דֳּכִי
𐤃𐤊𐤉
dŏkîy
H1796 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Refers specifically to the breaking or crashing force of a wave, emphasizing the moment of impact or the resulting spray and tumult from surf or breakers. The term is often used metaphorically to evoke the overwhelming or destructive power of waters, and by extension, of hardship or calamity encountered by individuals or communities.
Semantic Range
a crashing or dashing wave, the violent impact of surf, breaker; metaphor for overwhelming calamity or hardship, poetic description of destructive force
Root / Etymology
From the root דכה (dkh), meaning 'to crush, to break, to be bruised.' The nominal form דֳּכִי retains the core notion of violent force, here used to describe the action of waves as they dash or break upon rocks or shorelines. The word encapsulates the idea of impact, destruction, or being overwhelmed, derived from the root's emphasis on crushing or smashing.
Historical & Contextual Notes
דֳּכִי appears sparingly in the Hebrew Bible (notably in Psalm 42:8) and is used poetically to convey the intensity of external forces—here, the waves and breakers as a metaphor for experiences of affliction or overwhelming distress. Its usage is distinct from other Hebrew terms for wave (such as גַּל, gal) in that דֳּכִי highlights the violent action or the impact of crashing waves, not merely their existence or movement. The translation 'wave' in some English Bibles is technically correct, but may underrepresent the term's vivid sense of forceful dashing or battering. In later literature and Rabbinic usage, the term is rare and remains poetic. There is no evidence it directly referred to people or groups (unlike certain related roots). Use in the Psalms typifies exilic and post-exilic metaphorical usage for spiritual or emotional turmoil.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from דָּכָה; a dashing of surf; wave.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
דכה (d-k-h) — to crush, to break, to smash
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1790 | דַּךְ | his crushed ones |
| H1794 | דָּכָה | you crushed down |
| H1795 | דַּכָּה | crushed one |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1796-01 |
דָּכְיָֽ/ם | dakheyam | HNcmsc/Sp3mp |
their pounding waves | their crushing breaker | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1796-01 |
Psalms 93:3 | דָּכְיָֽ/ם | dakheyam | HNcmsc/Sp3mp |
their pounding waves | their crushing breaker |