דָּם
𐤃𐤌
dâm
H1818 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
'Blood'—the vital fluid of humans and animals. Used concretely for physical blood in the body or shed in injury or sacrifice; also refers to life itself as represented by blood, bloodshed (especially as the taking of life or acts of violence), and metaphorically for guilt incurred by violence. In poetic or extended contexts, can signify the life force or mortality. In rare analogical usage, refers to grape juice as a symbol of blood, especially in ritual or poetic passages.
Semantic Range
physical blood (in humans or animals), the life or vitality of living beings, blood shed in violence, murder, bloodguilt, drops of blood, figurative for ‘life’ or ‘death’, grape juice as an analogical or metonymic expression, poetic for mortality or fate
Root / Etymology
From the root דָּם (dam), possibly related to the notion of 'redness' or 'color' (cf. אָדָם [ʼadam], 'human, person'), but etymology uncertain; not derived from דָּמַם ('to be silent, still'), despite superficial resemblance. The noun דָּם primarily refers to 'blood,' while other related terms focus on different nuances of life, mortality, or human origin.
Historical & Contextual Notes
Across biblical literature, דָּם has both literal and highly symbolic functions. In legal and ritual texts (e.g., Leviticus), blood signifies life—and thus is central to sacrificial laws and prohibitions on consuming blood. The shedding of blood denotes violence or homicide, and 'innocent blood' refers to the guilt of killing someone unjustly. The association with life underlies many purity laws. In poetic and prophetic books, דָּם expands to metaphorical uses, including 'bloodguilt' or vengeance. Later translation traditions sometimes render the term as 'bloodguilt' or even more generically as 'violence.' The Aramaic cognate and Ancient Near Eastern parallels confirm the centrality of blood as representing both literal substance and the essence of life. The usage does not always map directly to later theological meanings attached to 'blood'; the Hebrew context must guide interpretation.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from דָּמַם (compare אָדַם); blood (as that which when shed causes death) of man or an animal; by analogy, the juice of the grape; figuratively (especially in the plural) bloodshed (i.e. drops of blood); blood(-y, -guiltiness, (-thirsty), [phrase] innocent.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
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דם (d-m) — blood, redness, life-fluid
Word Forms
50 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1818-10 |
דַּ֣ם | dam | HNcmsc |
blood | blood of | 76 |
H1818-25 |
הַ/דָּ֖ם | hadam | HTd/Ncmsa |
the blood | the blood | 66 |
H1818-20 |
דָמ֖/וֹ | damo | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
his blood | his blood | 24 |
H1818-19 |
דָּמִ֛ים | damim | HNcmpa |
blood | bloods | 20 |
H1818-32 |
מִ/דַּ֣ם | midam | HR/Ncmsc |
some of the blood | from blood | 20 |
H1818-43 |
וְ/דַם | vedam | HC/Ncmsc |
and blood | and blood-of | 14 |
H1818-03 |
בְּ/דַם֙ | bedam | HR/Ncmsc |
in blood | in blood | 12 |
H1818-21 |
דְּמֵ֣י | demey | HNcmpc |
blood | bloods of | 12 |
H1818-29 |
לְ/דָ֖ם | ledam | HR/Ncmsa |
to blood | to blood | 11 |
H1818-12 |
דָּמָ/ם֙ | damam | HNcmsc/Sp3mp |
their blood | their blood | 8 |
Occurrences in Scripture
361 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1818-21 |
Genesis 4:10 | דְּמֵ֣י | demey | HNcmpc |
of your bloods | bloods of |
H1818-21 |
Genesis 4:11 | דְּמֵ֥י | demey | HNcmpc |
blood | bloods of |
H1818-20 |
Genesis 9:4 | דָמ֖/וֹ | damo | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
its blood | his blood |
H1818-23 |
Genesis 9:5 | דִּמְ/כֶ֤ם | dimekhem | HNcmsc/Sp2mp |
your blood | your blood |
H1818-10 |
Genesis 9:6 | דַּ֣ם | dam | HNcmsc |
blood | blood of |
H1818-20 |
Genesis 9:6 | דָּמ֣/וֹ | damo | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
his blood | his blood |
H1818-10 |
Genesis 37:22 | דָם֒ | dam | HNcmsa |
blood | blood of |
H1818-20 |
Genesis 37:26 | דָּמֽ/וֹ | damo | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
his blood | his blood |
H1818-01 |
Genesis 37:31 | בַּ/דָּֽם | badam | HRd/Ncmsa |
in the blood | in the blood |
H1818-20 |
Genesis 42:22 | דָּמ֖/וֹ | damo | HNcmsc/Sp3ms |
his blood | his blood |