דָּבַק
dâbaq · H1692 · Hebrew · 54 occurrences
Meanings
-
to stick together, to cling together
State in which objects are closely compacted together
-
to cling, to cleave, to stick, to freeze
State in which an object is positioned around or against another object in such a way that the two cannot be separated easily
ExamplesDeuteronomy 13:17 “Nothing at all from what is designated for destruction is to cling to your hand, in order that the LORD may turn from His burning anger and show mercy to you, and have compassion on you and make you increase, just as He has sworn to your fathers,
Ezekiel 3:26 “Moreover, I will make your tongue stick to the roof of your mouth so that you will be unable to speak and will not be a man who reprimands them, since they are a rebellious house.
2 Samuel 23:10 He rose up and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary and it clung to the sword, and the LORD brought about a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to plunder the dead.
-
to cling, to cleave, to overtake
Literally: to cling to someone; hence: to happen to someone as if the event has physically attached itself to the one undergoing it; only used for negative events
ExamplesGenesis 19:19 “Now behold, your servant has found favor in your sight, and you have magnified your compassion, which you have shown me by saving my life; but I cannot escape to the mountains, for the disaster will overtake me and I will die;
Deuteronomy 28:21 “The LORD will make the plague cling to you until He has eliminated you from the land where you are entering to take possession of it.
Deuteronomy 28:60 “And He will bring back on you every disease of Egypt of which you were afraid, and they will cling to you.
-
to cling, to stay, to commit oneself
Action by which someone commits oneself to remain closely involved with another person or group, out of affection and/or solidarity
ExamplesGenesis 2:24 For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh.
Jeremiah 13:11 ‘For as the undergarment clings to the waist of a man, so I made the entire household of Israel and the entire household of Judah cling to Me,’ declares the LORD, ‘so that they might be My people, for renown, for praise, and for glory; but they did not listen.’
Genesis 34:3 But he was deeply attracted to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl and spoke tenderly to her.
-
to be in close pursuit, to catch up
Action by which someone pursues another person or group closely enough to be able to inflict harm
ExamplesGenesis 31:23 he took his kinsmen with him and pursued him a distance of seven days’ journey, and he overtook him in the hill country of Gilead.
Judges 18:22 When they had distanced themselves from Micah’s house, the men who were in the houses near Micah’s house assembled by command and overtook the sons of Dan.
Judges 20:45 The rest turned and fled toward the wilderness to the rock of Rimmon, but they caught five thousand of them on the roads and overtook them at Gidom, and killed two thousand of them.
-
to catch up
Literally: to catch up with someone; hence: process by which something happens to someone else as if the event had been pursuing the one undergoing it and was finally able to catch up; only used for negative events
ExamplesJudges 20:42 Therefore, they turned their backs before the men of Israel to flee in the direction of the wilderness, but the battle overtook them while those who attacked from the cities were annihilating them in the midst of them.
How it’s used In 5 roles
Every occurrence, grouped by the words it is grammatically related to.
the word studied the word it goes with
Who or what does itSubject
54 occurrences in 31 groups
- Not stated: he, she or it 6
- לָשׁוֹןtongue, language 4
- Not stated: I 4
- Not stated: they 4
- נֶפֶשׁsoul, life 3
- Not stated: you (more than one) 3
- Other words · 23 groups that occur once or twice (25) 25
What it acts on, or what is saidObject
10 occurrences in 8 groups
- וֹhim 3
- בַּיִתhouse, household 2
- בֵּןson 2
- דֶּבֶרpestilence 1
- דָּגָהfish 1
- לָשׁוֹןtongue, language 1
With prepositionsPrepositional phrases
42 occurrences in 41 groups
- בin/on/with+ וֹhim 5
- Other words · 40 groups that occur once or twice (47) 47
With adverbsAdverbs
5 occurrences in 4 groups
- לֹאnot 2
- כֹּהthus, so 1
- כֵּןthus 1
- שָׁםthere 1
After prepositionsPrepositional phrases
1 occurrences in 1 groups
- כlike/as 1
When two words share a role, as in “Paul and Barnabas said”, the verse appears under each, so a section’s counts can add up to more than the number of occurrences.
MACULA Greek Linguistic Datasets, available at https://github.com/Clear-Bible/macula-greek/, licensed CC BY 4.0; MACULA Hebrew Linguistic Datasets © 2022-2024 by Biblica, Inc., CC BY 4.0. Westminster Leningrad Codex (tanach.us). OpenScriptures Hebrew Bible morphology (hb.openscriptures.org), CC BY 4.0.
Near synonyms 2 words
- צָמַד tsâmad · H6775 · to be fastened, to be girded, to associate (with)
- Both verbs describe joining or attaching—דָּבַק (dâbaq, H1692) "to cleave, be joined together, stick," צָמַד (tsâmad, H6775) "to fasten, join oneself"—overlapping directly in the sense of physical or figurative attachment.
