דַּי (day)
day
sufficiency
H:NQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 33 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N
Word Overview
The Hebrew word day conveys the idea of sufficiency or enough. It functions as a noun meaning "sufficiency" but is frequently used in phrases with prepositions to mean "according to the abundance of" or "as often as." This usage appears across various books, including Leviticus, Isaiah, and Jeremiah, where it helps describe quantities that meet a need or exceed it.
A key feature of day is its flexibility when combined with prefixes. For instance, b'day means "according to the sufficiency," while kedai often translates as "enough" or "sufficiently." In Proverbs 25:16, the phrase "dayekha" refers to what is sufficient for you, highlighting a personal limit of need. Similarly, in Malachi 3:10, the expression "ad bli day" describes a blessing so abundant it never runs out, effectively meaning "until there is no more sufficiency."
The word’s root meaning ties closely to the concept of being enough or adequate. Though its exact etymology remains uncertain, its scriptural usage consistently points to adequacy—whether in material provisions, like the offerings in Exodus 36:7, or in temporal frequency, as seen in Judges 6:5 where it marks repeated actions. This focus on sufficient quantity makes day a practical term for describing what meets a requirement.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word day points to a state of being enough or adequate. It describes when what we have meets our needs perfectly, whether that is material provision or the frequency of an event. In Exodus 36:7, the Israelites brought so much for the Tabernacle that it was sufficient and more than enough. This shows that God’s work often exceeds mere requirement, offering abundance rather than just survival.
In daily life, this concept reminds us that sufficiency is not about having everything we want, but recognizing when what we have is adequate for the task at hand. Proverbs 25:16 uses this idea to warn against excess, suggesting that eating only what is sufficient protects us from harm. It invites a posture of contentment and trust in God’s timing and provision.
When we feel lacking, day offers a gentle reassurance. It suggests that God measures out what is needed for each moment. Whether it is financial resources or the strength to endure repeated trials, the focus remains on adequacy provided by the Lord. This perspective helps us find peace in the present, knowing our needs are seen and met.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 33 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- as/ often as13×
- for/ [the] sufficiency of4×
- sufficiency/ their3×
- sufficiency of3×
- sufficiency2×
- according to/ [the] sufficiency of2×
- [is] sufficiency of2×
- sufficiency/ your1×
- more than/ sufficiency of1×
- in/ [the] sufficiency of1×
- and/ as/ often as1×
- and/ a sufficiency of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מִ/דֵּ֤י7×
- בְּ/דֵי\־4×
- מִ/דֵּי\־2×
- מִ/דֵּ֧י2×
- מִ/דֵּ֣י2×
- כְּ/דֵ֥י2×
- דֵּ֣י2×
- דֵּ֖י2×
- מִֽ/דֵּי\־1×
- כְּ/דֵ֣י1×
- כְ/דֵֽי\־1×
- וּ/מִ/דֵּ֥י1×
Key Verses
-
Exodus 36:7
For the stuff they had was sufficient to do all the work, and too much.
This verse uses the word to show that the people's contributions were not just adequate but excessive for building the Tabernacle.
-
Proverbs 25:16
Have you found honey? Eat as much as is sufficient for you, lest you eat too much, and vomit it.
Here the term defines a personal limit of need, advising restraint to avoid negative consequences from excess.
-
Deuteronomy 15:8
but you shall surely open your hand to him, and shall surely lend him sufficient for his need, which he lacks.
It describes lending sufficient resources to meet a neighbor's specific lack, highlighting social responsibility.
-
Judges 6:5
For they came up with their livestock and their tents. They came in as locusts for multitude. Both they and their camels were without number; and they came into the land to destroy it.
The word emphasizes the overwhelming multitude of the enemy forces, contrasting human insufficiency with their vast numbers.