דִּמְעָה
𐤃𐤌𐤏𐤄
dimʻâh
H1832 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Refers to a drop of liquid shed from the eye, i.e., a tear; by extension, tears as physical manifestations of weeping or sorrow. In various contexts, designates tears as evidence of intense emotion, such as grief, distress, fervent prayer, or even joy.
Semantic Range
a tear, tears, weeping (by metonymy), visible sign of distress or emotion, physical evidence of sorrow or fervent appeal
Root / Etymology
From the Hebrew root דמע (D-M-ʿ), which conveys the idea of 'to weep,' 'to shed tears.' דִּמְעָה is a feminine noun formed from this root, denoting the physical product of weeping—i.e., tears. The masculine counterpart is דֶּמַע (démaʿ), rarely attested.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, דִּמְעָה is most often used in poetic or emotive contexts to describe the physical tears resulting from inner turmoil, mourning, or supplication. It can denote both individual tears and the act of weeping collectively. Its usage sometimes implies deep vulnerability or an urgent, heartfelt appeal, as in prayers or laments (e.g., Psalms, Jeremiah). The word frequently appears in parallelism with verbs of weeping or phrases of emotional expression. Distinct from other words for grief or distress, דִּמְעָה specifically references the visible sign of emotion conveyed by tears, rather than the internal feeling or act of weeping itself. Later English translations often render the term as 'tears,' but in biblical Hebrew it holds a narrower, more tangible sense than simply 'weeping' or 'sorrow.' Over time, the term did not undergo significant semantic evolution; its primary focus remained on tears as evidences of emotion, not on the broader concept of mourning. In Second Temple or later Hebrew, this lexical usage persists with minimal shift.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
feminine of דֶּמַע; weeping; tears.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
דמע (d-m-ʿ) — to weep, shed tears
Word Forms
10 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1832-04 |
דִּמְעָ֖ה | dimeah | HNcfsa |
tears | a tear | 9 |
H1832-07 |
דִּמְעָתִ֔/י | dimeati | HNcfsc/Sp1cs |
my tears | my tear | 4 |
H1832-06 |
דִּמְעָתֶ֑/ךָ | dimeatekha | HNcfsc/Sp2ms |
your tears | your tear | 3 |
H1832-10 |
וְ/דִמְעָתָ/הּ֙ | vedimeatah | HC/Ncfsc/Sp3fs |
and her tears | and her tear | 1 |
H1832-02 |
בְּ֝/דִמְעָתִ֗/י | bedimeati | HR/Ncfsc/Sp1cs |
with my tears | with my tear | 1 |
H1832-05 |
דִּמְעַ֣ת | dimeat | HNcfsc |
tear-of | 1 | |
H1832-08 |
מִ/דִּמְעָ֑ה | midimeah | HR/Ncfsa |
from tears | from a tear | 1 |
H1832-09 |
בַ/דְּמָע֤וֹת | vademaot | HRd/Ncfpa |
with tears | in tears | 1 |
H1832-01 |
בְּ/דִמְעָ֗ה | bedimeah | HR/Ncfsa |
in tears | with a tear | 1 |
H1832-03 |
בִּ/דְמָע֥וֹת | bidemaot | HR/Ncfpa |
in tears | in tears | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
23 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1832-06 |
2 Kings 20:5 | דִּמְעָתֶ֑/ךָ | dimeatekha | HNcfsc/Sp2ms |
your tears | your tear |
H1832-07 |
Isaiah 16:9 | דִּמְעָתִ֔/י | dimeati | HNcfsc/Sp1cs |
my-tears | my tear |
H1832-04 |
Isaiah 25:8 | דִּמְעָ֖ה | dimeah | HNcfsa |
tears | a tear |
H1832-06 |
Isaiah 38:5 | דִּמְעָתֶ֑/ךָ | dimeatekha | HNcfsc/Sp2ms |
your tears | your tear |
H1832-04 |
Jeremiah 8:23 | דִּמְעָ֑ה | dimeah | HNcfsa |
of tears | a tear |
H1832-04 |
Jeremiah 9:17 | דִּמְעָ֔ה | dimeah | HNcfsa |
tears | a tear |
H1832-04 |
Jeremiah 13:17 | דִּמְעָ֔ה | dimeah | HNcfsa |
tear | a tear |
H1832-04 |
Jeremiah 14:17 | דִּמְעָ֛ה | dimeah | HNcfsa |
with-tears | a tear |
H1832-08 |
Jeremiah 31:16 | מִ/דִּמְעָ֑ה | midimeah | HR/Ncfsa |
from tears | from a tear |
H1832-06 |
Ezekiel 24:16 | דִּמְעָתֶֽ/ךָ | dimeatekha | HNcfsc/Sp2ms |
your tears | your tear |