- חָבַר châbar · H2266 · to be joined together, to touch (one another), to join together
- Both words describe physical or metaphorical joining or attaching and can substitute in sense (to cleave or stick versus to couple or join).
In the other Testament 2 words
- κολλάω kolláō · G2853 · to join, to join oneself to, to become a part of
- κολλάω (kolláō, G2853) κολλάω is the standard Greek translation equivalent for דָּבַק (dâbaq, H1692) דָּבַק, capturing both the literal sense of physical adherence ('stick, cleave') and the figurative extension to relational/covenantal attachment ('join, cling to'), as seen in the LXX rendering of Genesis 2:24 (man cleaves to wife) and Ruth 1:14 (Ruth clung to Naomi).
- προσκολλάω proskolláō · G4347 · to join, to join oneself to, to become a part of
- Greek προσκολλάω renders Hebrew דָּבַק in contexts of strong adhesion or attachment, particularly in the Genesis 2:24 marriage formula ('a man shall cleave to his wife') and its New Testament citations, capturing the core sense of joining or clinging firmly to something or someone.
Semantic domains 4 entries
- Attach002003001001
- דָּבַק denotes clinging or being firmly attached to something, as at Genesis 2:24 — "a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife" — and Deuteronomy 10:20 — "you shall... cling to Him."
- Happen002002003003
- This code is inherited from the shared listing with a related sense of disaster or calamity overtaking someone rather than an independent feature of the specific citations reviewed here.
- Associate002003002002
- The same word denotes an association or attachment formed between people, as at Genesis 34:3 — "he was deeply attracted to Dinah the daughter of Jacob, and he loved the girl and spoke tenderly to her."
- Pursue002002001019
- The word also denotes pursuing closely and overtaking, as at Genesis 31:23 — "he took his kinsmen with him and pursued him a distance of seven days' journey, and he overtook him in the hill country of Gilead."
Word family 4 words
Words formed from the same root. They share a form, not always a meaning.
Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon H1692. dabaq דָּבֵק דָּבַק, verb cling, cleave, keep close (Late Hebrew id., Arabic…
דָּבֵק דָּבַק, verb cling, cleave, keep close (Late Hebrew id., Arabic Aramaic דְּבַק דְּבֵק, , ) —
Qal Perfect דָּבַק 1Ki 11:2 1Ki 11:2t.; וְדָבַק consecutive Gen 2:24; דָּבֵ֑ק 2Ki 3:3; 2Ki 3:3feminine singular דָּֽבְקָה Rth 1:14 Rth 1:5t.; דָּבֵ֑קָה Job 29:10; Job 29:1singular דָּבַקְתִּי Psa 119:31; Psa 119:3plural דָּֽבְקוּ 2Sa 20:2; וְדָֽבְקוּ consecutive Deu 28:60; דָּבֵ֑קוּ Job 41:15; וּדְבַקְתֶּם consecutive Jos 23:12; Imperfect יִדְבַּק Deu 13:18 Deu 13:3t.; 3 feminine singular תִּדְבַּק 2Ki 5:27; Psa 137:6; וַתִּדְבַּק Gen 34:3 Gen 34:2t.; suffix תִּדְבָּקַנִי Gen 19:19; Gen 19:2masculine singular תִּדְבָּ֑ק Deu 10:20; Eze 29:4 (strike out B Co); 2 feminine singular תִּדְבָּקִין Rth 2:8, Rth 2:21; Rth 2:3plural יִדְבְּקוּ Num 36:7, Num 36:9; Num 36:2masculine plural תִּדְבָּ֑קוּ Jos 23:8; תִּדְבָּקוּ֑ן Deu 13:5; Infinitive construct וּלְדָבְקָהבּֿוֺ Deu 11:22 Deu 11:2t.; — in Hexateuch only J D, except Num 36:7, Num 36:9 (P); —
1 cling, cleave to,
a. literally followed by בְּ Job 19:20 (bone to skin), so followed by לְ Psa 102:6; followed by אֶל 2Sa 23:10 (hand to sword; accidentally omitted with other words 1Ch 11:13 compare Dr 2Sa 23:11), Jer 13:11 (girdle to loins), Lam 4:4 (tongue to roof of mouth, in thirst), so followed by לְ Job 29:10; Psa 137:6 (as a judgment); so also in metaphor Psa 44:26 בִּטְנֵנוּ לָאָרֶץ דָּֽבְקָה our belly cleaveth to the earth (|| נַפְשֵׁנוּ לֶעָפָר שָׁחָה), Psa 119:25 נַפְשִׁי לֶעָפָר דָּֽבְקָה; fish to scales of crocodile (figurative of Pharaoh), followed by בְּ Eze 29:4 (but compare above); absolute (reciprocal) of folds of crocodile's belly Job 41:15; further of the חֵרֶם remaining in (sticking to) the hand followed by בְּ Deu 13:18; so of spot, stain Job 31:7;
b. so also of abiding on the land of one's tribe Num 36:7, Num 36:9 (followed by בְּ).
c. = remain with, close to followed by עִם Rth 2:8, Rth 2:21 followed by בְּ Rth 2:23.
