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דָּלַק

𐤃𐤋𐤒

dâlaq

H1814 verb

SILEX Entry

Root דלק to burn, to blaze, to kindle, to pursue zealously

Definition

Primarily, to burn or be set ablaze—used both literally for physical combustion or setting fire to something, and figuratively for intense pursuit or zeal. The verb commonly depicts the act of burning, as in kindling or sustaining fire, but is also used in extended senses for pursuing someone or something with fervor, determination, or hostility, conveying the idea of being fired up with zeal (either for a positive goal or in the negative sense of persecution).

Semantic Range

to burn, set afire, to blaze; to kindle or ignite; to pursue with intensity, to chase hotly, to persecute (in the sense of ardently pursuing), to be inflamed with zeal or anger

Root / Etymology

The root is דלק (dalq), conveying the basic sense of burning or flaming. The verb form encompasses both the literal act of burning/kindling and the figurative sense of pursuing with intense energy, possibly drawing from the image of one who is driven or 'set alight' with zeal or anger.

Historical & Contextual Notes

דָּלַק appears in both literal and figurative contexts throughout the Hebrew Bible. Literally, it describes fire being ignited, such as the burning of forests or objects (e.g., Psalm 104:4). Figuratively, it portrays fervent or relentless pursuit, as in a person pursuing an enemy or persecuting someone (e.g., Genesis 31:36, Psalm 7:13). This figurative usage likely reflects the intense, consuming nature of fire as a metaphor for emotional drive or pursuit. The word is less frequently used than other terms for pursuing (e.g., רָדַף), and its choice often highlights the emotional intensity or fervor of the pursuit. In later periods, and in some translations, figurative senses influenced interpretations related to persecution or relentless zeal, but in biblical Hebrew, the primary focus is on the imagery of burning and intense action, not necessarily all forms of persecution. KJV and some later translations tended to render these senses with 'persecute' or similar terms, but the underlying Hebrew emphasizes the burning zeal or drive in pursuit, not the legal or systemic sense of persecution in its later meaning.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to flame (literally or figuratively); burning, chase, inflame, kindle, persecute(-or), pursue hotly.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

דלק (d-l-q) — burning, blazing, kindling, zealous pursuit

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1815 דְּלַק burning one
H1816 דַּלֶּקֶת and with the burning-fever

Word Forms

9 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H1814-01 דָלַ֖קְתָּ dalaqeta HVqp2ms you have pursued you burned fiercely 1
H1814-07 וְ/דָלְק֥וּ vedalequ HC/Vqq3cp and they shall kindle and they burned 1
H1814-05 לְֽ/דֹלְקִ֥ים ledoleqim HR/Vqrmpa burning burning ones 1
H1814-08 יַדְלִיקֵֽ/ם yadeliqem HVhi3ms/Sp3mp inflames them he will set them ablaze 1
H1814-04 הַדְלֵ֣ק hadeleq HVhv2ms kindle Set ablaze! 1
H1814-09 יִדְלַ֣ק yidelaq HVqi3ms hotly-pursues he blazes 1
H1814-06 מִ/דְּלֹ֖ק mideloq HR/Vqc from chasing from burning 1
H1814-02 דְּלָקֻ֔/נוּ delaqunu HVqp3cp/Sp1cp they chased us they burned after us 1
H1814-03 דֹּלְקִ֣ים doleqim HVqrmpa burning burning ones 1

Occurrences in Scripture

9 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H1814-01 Genesis 31:36 דָלַ֖קְתָּ dalaqeta HVqp2ms you have pursued you burned fiercely
H1814-06 1 Samuel 17:53 מִ/דְּלֹ֖ק mideloq HR/Vqc from chasing from burning
H1814-08 Isaiah 5:11 יַדְלִיקֵֽ/ם yadeliqem HVhi3ms/Sp3mp inflames them he will set them ablaze
H1814-04 Ezekiel 24:10 הַדְלֵ֣ק hadeleq HVhv2ms kindle Set ablaze!
H1814-07 Obadiah 1:18 וְ/דָלְק֥וּ vedalequ HC/Vqq3cp and they shall kindle and they burned
H1814-05 Psalms 7:14 לְֽ/דֹלְקִ֥ים ledoleqim HR/Vqrmpa burning burning ones
H1814-09 Psalms 10:2 יִדְלַ֣ק yidelaq HVqi3ms hotly-pursues he blazes
H1814-03 Proverbs 26:23 דֹּלְקִ֣ים doleqim HVqrmpa burning burning ones
H1814-02 Lamentations 4:19 דְּלָקֻ֔/נוּ delaqunu HVqp3cp/Sp1cp they chased us they burned after us
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