דְּבֵלָה
𐤃𐤁𐤋𐤄
dᵉbêlâh
H1690 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A cake or mass of pressed figs, typically formed by compacting multiple figs into a lump or block for storage, preservation, or consumption; refers specifically to a foodstuff made by pressing together figs into a dense, portable unit.
Semantic Range
cake of pressed figs, fig cake, pressed mass of figs, lump or block of figs, foodstuff for storage, medical poultice
Root / Etymology
From an uncertain root, possibly related to the root זבל (zbl, 'to heap, pile up'), suggesting the idea of pressing or compacting. The word itself is a noun denoting the product resulting from pressing figs together. Root association with זבל is based on phonetic similarity and the shared notion of aggregation or compaction, but the root דבל is otherwise unattested in biblical Hebrew outside this noun.
Historical & Contextual Notes
דְּבֵלָה is attested in the Hebrew Bible as a food product prepared and stored in ancient Israelite society, mentioned in contexts of nutrition and healing (e.g., 1 Samuel 25:18; 1 Samuel 30:12; 2 Kings 20:7; Isaiah 38:21). Unlike fresh figs (תאנה, te'enah), דְּבֵלָה refers to figs after processing—specifically, after they have been pressed and compacted into a cake form. This allowed storage, transport, and use as a staple or provision, especially in times of scarcity or travel. In some passages (e.g., medical application to Hezekiah’s boil), the cake of figs was applied as a poultice, suggesting traditional medicinal use. While most English translations render it as 'cake of figs', the term describes a specific method of food preparation familiar in the ancient Near East. This differs from uncompacted figs or other ancient dried fruits, highlighting both the process and the resultant form. Later translations or interpretations have sometimes narrowly called it a 'cake' or 'lump' of figs, but the emphasis is on the collective, compressed nature of the food over its shape or culinary sophistication. There is no evidence the term ever refers to other foods or cakes not involving figs.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from an unused root (akin to זָבַל) probably meaning to press together; a cake of pressed figs; cake (lump) of figs.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
דבל (d-b-l) — to press together, to compact, to heap
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1691 | דִּבְלַיִם | Two Fig-Cakes |
Word Forms
3 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1690-03 |
דְּבֵלִ֑ים | develim | HNcfpa |
cakes of figs | pressed fig-cakes | 2 |
H1690-02 |
דְּבֶ֣לֶת | develet | HNcfsc |
a cake of | pressed-fig cake of | 2 |
H1690-01 |
דְּבֵלָ֜ה | develah | HNcfsa |
of a cake of figs | pressed-fig cake | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
5 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1690-03 |
1 Samuel 25:18 | דְּבֵלִ֑ים | develim | HNcfpa |
cakes of figs | pressed fig-cakes |
H1690-01 |
1 Samuel 30:12 | דְּבֵלָ֜ה | develah | HNcfsa |
of a cake of figs | pressed-fig cake |
H1690-02 |
2 Kings 20:7 | דְּבֶ֣לֶת | develet | HNcfsc |
a lump/cake | pressed-fig cake of |
H1690-02 |
Isaiah 38:21 | דְּבֶ֣לֶת | develet | HNcfsc |
a cake of | pressed-fig cake of |
H1690-03 |
1 Chronicles 12:41 | דְּבֵלִ֨ים | develim | HNcfpa |
cakes of figs | pressed fig-cakes |