2 cling, cleave to,
a. figurative of loyalty, affection etc., sometimes with idea of physical proximity retained, followed by בְּ Gen 2:24 (J; man to wife) compare Gen 34:3 (J) 1Ki 11:2; Jos 23:12 (D); further Rth 1:14 (Ruth to Naomi); 2Sa 20:2 (people to king); especially (followed by בְּ) of cleaving to ׳י Deu 11:22 (|| בְּכָלדְּֿרָכָיו הָלַךְ אָהֵב,) Deu 30:20 (|| בְּקֹלוֺ שָׁמַע אָהֵב,), Jos 22:5 (|| מִצְוֺתָיו שָׁמַר וגו, ׳הָלַךְ אָהֵב,); compare further Deu 10:20; Deu 13:5; Jos 23:8 (all D), 2Ki 18:6; Psa 63:9 (followed by אַחֲרֵי) & Psa 119:31 בְֵעדְוֺתֶ֑יךָ דָּבַקְתּי; so
b. of the opposite דָּבֵ֑ק ֗֗֗ יָָֽרָבְעָם בְּחַטּאֹות 2 Kings 3:37,
c. subject disease, calamity, followed by בְּ person Deu 28:60; 2Ki 5:27; followed by אַחֲרֵי Jer 42:16; followed by accusative Gen 19:19 (J); subject sin Psa 101:3 (followed by בְּ person)
Pu`al Imperfect3masculine plural יְדֻבָּ֑קוּ passive of Hiph`il
1 followed by בְּ, of crocodile's scales, they are joined together Job 41:9 (|| יִתְלַכְּדוּ); absolute of earth-clods Job 38:38.
Hiph`il Perfect3feminine singular suffix הִדְבִּיקָ֑תְהוּ Jdg 20:42; Jdg 20:3plural suffix הִדְבִּיקֻהוּ 2Sa 1:6; 2Sa 1:1singular הִדְבַּקְתִּי Jer 13:11; וְהִדְבַּקְתִּ֫י Eze 29:4; Imperfect jussive יַדְבֵּק Deu 28:21; וַיַּדְבֵּק Gen 31:23; אַדְבִּיק Eze 3:26; וַיַּדְבִּיקוּ Jdg 18:22; Jdg 20:45; וַיַּדְבְּקוּ 1Sa 14:22 1Sa 14:2t. (compare Ges§ 53 R 4 Köi. 210).
1 cause to cling or cleave to, followed by accusative + אֶל, literally אֶלחִֿכֶּ֑ךָ אַדְבִּיק וּלְשׁוֺנְךָ Eze 3:26; see also Eze 29:4 (followed by accusative + בְּ; literal, but in metaphor); figurative of causing to cleave to ׳י Jer 13:11 (followed by accusative + אֶל); compare further Deu 28:21 (subject ׳י, followed by accusative of disease + בְּ).
2 pursue closely, followed by אַחֲרֵי Jdg 20:45; 1Sa 14:22; 1Ch 10:2 = 1Sa 31:2 (followed by accusative); so also 2Sa 1:6 (followed by accusative)
3 overtake, followed by accusative Gen 31:23 (E), Jdg 18:22; compare Jdg 20:42 (subject הַמִּלְחָמַה).
Hoph`al Participle מַלְקוֺחָ֑י מֻדְבָּק וּלְשׁוֺנִי Psa 22:16 and my tongue is made to cleave (to) my gums; compare below
Qal 1.
[דְּבֵק] verb cling (Biblical Hebrew); —
Pe`al Participle plural עִםדְּֿנָה דְּנָה דָּֽבְקִין Dan 2:43.
Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), public domain
Topical studies with this word 4 entries
Meanings adapted from the UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament, © United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0 and the UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew (from the Semantic Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew), © United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0; MACULA Greek Linguistic Datasets, available at https://github.com/Clear-Bible/macula-greek/, licensed CC BY 4.0; MACULA Hebrew Linguistic Datasets © 2022-2024 by Biblica, Inc., CC BY 4.0. Westminster Leningrad Codex (tanach.us). OpenScriptures Hebrew Bible morphology (hb.openscriptures.org), CC BY 4.0.
Sources
eRhema lexical overview, based on the UBS Dictionary of Biblical Hebrew and the UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament (© United Bible Societies, CC BY-SA 4.0) and Macula Hebrew and Greek (Clear Bible, CC BY 4.0); released under CC BY-SA 4.0
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