דָּלַק (H1814) — Hebrew Lexicon

דָּלַק

𐤃𐤋𐤒

dâlaq

H1814 verb

SILEX Entry

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.

Translation Consistency

primary "burn" 3 occurrences

The primary and most common sense of דָּלַק in Hebrew is to burn, blaze, or be set aflame; ‘burn’ is the most natural, idiomatic English verb for literal uses and easily covers figurative senses (e.g., “burn with zeal,” “burn after,” “burning pursuit”) while remaining consistent across all forms. Alternatives like ‘pursue’ fit fewer occurrences and would mislead literal-fire contexts.

Alternatives (6 occurrences):

"pursued" (1x) "pursuing" (1x) "inflames" (1x) "set ablaze" (1x) "hotly pursues" (1x) "chased" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

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

Bantu Hebrew

Language	Bantu Word	Meaning
Chichewa	kuwaka	to burn, to be on fire
Kikongo	waka	to burn, to be on fire
Kikuyu	gwaka	to burn, to catch fire
Kimbundu	waka	to burn, to be alight
Kinyarwanda	kwaka	to shine, to be on fire, to flare up

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Root Family

דלק (dâlaq) — to burn, to blaze, to kindle, to pursue zealously

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

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	SIBI-P2	Occurrences
`H1814-01`	דָלַ֖קְתָּ	dalaqeta	`HVqp2ms`	you have pursued	you burned fiercely	you have pursued	1
`H1814-02`	דְּלָקֻ֔/נוּ	delaqunu	`HVqp3cp/Sp1cp`	they chased us	they burned after us	they chased us	1
`H1814-03`	דֹּלְקִ֣ים	doleqim	`HVqrmpa`	burning	burning ones	burning ones	1
`H1814-04`	הַדְלֵ֣ק	hadeleq	`HVhv2ms`	kindle	Set ablaze!	set ablaze	1
`H1814-05`	לְֽ/דֹלְקִ֥ים	ledoleqim	`HR/Vqrmpa`	burning	burning ones	for burning ones	1
`H1814-06`	מִ/דְּלֹ֖ק	mideloq	`HR/Vqc`	from chasing	from burning	from pursuing	1
`H1814-07`	וְ/דָלְק֥וּ	vedalequ	`HC/Vqq3cp`	and they shall kindle	and they burned	and they will burn	1
`H1814-08`	יַדְלִיקֵֽ/ם	yadeliqem	`HVhi3ms/Sp3mp`	inflames them	he will set them ablaze	it inflames them	1
`H1814-09`	יִדְלַ֣ק	yidelaq	`HVqi3ms`	hotly-pursues	he blazes	hotly pursues	1

Occurrences in Scripture

9 occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	SIBI-P2
`H1814-01`	Genesis 31:36	דָלַ֖קְתָּ	dalaqeta	`HVqp2ms`	you have pursued	you burned fiercely	you have pursued
`H1814-06`	1 Samuel 17:53	מִ/דְּלֹ֖ק	mideloq	`HR/Vqc`	from chasing	from burning	from pursuing
`H1814-08`	Isaiah 5:11	יַדְלִיקֵֽ/ם	yadeliqem	`HVhi3ms/Sp3mp`	inflames them	he will set them ablaze	it inflames them
`H1814-04`	Ezekiel 24:10	הַדְלֵ֣ק	hadeleq	`HVhv2ms`	kindle	Set ablaze!	set ablaze
`H1814-07`	Obadiah 1:18	וְ/דָלְק֥וּ	vedalequ	`HC/Vqq3cp`	and they shall kindle	and they burned	and they will burn
`H1814-05`	Psalms 7:14	לְֽ/דֹלְקִ֥ים	ledoleqim	`HR/Vqrmpa`	burning	burning ones	for burning ones
`H1814-09`	Psalms 10:2	יִדְלַ֣ק	yidelaq	`HVqi3ms`	hotly-pursues	he blazes	hotly pursues
`H1814-03`	Proverbs 26:23	דֹּלְקִ֣ים	doleqim	`HVqrmpa`	burning	burning ones	burning ones
`H1814-02`	Lamentations 4:19	דְּלָקֻ֔/נוּ	delaqunu	`HVqp3cp/Sp1cp`	they chased us	they burned after us	they chased us

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