דַּלֶּקֶת
𐤃𐤋𐤒𐤕
dalleqeth
H1816 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
An acute burning fever or inflammatory condition characterized by bodily heat. In biblical usage, דַּלֶּקֶת denotes an intense febrile illness, particularly as a symptom or consequence of divine judgment. The term refers not only to literal physiological fever but also encompasses severe inflammatory diseases marked by burning sensations or heat within the body.
Semantic Range
burning fever, inflammation, acute febrile illness, fiery disease, burning sickness
Root / Etymology
From the verbal root דָּלַק (dalak), meaning 'to burn,' 'to pursue hotly,' or 'to kindle.' The noun דַּלֶּקֶת is formed with the end nominal suffix -ֶת, signifying the state or result of burning, i.e., a burning condition, fever, or inflammation.
Historical & Contextual Notes
דַּלֶּקֶת occurs rarely in the Hebrew Bible, notably in Deuteronomy 28:22 as an affliction threatened upon the Israelites as part of covenant curses. Its usage there associates it with other wasting and destructive diseases. Ancient translations—including the Septuagint—often render it with terms for 'inflammation' or 'burning fever,' but specifics vary. Later rabbinic literature uses דלקת with a broader medical sense, including general inflammation. The term is distinct from related biblical words for sickness (e.g., חֹלִי, 'illness') or pestilence (דֶּבֶר), focusing specifically on febrile and inflammatory afflictions. The core meaning is not limited to infection, but to the sensation and effect of burning within bodily illness. Most English translations render it as 'fever,' 'inflammation,' or 'fiery disease,' but these often flatten the vivid, somatic connotations of the Hebrew. Its appearance is limited to warning contexts, and thus it carries connotations of severe, consuming malady linked to divine punishment rather than everyday illness.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
; from דָּלַק; a burning fever; inflammation.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
דלק (d-l-q) — to burn, kindle, pursue hotly
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1816-01 |
וּ/בַ/דַּלֶּ֗קֶת | uvadaleqet | HC/Rd/Ncfsa |
and with inflammation | and with the burning-fever | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1816-01 |
Deuteronomy 28:22 | וּ/בַ/דַּלֶּ֗קֶת | uvadaleqet | HC/Rd/Ncfsa |
and with inflammation | and with the burning-fever |