דַּמֶּשֶׂק
𐤃𐤌𐤔𐤒
Dameseq
H1834 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Proper noun referring to the city of Damascus, the ancient and continuously inhabited urban center located northeast of Israel in the region traditionally associated with Aram (Syria). In biblical contexts, דַּמֶּשֶׂק identifies the political, economic, and cultural heart of the Aramean kingdoms and their later successors. Over time, serves as a denotation for the city itself and by extension its rulers and inhabitants in historical narratives, prophetic oracles, and genealogical lists.
Semantic Range
Damascus (city), capital of Aram, reference to the city and sometimes by extension its rulers or inhabitants; geographic toponym only
Root / Etymology
Foreign origin; root uncertain. The forms דַּמֶּשֶׂק (Dammeseq), דּוּמֶשֶׂק (Dummesek), and דַּרְמֶשֶׂק (Darmesek) are variant spellings reflecting inconsistent representation of the toponym in biblical Hebrew. The origin of the name itself is likely pre-Semitic or West Semitic, but there is no definitive Hebrew etymology or word root. The name occurs independently of any Hebrew verbal root.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The city of Damascus is referenced from the earliest strata of the Hebrew Bible (e.g. Gen 14:15; 15:2) through later prophetic and historical passages. It is never described as a city of Israelites or Judahites, but always as a foreign center—typically as the capital of Aram and, in later periods, of other regional powers. The word is always a toponym; in some translation traditions, inhabitants or rulers are called 'Damascenes' or similar demonyms but this is not inherent in the Hebrew term itself. The Septuagint and later translations sometimes use the transliteration Damaskos. The English term 'Damascus' derives ultimately from the Greek. The shifting spelling in biblical Hebrew (including forms with dalet-resh, as דַּרְמֶשֶׂק) suggests either dialectal variation or scribal influences. The place-name never refers to a cultic, symbolic, or metaphorical concept within the Hebrew Bible—its meaning remains concretely geographical across all periods, including the monarchic and later prophetic texts.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
or דּוּמֶשֶׂק; or דַּרְמֶשֶׂק; of foreign origin; Damascus, a city of Syria; Damascus.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
uncertain (uncertain) — proper noun, place name (Damascus)
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1085 | בִּלְדַּד | Bildad |
| H1095 | בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר | Belteshatsar |
| H1114 | בִּלְשָׁן | Bilshan |
| H1150 | בִּנְעָא | Bin'a |
| H116 | אֱדַיִן | and then |
Word Forms
14 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1834-05 |
דַּמֶּ֥שֶׂק | dameseq | HNp |
Damascus | Damascus | 21 |
H1834-04 |
דַמָּ֑שֶׂק | damaseq | HNp |
Damascus | Damascus | 4 |
H1834-07 |
דַּרְמֶ֔שֶׂק | daremeseq | HNp |
of Damascus | Damascus | 3 |
H1834-13 |
מִ/דַּמֶּ֗שֶׂק | midameseq | HR/Np |
from Damascus | from Damascus | 3 |
H1834-14 |
בְ/דַמֶּ֨שֶׂק֙ | vedameseq | HR/Np |
and Damascus | Damascus | 2 |
H1834-06 |
דַּרְמָֽשֶׂק | daremaseq | HNp |
Damascus | Damascus | 2 |
H1834-10 |
לְ/דַמָּֽשֶׂק | ledamaseq | HR/Np |
Damascus | to Damascus | 2 |
H1834-01 |
בְּ/דַמָּֽשֶׂק | bedamaseq | HR/Np |
in Damascus | in Damascus | 2 |
H1834-12 |
מִ/דַּמָּֽשֶׂק | midamaseq | HR/Np |
from Damascus | from Damascus | 1 |
H1834-09 |
כְ/דַמֶּ֖שֶׂק | khedameseq | HR/Np |
like Damascus | as Damascus | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
45 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1834-10 |
Genesis 14:15 | לְ/דַמָּֽשֶׂק | ledamaseq | HR/Np |
of Damascus | to Damascus |
H1834-05 |
Genesis 15:2 | דַּמֶּ֥שֶׂק | dameseq | HNp |
of Damascus | Damascus |
H1834-05 |
2 Samuel 8:5 | דַּמֶּ֔שֶׂק | dameseq | HNp |
of Damascus | Damascus |
H1834-05 |
2 Samuel 8:6 | דַּמֶּ֔שֶׂק | dameseq | HNp |
of Damascus | Damascus |
H1834-05 |
1 Kings 11:24 | דַמֶּ֨שֶׂק֙ | dameseq | HNp |
to Damascus | Damascus |
H1834-01 |
1 Kings 11:24 | בְּ/דַמָּֽשֶׂק | bedamaseq | HR/Np |
in Damascus | in Damascus |
H1834-02 |
1 Kings 15:18 | בְּ/דַמֶּ֖שֶׂק | bedameseq | HR/Np |
in Damascus | in Damascus |
H1834-04 |
1 Kings 19:15 | דַמָּ֑שֶׂק | damaseq | HNp |
Damascus | Damascus |
H1834-14 |
1 Kings 20:34 | בְ/דַמֶּ֨שֶׂק֙ | vedameseq | HR/Np |
in Damascus | Damascus |
H1834-05 |
2 Kings 5:12 | דַּמֶּ֗שֶׂק | dameseq | HNp |
of Damascus | Damascus |