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דֶּלֶת

𐤃𐤋𐤕

deleth

H1817 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A movable barrier or panel used to close or cover an entrance, primarily referring to the door of a dwelling or room, but also used for gates or coverings of other openings (e.g., temple, city gates, or metaphorically for something that encloses or protects). The term delineates both literal doors made of wood or other materials and, rarely, figurative 'doors' representing opportunity, access, or restriction.

Semantic Range

door (of house, room, temple, or city gate), gate, door leaf or panel, covering or lid (rare), metaphor for opportunity or access

Root / Etymology

From the root דלה (daláh), whose primary meaning is 'to hang' or 'to draw up' (as in drawing water). The form דֶּלֶת (deleth) developed to refer specifically to a 'hanging' panel or door, emphasizing its movable, swinging nature as a barrier that can be opened or closed.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, דֶּלֶת is the standard term for a door in everyday dwellings (Genesis 19:6, Judges 19:27), sacred buildings (1 Kings 6:31-35), city gates (Nehemiah 3:3, Proverbs 8:3), and other enclosures. The specific construction often involved wood, sometimes with overlay of precious metals (as in Solomon's Temple), and was frequently set on pivots and swung open or closed. While modern English translations often render דֶּלֶת as 'door' or 'gate,' the term primarily describes the movable part itself (the leaf or panel) rather than the entire entryway. In poetic and wisdom literature (e.g., Psalms, Proverbs), the term may bear figurative meanings such as the control of speech (cf. Psalm 141:3) or the concept of access and opportunity (e.g., 'doors of wisdom'). Other Hebrew terms, like פֶּתַח (petach, 'entrance,' 'opening') or שַׁעַר (sha'ar, 'gate'), may overlap in meaning but typically refer to broader features of architecture or fortification. The meaning of דֶּלֶת remains stable from earlier to later biblical texts, though in postbiblical Hebrew, it became the ordinary term for a door in general.

Translation Consistency

primary "door" 14 occurrences

דֶּלֶת most commonly and naturally denotes the physical door or door-panel of a house, room, temple, or gate. The P2 data overwhelmingly uses 'door(s)' and related compounds (door-panel, swinging doors), so 'door' is the clearest, most natural base word that covers the typical literal senses and can be extended to gates or figurative senses (access/opportunity) when context requires.

Alternatives (36 occurrences):
"hanging door-panel" (13x) "hanging door-panels of" (9x) "two hanging door-panels" (4x) "swinging door-panels" (4x) "double swinging-doors" (2x) "swinging door-panels of" (1x) "gates of" (1x) "gates" (1x) "door-panels" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from דָּלָה; something swinging, i.e. the valve of adoor; door (two-leaved), gate, leaf, lid. (Psalm 141:3).

Bantu Hebrew

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

Root Family

דלה (Delayah) — to draw up, to lift, to extract

Root דלה to hang, to swing, to draw up
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1802 דָּלָה he drew up
H1803 דַּלָּה dangling strand of
H1805 דְּלִי from his two drawing-buckets
H1806 דְּלָיָה Yah Has Drawn Up
H1808 דָּלִיָּה his hanging branches

Word Forms

32 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H1817-07 דַּלְת֣וֹת daletot HNcfpc the doors hanging door-panels of hanging door-panels of 18
H1817-20 הַ/דֶּ֤לֶת hadelet HTd/Ncfsa the door the hanging door-panel the hanging door-panel 14
H1817-11 דְּלָתַ֥יִם delatayim HNcfda gates two hanging door-panels two hanging door-panels 8
H1817-09 דַּלְתוֹתָ֨י/ו daletotayv HNcfpc/Sp3ms its doors his hanging door-panels its doors 7
H1817-15 דְּלָת֛וֹת delatot HNcfpa doors swinging door-panels swinging door-panels 6
H1817-19 הַ/דְּלָת֑וֹת hadelatot HTd/Ncfpa the doors the hanging door-panels the hanging door-panels 3
H1817-06 דַּלְתֵ֣י daletey HNcfdc doors two hanging door-panels of two doors of 2
H1817-13 דְּלָתֶ֔י/הָ delateyha HNcfdc/Sp3fs its gates her double swinging-doors her double swinging-doors 2
H1817-18 הַ/דָּֽלֶת hadalet HTd/Ncfsa the door the hanging door the door 2
H1817-23 לְ/דַלְת֧וֹת ledaletot HR/Ncfpc for-doors-of-it to the swinging-doors of for the doors of 2

