דָּמָה (H1819) — Hebrew Lexicon

דָּמָה

𐤃𐤌𐤄

dâmâh

H1819 verb

SILEX Entry

Root דמה to be like, resemble, compare, imagine, consider

Definition

To be like, resemble, or compare; to consider or think; to devise or imagine. דָּמָה primarily denotes the process of perceiving similarity or correspondence, either in direct comparison (to be like, to resemble), in thought (to consider, to think about in terms of analogy or likeness), or in literary/prophetic usage (to devise, to use figurative language or imagery).

Semantic Range

to be like, to resemble, to become like, to liken, to compare, to consider, to devise, to imagine, to use figurative language or analogy

Root / Etymology

From the root דמה, meaning to be like, resemble, or compare. The verb derives from the root's core idea of similarity or likeness and extends semantically to mental or literary processes of making comparisons or analogies.

Historical & Contextual Notes

דָּמָה appears most often in poetry and prophetic literature, where it can refer both to actual resemblance (humans compared to plants or animals, for example) and to the act of making comparisons or analogies, especially in parables and oracles (as seen in Hosea 12:11, 'I have used similitudes by the prophets'). In some places, particularly in later literature, דָּמָה is used also for 'considering' or 'thinking about,' reflecting an extension from external resemblance to the sphere of cognitive or imaginative analogy. While some English translations equate the verb with 'using a parable,' its Hebrew semantic field is broader, encompassing the general process of analogical thinking and imagining. דָּמָה is distinct from similar roots like משל (mashal), which specifically denotes a proverb or parable and its use in teaching. Over time (especially post-exilic), the term acquires more of a cognitive or intellectual sense of 'consider,' rather than solely a physical or external likeness.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to compare; by implication, to resemble, liken, consider; compare, devise, (be) like(-n), mean, think, use similitudes.

Bantu Hebrew

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

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

דמה (d-m-h) — be like, resemble, compare, imagine, consider

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H1745	דּוּמָה	silence
H1747	דּוּמִיָּה	stillness
H1820	דָּמָה	I have fallen silent
H1821	דְּמָה	one who resembles
H1822	דֻּמָּה	like silence
H1823	דְּמוּת	in likeness-of
H1824	דְּמִי	in stillness-of
H1825	דִּמְיוֹן	his likeness

Word Forms

24 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H1819-02`	דָמָ֥ה	damah	`HVqp3ms`	is like	her blood	2
`H1819-19`	תְדַמְּי֖וּ/נִי	tedameyuni	`HVpi2mp/Sp1cs`	will you compare me	you will liken me	2
`H1819-12`	דִּמִּ֛יתִי	dimiti	`HVpp1cs`	I had thought	I likened	2
`H1819-01`	אֲדַמֶּֽה	adameh	`HVpi1cs`	will liken	I will liken	2
`H1819-05`	דָּמִ֥יתָ	damita	`HVqp2ms`	are you like	you were like	2
`H1819-09`	דִּמָּה	dimah	`HVpp3ms`	sought blood	he likened	1
`H1819-24`	יִדְמֶ֥ה	yidemeh	`HVqi3ms`	will-be-like	he will resemble	1
`H1819-18`	תְּדַמְּי֣וּ/ן	tedameyun	`HVpi2mp/Sn`	will you liken	you will liken	1
`H1819-20`	תְּדַמִּ֣י	tedami	`HVpj2fs`	think	may you liken	1
`H1819-13`	דִּמִּיתִ֖י/ךְ	dimitikhe	`HVpp1cs/Sp2fs`	I have compared you	I likened you	1
`H1819-10`	דִּמִּ֣ינוּ	diminu	`HVpp1cp`	we have pondered	we have likened	1
`H1819-22`	וְ/נִדְמֶֽה	venidemeh	`HC/Vqi1cp`	that we should be like	and we will resemble	1
`H1819-04`	דָּמִֽינוּ	daminu	`HVqp1cp`	we would have become	we were like	1
`H1819-08`	דְּמֵה	demeh	`HVqv2ms`	be like	Be like	1
`H1819-23`	יְדַמֶּ֔ה	yedameh	`HVpi3ms`	intends	he likens	1
`H1819-21`	וּֽ/דְמֵה	udemeh	`HC/Vqv2ms`	and be like	and be like	1
`H1819-14`	דִּמּ֣וּ	dimu	`HVpp3cp`	they intended	they likened	1
`H1819-03`	דָּֽמְתָ֣ה	dametah	`HVqp3fs`	like	she resembled	1
`H1819-07`	דָמוּ֙	damu	`HVqp3cp`	were like	they were like	1
`H1819-17`	נִדְמֵ֑יתָ	nidemeyta	`HVNp2ms`	you consider yourself	you became like	1
`H1819-06`	דָּ֭מִיתִי	damiti	`HVqp1cs`	I have become like	I have resembled	1
`H1819-11`	דִּמִּ֗יתָ	dimita	`HVpp2ms`	You thought	you likened	1
`H1819-15`	דּוֹמֶ֤ה	domeh	`HVqrmsa`	like	one who resembles	1
`H1819-16`	אֶדַּמֶּ֖ה	edameh	`HVti1cs`	I will make myself like	I will liken myself	1

