דַּל (dal)
dal
poor
H:AQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 45 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:A
Word Overview
The Hebrew adjective dal describes someone who is low, weak, or poor. Its root idea suggests something dangling or hanging loosely, which implies a state of being thin, frail, or lacking strength. In the Old Testament, it primarily refers to economic poverty but also carries physical weakness and social vulnerability. The word appears frequently in wisdom literature like Proverbs and poetic books such as Job and Psalms.
Dal often highlights the contrast between the powerful and the powerless. For instance, in 2 Samuel 3:1, it describes the house of Saul growing weaker while David’s strength increased. In Proverbs 14:31, oppressing the poor is equated with insulting their Maker, showing that how society treats dal individuals reflects spiritual standing. The term encompasses both material need and a lack of social influence.
Translators usually render dal as "poor" or "needy," though these English words can miss the physical frailty implied by the Hebrew. The sources note it sometimes means "lean," as in describing someone’s emaciated state. This word underscores a biblical theme: God shows special concern for those who are lowly and vulnerable, calling for justice and compassion toward them.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word dal describes more than just a lack of money. It paints a picture of someone who is physically frail, socially vulnerable, and without power to defend themselves. In the ancient world, being dal meant having no strong city to hide behind and no friends to speak for you. This reality makes God’s special care for such people all the more striking.
Scripture repeatedly shows that how we treat those with little influence matters deeply to God. Proverbs 14:31 reminds us that oppressing the poor is an insult to their Maker, while kindness honors Him. When you see someone struggling, you are seeing a person for whom God has a specific heart. Your small acts of mercy reflect His own character.
This word invites us to look beyond our own strength. It calls us to recognize that true security does not come from wealth or status, but from the One who lifts up the lowly. May you find comfort in knowing that God sees the vulnerable and desires your compassion toward them.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 45 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- poor [people]15×
- [the] poor10×
- a poor [person]4×
- and/ a poor [person]3×
- to <the>/ poor [person]2×
- poor2×
- [is] poor2×
- weak1×
- for the/ poor [person]1×
- and/ weak1×
- and/ the/ poor [person]1×
- and/ poor1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- דַּלִּ֔ים5×
- דַּלִּ֑ים5×
- דָּ֑ל4×
- דָּ֭ל3×
- דָּ֗ל2×
- דַּלִּ֣ים2×
- דַּ֣ל2×
- דַ֥ל2×
- לַ/דָּֽל\׃1×
- לַ/דָּ֛ל1×
- לַ/דַּ֣ל1×
- וָ/דָ֑ל1×
Key Verses
-
Proverbs 14:31
He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for his Maker, but he who is kind to the needy honors him.
This verse connects social justice directly to spiritual reverence, showing that mistreating the dal is an act of contempt against God Himself.
-
Psalms 82:3
“Defend the weak, the poor, and the fatherless. Maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed.
Here the word is paired with 'weak,' emphasizing that dal implies a state of powerlessness requiring divine intervention and human advocacy.
-
II Samuel 3:1
Now there was long war between Saul’s house and David’s house. David grew stronger and stronger, but Saul’s house grew weaker and weaker.
This usage shifts from economic poverty to general weakness, illustrating how Saul’s house grew frail while David’s strength increased.
-
Proverbs 19:17
He who has pity on the poor lends to Yahweh; he will reward him.
The text frames generosity toward the dal as a loan to Yahweh, highlighting God’s personal investment in the welfare of the vulnerable.