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דֹּחַן

𐤃𐤇𐤍

dôchan

H1764 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A type of cereal grain, identified as 'millet', cultivated and consumed as food in ancient Israel. The term refers to a particular small-seeded grass suitable for dry climates and subsistence agriculture. Its primary use is as a component of grain-based foods, including bread or porridge.

Semantic Range

millet; a specific kind of grain or cereal grass; possibly a general term for secondary or less-common grains

Root / Etymology

Etymology uncertain. The word דֹּחַן is a noun of uncertain derivation, not clearly connected to a known Hebrew root or cognates in Semitic languages.

Historical & Contextual Notes

דֹּחַן appears only in Ezekiel 4:9, within the context of a list of grains used for bread-making during a symbolic prophetic act. The identification of דֹּחַן as 'millet' is based on later post-biblical tradition and on parallels in other ancient Near Eastern contexts, although absolute botanical certainty is unattainable. Ancient translations (such as the Septuagint and Vulgate) render the term variously, sometimes simply repeating the Hebrew or offering generic terms for grain. In the context of Ezekiel, דֹּחַן likely represents a less-preferred or lower-status grain compared to wheat or barley, chosen for its resilience in poor growing conditions. Later rabbinic sources and post-biblical usage confirm the association with millet but do not clarify its precise species. This word should be distinguished from other grain terms such as שְׁעֹרָה (barley) and חִטָּה (wheat); its restricted biblical usage makes broader generalization difficult.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

of uncertain derivation; millet; millet.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

דחן (uncertain) (d-ḥ-n (uncertain)) — millet, cereal grain, staple seed-grass

Root uncertain (uncertain: referent is a grain), to provide staple food, to cultivate edible seed-bearing grass

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H1764-01 וְ/דֹ֣חַן vedochan HC/Ncmsa and millet millet and millet 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H1764-01 Ezekiel 4:9 וְ/דֹ֣חַן vedochan HC/Ncmsa and millet millet and millet
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