דְּמִי (H1824) — Hebrew Lexicon

דְּמִי

𐤃𐤌𐤉

dᵉmîy

H1824 noun

SILEX Entry

Root דמה to be silent, to be still, to cease

Definition

A state or condition of silence, stillness, or quietness, often referring to the absence of sound or activity; sometimes signifying cessation or interruption, especially of life or speech. Can denote either a literal, physical silence or a figurative, existential pause (such as death, desolation, or divine inactivity).

Semantic Range

silence, stillness, quietness, cessation, interruption, rest (as in cessation), desolation, death (metaphorical)

Root / Etymology

From the root דמה (damah), which fundamentally means 'to be still, to be silent, to cease.' דְּמִי (dəmîy) is a noun form that expresses a state or quality of stillness or silence. Though it is derived from the same root as the word for 'to resemble' (by transference: 'to be as if dead/silent'), its lexical sense here is focused on stillness or cessation.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, דְּמִי is used in poetic and prophetic texts to describe a state of silence, often as a metaphor for death or utter desolation (e.g., silence in the grave). Its use can designate the cessation of noise, speech, or activity, and by extension the cessation of life (as in death). It may appear in contrast to words describing noise, tumult, or proclamation. The nuance of 'rest' in some translations reflects the underlying idea of cessation, but 'rest' can also carry connotations of comfort or peace which are not always implied by דְּמִי. In the monarchic to exilic periods, דְּמִי retained its primary association with silence or desolation, especially in contexts related to mourning or divine withdrawal. Later English translations sometimes use 'silence,' 'quiet,' or the archaic 'cutting off,' but these do not fully express the existential force the word can carry, especially in laments or judgments. It is distinct from שֶׁקֶט (sheqet, 'quietness'), which often implies peace or tranquility, and from חֲרִישָׁה (ḥărîšâ), which is more active silence or deliberate refraining from speech.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or דֳּמִי; from דָּמָה; quiet; cutting off, rest, silence.

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Root Family

דמה (d-m-h) — to be silent, to be still, to cease

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H1745	דּוּמָה	silence
H1747	דּוּמִיָּה	stillness
H1819	דָּמָה	I will liken
H1820	דָּמָה	I have fallen silent
H1821	דְּמָה	one who resembles
H1822	דֻּמָּה	like silence
H1823	דְּמוּת	in likeness-of
H1825	דִּמְיוֹן	his likeness

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H1824-02`	דֳּמִ֖י	domi	`HNcmsa`	be silent	silence	3
`H1824-01`	בִּ/דְמִ֥י	bidemi	`HR/Ncmsc`	in the middle of my days	in stillness-of	1

Occurrences in Scripture

4 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H1824-01`	Isaiah 38:10	בִּ/דְמִ֥י	bidemi	`HR/Ncmsc`	in the middle of my days	in stillness-of
`H1824-02`	Isaiah 62:6	דֳּמִ֖י	domi	`HNcmsa`	be silent	silence
`H1824-02`	Isaiah 62:7	דֳמִ֖י	domi	`HNcmsa`	rest	silence
`H1824-02`	Psalms 83:2	דֳּמִי	domi	`HNcmsa`	be silent	silence

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