דֶּתֶא
𐤃𐤕𐤀
detheʼ
H1883 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A shoot, sprout, or fresh green growth; in context, often refers specifically to young herbaceous vegetation such as tender grass or new blades of plants. It can also denote green grass, herbage, or the fresh growth of plants used for pasture.
Semantic Range
shoot, sprout, tender grass, fresh green growth, herbage, green plant
Root / Etymology
Borrowed from the Hebrew דֶּשֶׁא (desheʼ), itself from the root ד־שׁ־א meaning 'to sprout, bring forth new green growth.' The Aramaic form דֶּתֶא reflects phonological adaption into Imperial Aramaic.
Historical & Contextual Notes
This word appears only in the Aramaic sections of the Hebrew Bible—specifically in Daniel 4:12, 4:14, and 4:15 (Aramaic 4:15, 4:17, 4:18). It describes the lush, fresh grass grown for animal forage, emphasizing tender, green, edible vegetation. Its occurrence is largely poetic and describes the bounty and splendor of nature, particularly in visions or narratives meant to convey abundance or life. Across the Israelite to early Persian periods, the Hebrew דֶּשֶׁא has a similar semantic field, but in Aramaic, the word functions more as a literary parallel, and English translations like 'grass,' 'herbage,' or 'greensward' can capture its sense, though 'tender grass' better communicates the nuance of newness and freshness. The word is not used for mature or dried grass (חָצִיר châtsîr) or more generic vegetation.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
(Aramaic) corresponding to דֶּשֶׁא; {a sprout; by analogy, grass}; tender grass.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
דשא (d-sh-ʾ) — to sprout, bring forth fresh green growth, grow new vegetation
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1883-01 |
בְּ/דִתְאָ֖/א | beditea | AR/Ncmsd/Td |
in the grass | in the fresh green growth | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1883-01 |
Daniel 4:12 | בְּ/דִתְאָ֖/א | beditea | AR/Ncmsd/Td |
in the grass | in the fresh green growth |
H1883-01 |
Daniel 4:20 | בְּ/דִתְאָ֖/א | beditea | AR/Ncmsd/Td |
in-the-grass | in the fresh green growth |