Occurrences in Scripture

89 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H1817-32 Genesis 19:6 וְ/הַ/דֶּ֖לֶת vehadelet HC/Td/Ncfsa and the door and the hanging door-panel and the door
H1817-18 Genesis 19:9 הַ/דָּֽלֶת hadalet HTd/Ncfsa the door the hanging door the door
H1817-20 Genesis 19:10 הַ/דֶּ֖לֶת hadelet HTd/Ncfsa the door the hanging door-panel the hanging door-panel
H1817-20 Exodus 21:6 הַ/דֶּ֔לֶת hadelet HTd/Ncfsa the door the hanging door-panel the hanging door-panel
H1817-11 Deuteronomy 3:5 דְּלָתַ֣יִם delatayim HNcfda gates two hanging door-panels two hanging door-panels
H1817-28 Deuteronomy 15:17 וּ/בַ/דֶּ֔לֶת uvadelet HC/Rd/Ncfsa and into the door and in the hanging-door and in the door
H1817-25 Joshua 2:19 מִ/דַּלְתֵ֨י midaletey HR/Ncfdc from the doors of from the two swinging door-panels of from the doors of
H1817-13 Joshua 6:26 דְּלָתֶֽי/הָ delateyha HNcfdc/Sp3fs its gates her double swinging-doors her double swinging-doors
H1817-07 Judges 3:23 דַּלְת֧וֹת daletot HNcfpc the doors hanging door-panels of hanging door-panels of
H1817-07 Judges 3:24 דַּלְת֥וֹת daletot HNcfpc doors hanging door-panels of hanging door-panels of
H1817-07 Judges 3:25 דַּלְת֣וֹת daletot HNcfpc the doors hanging door-panels of the doors of
H1817-25 Judges 11:31 מִ/דַּלְתֵ֤י midaletey HR/Ncfdc of the doors from the two swinging door-panels of from the doors of
H1817-03 Judges 16:3 בְּ/דַלְת֤וֹת bedaletot HR/Ncfpc the doors in swinging door-panels of in swinging door-panels of
H1817-18 Judges 19:22 הַ/דָּ֑לֶת hadalet HTd/Ncfsa the door the hanging door the door
H1817-07 Judges 19:27 דַּלְת֣וֹת daletot HNcfpc the doors hanging door-panels of the doors of
H1817-07 1 Samuel 3:15 דַּלְת֣וֹת daletot HNcfpc the doors hanging door-panels of hanging door-panels of
H1817-07 1 Samuel 21:14 דַּלְת֣וֹת daletot HNcfpc the doors hanging door-panels of hanging door-panels of
H1817-11 1 Samuel 23:7 דְּלָתַ֥יִם delatayim HNcfda with gates two hanging door-panels two hanging door-panels
H1817-20 2 Samuel 13:17 הַ/דֶּ֖לֶת hadelet HTd/Ncfsa the door the hanging door-panel the hanging door-panel
H1817-20 2 Samuel 13:18 הַ/דֶּ֖לֶת hadelet HTd/Ncfsa the-door the hanging door-panel the hanging door-panel
H1817-07 1 Kings 6:31 דַּלְת֣וֹת daletot HNcfpc doors hanging door-panels of hanging door-panels of
H1817-07 1 Kings 6:32 דַּלְת֣וֹת daletot HNcfpc doors hanging door-panels of hanging door-panels of
H1817-07 1 Kings 6:34 דַלְת֖וֹת daletot HNcfpc doors hanging door-panels of hanging door-panels of
H1817-20 1 Kings 6:34 הַ/דֶּ֤לֶת hadelet HTd/Ncfsa door the hanging door-panel the hanging door-panel
H1817-20 1 Kings 6:34 הַ/דֶּ֥לֶת hadelet-2 HTd/Ncfsa door the hanging door-panel the hanging door-panel
