← H1738 H1740 →

דָּוֶה

𐤃𐤅𐤄

dâveh

H1739 adjective

SILEX Entry

Root דוה to be sick, to be weak, to languish

Definition

Physically unwell, suffering from weakness or illness; particularly used to denote a woman during the menstrual period, but can also refer to general physical illness or malaise. The word conveys a state of bodily suffering, incapacity, or ritual impurity associated specifically with menstruation.

Semantic Range

physically sick, weak, unwell; menstruous (period of menstrual impurity); suffering, afflicted; ritually impure due to menstruation; metaphorically: in a state of affliction or debility

Root / Etymology

Derived from the root דוה (d-w-h), meaning 'to be sick, to be weak, to languish.' The concrete form דָּוֶה (dâveh) is an adjectival/state term formed from the root, signifying 'in a state of sickness or weakness.' The root is also the source of related terms such as דָּוָה (dāvâh, 'to be sick') and דַּוָי (dāvay, 'sorrow, pain').

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, דָּוֶה frequently appears in the context of ritual impurity, particularly concerning women during menstruation (cf. Leviticus 15). It is also used metaphorically to describe people or even the land as being in a weakened, suffering, or unclean state, extending beyond purely physical illness into the realm of social and ritual status. Later translations such as the Septuagint and English versions often render it as 'unclean' or 'menstruous,' though the underlying sense refers first to sickness or weakness. Its application is often gender-specific but not exclusively so; it can refer to any state of physical debility. In contrast to other Hebrew terms for illness (e.g., חולה, chole, 'sick/ill'), דָּוֶה specifically evokes the imagery of periodic suffering and the dimension of ritual impurity in priestly literature.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from דָּוָה; sick (especially in menstruation); faint, menstruous cloth, she that is sick, having sickness.

Bantu Hebrew

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

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

דוה (d-w-h) — to be sick, to be weak, to languish

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1738 דָּוָה her being sick
H1741 דְּוַי sickness
H1742 דַּוָּי disease-stricken
H4064 מַדְוֶה sickness of

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H1739-01 דָּוָ֗ה davah HAafsa a menstrual rag sickened woman 3
H1739-03 וְ/הַ/דָּוָה֙ vehadavah HC/Td/Aafsa and-the-woman-sick the sick woman 1
H1739-02 דָוֶה֙ daveh HAamsa sick sickly 1

Occurrences in Scripture

5 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H1739-03 Leviticus 15:33 וְ/הַ/דָּוָה֙ vehadavah HC/Td/Aafsa and-the-woman-sick the sick woman
H1739-01 Leviticus 20:18 דָּוָ֗ה davah HAafsa having her menstrual flow sickened woman
H1739-01 Isaiah 30:22 דָוָ֔ה davah HAafsa a menstrual rag sickened woman
H1739-01 Lamentations 1:13 דָּוָֽה davah HAafsa faint sickened woman
H1739-02 Lamentations 5:17 דָוֶה֙ daveh HAamsa sick sickly
← H1738 Hebrew Lexicon H1740 →