דִּבְיוֹנִים (div.yon)
div.yon
quano
H:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-M
Word Overview
The Hebrew word divyonim refers specifically to dove or pigeon dung, appearing only once in the Old Testament at 2 Kings 6:25. During a severe famine in Samaria, this substance is mentioned as an item of extreme scarcity and high value, so much so that it was being sold for a significant price. The text highlights the desperation of the siege, where even waste products became commodities.
Its occurrence here underscores the depth of the crisis described in the narrative. While some ancient translations rendered this term differently, the Masoretic reading identifies it as bird droppings, likely used as fertilizer or fuel. This single reference serves as a stark indicator of the poverty and hunger gripping the city at that time.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
Reading about dove dung in 2 Kings 6 might seem strange at first. It describes a time when famine was so severe that people were trading waste for survival. This image shows us how desperate the situation had become, turning something worthless into a precious commodity.
This story reminds us of God’s patience even when circumstances look hopeless. The siege lasted long enough for basic needs to vanish completely. Yet, within this dark chapter, we see the reality of human suffering and the need for divine intervention.
When life feels like it is closing in, remember that God sees these struggles. He knows the weight of hunger and fear. This passage invites us to trust Him not just in good times, but especially when everything seems lost.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- quano<s>1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- דִּבְיוֹנִ֖ים1×
Key Verses
-
II Kings 6:25
There was a great famine in Samaria. Behold, they besieged it until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a kab of dove’s dung for five pieces of silver.
This verse highlights the extreme desperation of the siege by showing that even bird droppings had monetary value due to scarcity.