Occurrences in Scripture

29 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H1819-12`	Numbers 33:56	דִּמִּ֛יתִי	dimiti	`HVpp1cs`	I had thought	I likened
`H1819-14`	Judges 20:5	דִּמּ֣וּ	dimu	`HVpp3cp`	they intended	they likened
`H1819-09`	2 Samuel 21:5	דִּמָּה	dimah	`HVpp3ms`	sought blood	he likened
`H1819-04`	Isaiah 1:9	דָּמִֽינוּ	daminu	`HVqp1cp`	we would have become	we were like
`H1819-23`	Isaiah 10:7	יְדַמֶּ֔ה	yedameh	`HVpi3ms`	intends	he likens
`H1819-16`	Isaiah 14:14	אֶדַּמֶּ֖ה	edameh	`HVti1cs`	I will make myself like	I will liken myself
`H1819-12`	Isaiah 14:24	דִּמִּ֨יתִי֙	dimiti	`HVpp1cs`	I have thought	I likened
`H1819-18`	Isaiah 40:18	תְּדַמְּי֣וּ/ן	tedameyun	`HVpi2mp/Sn`	will you liken	you will liken
`H1819-19`	Isaiah 40:25	תְדַמְּי֖וּ/נִי	tedameyuni	`HVpi2mp/Sp1cs`	will you compare me	you will liken me
`H1819-19`	Isaiah 46:5	תְדַמְי֖וּ/נִי	tedameyuni	`HVpi2mp/Sp1cs`	will you liken me	you will liken me
`H1819-22`	Isaiah 46:5	וְ/נִדְמֶֽה	venidemeh	`HC/Vqi1cp`	that we should be like	and we will resemble
`H1819-05`	Ezekiel 31:2	דָּמִ֥יתָ	damita	`HVqp2ms`	are you like	you were like
`H1819-07`	Ezekiel 31:8	דָמוּ֙	damu	`HVqp3cp`	were like	they were like
`H1819-02`	Ezekiel 31:8	דָמָ֥ה	damah	`HVqp3ms`	was like	her blood
`H1819-05`	Ezekiel 31:18	דָמִ֥יתָ	damita	`HVqp2ms`	are you like	you were like
`H1819-17`	Ezekiel 32:2	נִדְמֵ֑יתָ	nidemeyta	`HVNp2ms`	you consider yourself	you became like
`H1819-01`	Hosea 12:11	אֲדַמֶּֽה	adameh	`HVpi1cs`	will liken	I will liken
`H1819-10`	Psalms 48:10	דִּמִּ֣ינוּ	diminu	`HVpp1cp`	we have pondered	we have likened
`H1819-11`	Psalms 50:21	דִּמִּ֗יתָ	dimita	`HVpp2ms`	You thought	you likened
`H1819-24`	Psalms 89:7	יִדְמֶ֥ה	yidemeh	`HVqi3ms`	will-be-like	he will resemble
`H1819-06`	Psalms 102:7	דָּ֭מִיתִי	damiti	`HVqp1cs`	I have become like	I have resembled
`H1819-02`	Psalms 144:4	דָּמָ֑ה	damah	`HVqp3ms`	is like	her blood
`H1819-13`	Song of Songs 1:9	דִּמִּיתִ֖י/ךְ	dimitikhe	`HVpp1cs/Sp2fs`	I have compared you	I likened you
`H1819-15`	Song of Songs 2:9	דּוֹמֶ֤ה	domeh	`HVqrmsa`	like	one who resembles
`H1819-08`	Song of Songs 2:17	דְּמֵה	demeh	`HVqv2ms`	be like	Be like
`H1819-03`	Song of Songs 7:8	דָּֽמְתָ֣ה	dametah	`HVqp3fs`	like	she resembled
`H1819-21`	Song of Songs 8:14	וּֽ/דְמֵה	udemeh	`HC/Vqv2ms`	and be like	and be like
`H1819-01`	Lamentations 2:13	אֲדַמֶּה	adameh	`HVpi1cs`	shall I compare	I will liken
`H1819-20`	Esther 4:13	תְּדַמִּ֣י	tedami	`HVpj2fs`	think	may you liken

← H1818 Hebrew Lexicon H1820 →