דְּלִי
𐤃𐤋𐤉
dᵉlîy
H1805 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A vessel, typically a bucket or pail, used for drawing water from a well or cistern. The term denotes a physical container designed specifically for the act of lifting or retrieving liquids, primarily water, via a rope or similar means. In extended usage, it can reflect the act or implement of drawing itself within certain contexts, though primarily it refers to the vessel.
Semantic Range
bucket, pail, water-jar, vessel for drawing, container for retrieving water
Root / Etymology
Root is דלה (dalāh), with core meaning 'to draw up, lift out.' דְּלִי is a nominal formation, designating the instrument used for drawing up water. Related nouns are formed on the same root, signifying both action and container.
Historical & Contextual Notes
דְּלִי appears rarely in the Hebrew Bible, notably in Numbers 24:7, with reference to a vessel for water, supporting the agricultural and subsistence context of water retrieval in ancient Israelite society. Its use implies permanent well or cistern infrastructure, and the tool's presence signifies settled or semi-nomadic communities with access to such water sources. Later Hebrew preserved this sense; post-biblical Hebrew used the term similarly, and Rabbinic literature confirms its basic function as a water-drawing vessel. English translations as 'bucket' or 'pail' are generally accurate but risk missing the specific context of ancient water acquisition. Other Hebrew terms for containers (e.g., כַּד, חָבִית, אַסּוּכָה) are broader or designate vessels with different shapes or uses (e.g., storage jars). Unlike these, דְּלִי refers to a container designed primarily for water retrieval, not storage or transport. In later Jewish usage, דְּלִי also developed symbolic connotations (e.g., as a zodiac sign) but these are not attested in the Hebrew Bible and derive from post-biblical developments.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or דֳּלִי; from דָּלָה; a pail or jar (for drawing water); bucket.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
דלה (d-l-h) — draw up, lift out, extract
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1802 | דָּלָה | he drew up |
| H1803 | דַּלָּה | dangling strand of |
| H1806 | דְּלָיָה | Yah Has Drawn Up |
| H1808 | דָּלִיָּה | his hanging branches |
| H1817 | דֶּלֶת | hanging door-panel |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1805-02 |
מִ/דְּלִ֔י | mideli | HR/Ncmsa |
from a bucket | from a drawing-bucket | 1 |
H1805-01 |
מִ/דָּ֣לְיָ֔/ו | midaleyav | HR/Ncmdc/Sp3ms |
from his buckets | from his two drawing-buckets | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1805-01 |
Numbers 24:7 | מִ/דָּ֣לְיָ֔/ו | midaleyav | HR/Ncmdc/Sp3ms |
from his buckets | from his two drawing-buckets |
H1805-02 |
Isaiah 40:15 | מִ/דְּלִ֔י | mideli | HR/Ncmsa |
from a bucket | from a drawing-bucket |