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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 recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

uncertain (Baleadan) — uncertain

Root uncertain uncertain, proper noun (place name)
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1002 בִּירָה the citadel
H105 אֲגַרְטָל bowls of
H1081 בַּלְאֲדָן Baladan
H1085 בִּלְדַּד Bildad
H1095 בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר Belteshatsar

Word Forms

14 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H1834-05 דַמֶּ֨שֶׂק֙ dameseq HNp Damascus Damascus Dameseq 21
H1834-04 דַמָּ֑שֶׂק damaseq HNp Damascus Damascus Dameseq 4
H1834-07 דַּרְמֶ֔שֶׂק daremeseq HNp of Damascus Damascus Dameseq 3
H1834-13 מִ/דַּמֶּ֗שֶׂק midameseq HR/Np from Damascus from Damascus from Dameseq 3
H1834-01 בְּ/דַמָּֽשֶׂק bedamaseq HR/Np in Damascus in Damascus in Dameseq 2
H1834-06 דַּרְמָֽשֶׂק daremaseq HNp Damascus Damascus Dameseq 2
H1834-10 לְ/דַמָּ֑שֶׂק ledamaseq HR/Np Damascus to Damascus to Dameseq 2
H1834-14 בְ/דַמֶּ֨שֶׂק֙ vedameseq HR/Np and Damascus Damascus and Dameseq 2
H1834-02 בְּ/דַמֶּ֖שֶׂק bedameseq HR/Np in Damascus in Damascus in Dameseq 1
H1834-03 בְּ/דַרְמֶ֖שֶׂק bedaremeseq HR/Np in Damascus in Damascus in Dameseq 1

