דֹּק
𐤃𐤒
dôq
H1852 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
An extremely fine, thin material, typically used for curtains or veils; refers specifically to a delicate cloth or gauze-like fabric, such as a thin inner covering or screen separating spaces within a structure. Semantic range includes both the physical material (fine cloth) and its applied function (curtain, veil, or partition).
Semantic Range
fine or thin cloth, gauze-like curtain, thin veil, delicate partition
Root / Etymology
Root: דקק, meaning 'to be thin, to be crushed, to become fine or small.' דֹּק (dôq) is a noun that refers to something made 'fine' or 'thin', particularly a delicate, gauze-like cloth. The development from the root emphasizes the quality of thinness or fineness rather than act of crushing or pulverizing.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Hebrew Bible, דֹּק appears specifically in contexts describing the internal coverings of the Mishkan (Tabernacle), such as Exodus 26:7 and 36:14, in passages detailing its construction. The term denotes a veil or inner curtain, distinct from thicker, outer coverings (such as יְרִיעָה 'yeri‘ah' or מִכְסֶה 'mikhséh'), emphasizing the fineness and delicacy of this layer. While English translations typically render this as 'curtain' or 'veil,' the term specifically highlights the thin, almost translucent quality of the material. Later periods do not seem to preserve the word in common usage; its occurrence is restricted to priestly and ritual architectural descriptions. The English word 'curtain' sometimes fails to capture the uniquely delicate, light-permeable nature of דֹּק as intended in the Israelite ritual context. The term has no necessary connection to later religious or ethnic identities (e.g., 'Jew' or 'Judaism'), as its use is confined to the Tabernacle context in the Torah.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
from דָּקַק; something crumbling, i.e. fine (as a thin cloth); curtain.
Bantu Hebrew
| Language | Bantu Word | Transliteration | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ndebele | udonga | wall | |
| Tsonga | rindonga | walls | |
| Venda | ludonga | wall | |
| Xhosa | udonga | wall | |
| Zulu | udonga | wall, vertical surface of a building, partition, structural barrier |
Root Family
דקק (dûwq) — to crush, to pulverize, to reduce to fragments
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1852-01 |
כַ/דֹּק֙ | khadoq | HRd/Ncmsa |
like-a-thin-cloth | fine thin cloth | like a fine thin cloth | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1852-01 |
Isaiah 40:22 | כַ/דֹּק֙ | khadoq | HRd/Ncmsa |
like-a-thin-cloth | fine thin cloth | like a fine thin cloth |