H1817-23 1 Kings 7:50 לְ/דַלְתוֹת֩ ledaletot HR/Ncfpc for the doors to the swinging-doors of for the doors of
H1817-22 1 Kings 7:50 לְ/דַלְתֵ֥י ledaletey HR/Ncfdc for the doors to the two door-panels of for the doors of
H1817-13 1 Kings 16:34 דְּלָתֶ֔י/הָ delateyha HNcfdc/Sp3fs its gates her double swinging-doors her double swinging-doors
H1817-20 2 Kings 4:4 הַ/דֶּ֨לֶת֙ hadelet HTd/Ncfsa the door the hanging door-panel the hanging door-panel
H1817-20 2 Kings 4:5 הַ/דֶּ֔לֶת hadelet HTd/Ncfsa the door the hanging door-panel the hanging door-panel
H1817-20 2 Kings 4:33 הַ/דֶּ֖לֶת hadelet HTd/Ncfsa the door the hanging door-panel the hanging door-panel
H1817-20 2 Kings 6:32 הַ/דֶּ֨לֶת֙ hadelet HTd/Ncfsa the door the hanging door-panel the hanging door-panel
H1817-01 2 Kings 6:32 בַּ/דֶּ֔לֶת badelet HRd/Ncfsa at the door hanging door-panel at the door
H1817-20 2 Kings 9:3 הַ/דֶּ֛לֶת hadelet HTd/Ncfsa the door the hanging door-panel the hanging door-panel
H1817-20 2 Kings 9:10 הַ/דֶּ֖לֶת hadelet HTd/Ncfsa the door the hanging door-panel the hanging door-panel
H1817-02 2 Kings 12:10 בְּ/דַלְתּ֑/וֹ bedaleto HR/Ncfsc/Sp3ms in its lid in his swinging door-panel in its door
H1817-07 2 Kings 18:16 דַּלְת֨וֹת daletot HNcfpc the doors hanging door-panels of hanging door-panels of
H1817-17 Isaiah 26:20 דלתי/ך dltykh HNcfpc/Sp2ms your doors your hanging door-panels your doors
H1817-12 Isaiah 26:20 דְּלָתְ/ךָ֖ delatekha HNcfsc/Sp2ms your door your swinging door your door
H1817-11 Isaiah 45:1 דְּלָתַ֔יִם delatayim HNcfda doors two hanging door-panels two hanging door-panels
H1817-07 Isaiah 45:2 דַּלְת֤וֹת daletot HNcfpc doors hanging door-panels of hanging door-panels of
H1817-20 Isaiah 57:8 הַ/דֶּ֨לֶת֙ hadelet HTd/Ncfsa the door the hanging door-panel the hanging door-panel
H1817-15 Jeremiah 36:23 דְּלָתוֹת֮ delatot HNcfpa columns swinging door-panels swinging door-panels
H1817-11 Jeremiah 49:31 דְלָתַ֧יִם delatayim HNcfda gates two hanging door-panels two hanging door-panels
H1817-07 Ezekiel 26:2 דַּלְת֥וֹת daletot HNcfpc the gates hanging door-panels of gates of
H1817-26 Ezekiel 38:11 וּ/דְלָתַ֖יִם udelatayim HC/Ncfda and gates two swinging door-panels and gates
H1817-15 Ezekiel 41:23 דְּלָת֛וֹת delatot HNcfpa doors swinging door-panels swinging door-panels
H1817-15 Ezekiel 41:24 דְּלָת֖וֹת delatot HNcfpa doors swinging door-panels swinging door-panels
H1817-21 Ezekiel 41:24 לַ/דְּלָת֑וֹת ladelatot HRd/Ncfpa to-the-doors to the swinging-doors to the door-panels
H1817-15 Ezekiel 41:24 דְּלָת֔וֹת delatot-2 HNcfpa doors swinging door-panels swinging door-panels
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