Occurrences in Scripture

45 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H1834-10 Genesis 14:15 לְ/דַמָּֽשֶׂק ledamaseq HR/Np of Damascus to Damascus to Dameseq
H1834-05 Genesis 15:2 דַּמֶּ֥שֶׂק dameseq HNp of Damascus Damascus Dameseq
H1834-05 2 Samuel 8:5 דַּמֶּ֔שֶׂק dameseq HNp of Damascus Damascus Dameseq
H1834-05 2 Samuel 8:6 דַּמֶּ֔שֶׂק dameseq HNp of Damascus Damascus Dameseq
H1834-05 1 Kings 11:24 דַמֶּ֨שֶׂק֙ dameseq HNp to Damascus Damascus Dameseq
H1834-01 1 Kings 11:24 בְּ/דַמָּֽשֶׂק bedamaseq HR/Np in Damascus in Damascus in Dameseq
H1834-02 1 Kings 15:18 בְּ/דַמֶּ֖שֶׂק bedameseq HR/Np in Damascus in Damascus in Dameseq
H1834-04 1 Kings 19:15 דַמָּ֑שֶׂק damaseq HNp Damascus Damascus Dameseq
H1834-14 1 Kings 20:34 בְ/דַמֶּ֨שֶׂק֙ vedameseq HR/Np in Damascus Damascus in Dameseq
H1834-05 2 Kings 5:12 דַּמֶּ֗שֶׂק dameseq HNp of Damascus Damascus Dameseq
H1834-05 2 Kings 8:7 דַּמֶּ֔שֶׂק dameseq HNp Damascus Damascus Dameseq
H1834-05 2 Kings 8:9 דַּמֶּ֔שֶׂק dameseq HNp of Damascus Damascus Dameseq
H1834-05 2 Kings 14:28 דַּמֶּ֧שֶׂק dameseq HNp Damascus Damascus Dameseq
H1834-05 2 Kings 16:9 דַּמֶּ֨שֶׂק֙ dameseq HNp Damascus Damascus Dameseq
H1834-08 2 Kings 16:10 דּוּמֶּ֔שֶׂק dumeseq HNp to Damascus Damascus Dameseq
H1834-01 2 Kings 16:10 בְּ/דַמָּ֑שֶׂק bedamaseq HR/Np in Damascus in Damascus in Dameseq
H1834-13 2 Kings 16:11 מִ/דַּמֶּ֗שֶׂק midameseq HR/Np from Damascus from Damascus from Dameseq
H1834-12 2 Kings 16:11 מִ/דַּמָּֽשֶׂק midamaseq HR/Np from Damascus from Damascus from Dameseq
H1834-13 2 Kings 16:12 מִ/דַּמֶּ֔שֶׂק midameseq HR/Np from Damascus from Damascus from Dameseq
H1834-05 Isaiah 7:8 דַּמֶּ֔שֶׂק dameseq HNp is Damascus Damascus Dameseq
H1834-05 Isaiah 7:8 דַּמֶּ֖שֶׂק dameseq-2 HNp of-Damascus Damascus Dameseq
H1834-05 Isaiah 8:4 דַּמֶּ֗שֶׂק dameseq HNp of Damascus Damascus Dameseq
H1834-09 Isaiah 10:9 כְ/דַמֶּ֖שֶׂק khedameseq HR/Np like Damascus as Damascus like Dameseq
H1834-04 Isaiah 17:1 דַּמָּ֑שֶׂק damaseq HNp of Damascus Damascus Dameseq
H1834-05 Isaiah 17:1 דַמֶּ֨שֶׂק֙ dameseq HNp Damascus Damascus Dameseq
H1834-13 Isaiah 17:3 מִ/דַּמֶּ֖שֶׂק midameseq HR/Np from Damascus from Damascus from Dameseq
H1834-11 Jeremiah 49:23 לְ/דַמֶּ֗שֶׂק ledameseq HR/Np Concerning Damascus to Damascus to Dameseq
H1834-05 Jeremiah 49:24 דַמֶּ֛שֶׂק dameseq HNp Damascus Damascus Dameseq
H1834-04 Jeremiah 49:27 דַּמָּ֑שֶׂק damaseq HNp Damascus Damascus Dameseq
H1834-05 Ezekiel 27:18 דַּמֶּ֧שֶׂק dameseq HNp Damascus Damascus Dameseq
H1834-05 Ezekiel 47:16 דַּמֶּ֔שֶׂק dameseq HNp Damascus Damascus Dameseq
H1834-05 Ezekiel 47:17 דַּמֶּ֔שֶׂק dameseq HNp Damascus Damascus Dameseq
H1834-05 Ezekiel 47:18 דַּמֶּשֶׂק֩ dameseq HNp Damascus Damascus Dameseq
H1834-05 Ezekiel 48:1 דַּמֶּ֤שֶׂק dameseq HNp Damascus Damascus Dameseq
H1834-05 Amos 1:3 דַמֶּ֔שֶׂק dameseq HNp Damascus Damascus Dameseq
H1834-05 Amos 1:5 דַּמֶּ֔שֶׂק dameseq HNp of Damascus Damascus Dameseq
H1834-10 Amos 5:27 לְ/דַמָּ֑שֶׂק ledamaseq HR/Np Damascus to Damascus to Dameseq
H1834-14 Zechariah 9:1 וְ/דַמֶּ֖שֶׂק vedameseq HC/Np and Damascus Damascus and Dameseq
H1834-04 Song of Songs 7:5 דַמָּֽשֶׂק damaseq HNp Damascus Damascus Dameseq
H1834-07 1 Chronicles 18:5 דַּרְמֶ֔שֶׂק daremeseq HNp of Damascus Damascus Dameseq
H1834-07 1 Chronicles 18:6 דַּרְמֶ֔שֶׂק daremeseq HNp of Damascus Damascus Dameseq
H1834-03 2 Chronicles 16:2 בְּ/דַרְמֶ֖שֶׂק bedaremeseq HR/Np in Damascus in Damascus in Dameseq
H1834-06 2 Chronicles 24:23 דַּרְמָֽשֶׂק daremaseq HNp of Damascus Damascus Dameseq
H1834-06 2 Chronicles 28:5 דַּרְמָ֑שֶׂק daremaseq HNp Damascus Damascus Dameseq
H1834-07 2 Chronicles 28:23 דַרְמֶשֶׂק֮ daremeseq HNp Damascus Damascus Dameseq
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