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דַּל

𐤃𐤋

dal

H1800 adjective

SILEX Entry

Root ד-ל-ל to hang down, become weak, diminish, droop

Definition

A person characterized by poverty, weakness, or low social status; one who is materially poor, destitute, or without resources. The term can refer to physical frailty, social marginalization, or economic insufficiency. In a broader sense, it denotes someone who lacks strength, power, or influence within society.

Semantic Range

poor, weak, lacking means or status, physically frail, insignificant, destitute, lean (of animals or persons), lowly, vulnerable

Root / Etymology

Root: ד-ל-ל. The root דלל ('to hang down, become low, languish, be feeble or thin') conveys the idea of something hanging loosely or diminishing, both physically and metaphorically. The noun דַּל represents someone who has become low in status or resources, derived from the weakening or waning inherent in the root.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In First Temple (monarchic) period texts, דַּל often appears in legal and prophetic passages, commonly in conjunction with the term אֶבְיוֹן ('in need, destitute') to describe individuals at the margins of society who require protection or support. The term is distinct from רָשׁ ('poor'), which can emphasize lack of wealth, whereas דַּל often highlights vulnerability, weakness, or social inferiority. In some texts, דַּל focuses on physical frailty (e.g., lean livestock), but its more frequent use is metaphorical—expressing the 'lowly' or 'oppressed.' Later biblical writings maintain this double sense, though the focus may shift more strongly toward social class and justice concerns. English translations usually render it as 'poor,' but this can obscure the nuances of weakness, insignificance, and vulnerability integral to the Hebrew usage. In post-biblical Hebrew and later Jewish literature, דַּל continues to function as a primary term for the poor or weak, though often with religious and ethical implications not explicit in the biblical texts.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from דָּלַל; properly, dangling, i.e. (by implication) weak or thin; lean, needy, poor (man), weaker.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

דלל (d-l-l) — to hang down, become weak, diminish, droop

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1807 דְּלִילָה Delilah
H1809 דָּלַל they became diminished
H1817 דֶּלֶת lowly one

Word Forms

9 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H1800-01 דַּ֣ל dal HAamsa the poor lowly one 20
H1800-02 דַּלִּ֔ים dalim HAampa the poor lowly ones 16
H1800-05 לַ/דָּ֛ל ladal HRd/Aamsa to the poor to the lowly one 3
H1800-07 וְ/דָ֕ל vedal HC/Aamsa a poor man lowly one 3
H1800-06 וָ/דָ֑ל vadal HC/Aamsa and lowly and lowly one 1
H1800-09 וְ/הַ/דַּל֙ vehadal HC/Td/Aamsa and the poor and the lowly one 1
H1800-04 הַ/דַּלִּ֗ים hadalim HTd/Aampa the poor the lowly ones 1
H1800-08 וְ/דַלִּֽים vedalim HC/Aampa and weak and lowly ones 1
H1800-03 הַ/דַּ֣ל hadal HTd/Aamsa the poorest the lowly one 1

Occurrences in Scripture

47 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H1800-07 Exodus 23:3 וְ/דָ֕ל vedal HC/Aamsa a poor man lowly one
H1800-09 Exodus 30:15 וְ/הַ/דַּל֙ vehadal HC/Td/Aamsa and the poor and the lowly one
H1800-01 Leviticus 14:21 דַּ֣ל dal HAamsa poor lowly one
H1800-01 Leviticus 19:15 דָ֔ל dal HAamsa poor lowly one
H1800-03 Judges 6:15 הַ/דַּ֣ל hadal HTd/Aamsa the poorest the lowly one
H1800-01 1 Samuel 2:8 דָּ֗ל dal HAamsa the poor lowly one
H1800-08 2 Samuel 3:1 וְ/דַלִּֽים vedalim HC/Aampa and weak and lowly ones
H1800-01 2 Samuel 13:4 דַּ֤ל dal HAamsa lean lowly one
H1800-02 Isaiah 10:2 דַּלִּ֔ים dalim HAampa the poor lowly ones
H1800-02 Isaiah 11:4 דַּלִּ֔ים dalim HAampa the-poor lowly ones
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