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דְּיוֹ

𐤃𐤉𐤅

dᵉyôw

H1773 noun

SILEX Entry

Root uncertain uncertain; the word does not derive from a native Hebrew root

Definition

A black or dark-colored liquid used for writing or drawing. In biblical usage, refers specifically to ink used in official or literary documents, such as scrolls, letters, or records. Primary semantic range includes the physical substance applied with a stylus, pen, or writing instrument on parchment, papyrus, or other surfaces.

Semantic Range

ink (for writing), writing fluid, coloring liquid for inscriptions or letters

Root / Etymology

etymology uncertain. The word דְּיוֹ (dᵉyôw) is a loanword, likely of foreign (perhaps Aramaic or Persian) origin, as suggested by its phonological form and late appearance. It does not derive from any common Semitic root for 'liquid' or 'write.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

דְּיוֹ is attested only in late biblical Hebrew, notably in exilic or post-exilic texts (Jeremiah 36:18; Ezekiel 9:2-3, 9:11), contexts associated with record-keeping, letter-writing, or legal procedures. Its appearance coincides with the increasing prevalence of written documents and scribal activity in later Israelite and early Judean society, especially under Persian influence, when the adoption of administrative practices required precise terminology for writing materials. In the Hebrew Bible, ink is not referenced in earlier narratives or poetry, reflecting less emphasis on written tradition before the exilic and post-exilic periods. The term is later paralleled in Rabbinic Hebrew as well as in cognate Aramaic and Persian sources. Common English translations render דְּיוֹ as 'ink,' which is a close equivalent, though the precise chemical composition or method of manufacture in the biblical period may differ from modern ink. There is no evidence that the term acquired additional metaphorical or symbolic meanings in the Hebrew Bible, in contrast to some uses in later Judean or Hellenistic writings.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

of uncertain derivation; ink; ink.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

דיו (d-y-w) — ink, writing fluid, coloring liquid for inscriptions

Word Forms

1 distinct form

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H1773-01 בַּ/דְּיֽוֹ badeyo HRd/Ncfsa with ink with ink 1

Occurrences in Scripture

1 total occurrence

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H1773-01 Jeremiah 36:18 בַּ/דְּיֽוֹ badeyo HRd/Ncfsa with ink with ink
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