pressed fig-cakes pressed fig-cakes
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