דָּלִיּוֹת (da.liy.yah)
da.liy.yah
branch
H:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew word daliyot refers to a branch or bough of a tree. It appears only once in the Old Testament, in Jeremiah 11:16, where it serves as the central image for a metaphor about Israel. The prophet describes the nation as a "green olive tree" with beautiful and goodly fruit, directly linking the people’s identity to the vitality of the tree itself.
This term is not used for twigs or small shoots, but for the substantial limbs that bear the weight of the harvest. By choosing this specific word, the text emphasizes the structural integrity and productivity of the community. The branch is integral to the life of the olive tree, suggesting that the people’s health was meant to be inseparable from their spiritual condition.
Translators typically render daliyot simply as "branch" or "bough," preserving the agricultural imagery without adding extra theological weight. The power of the verse lies in the contrast between the tree’s former beauty and its subsequent burning, a judgment that falls upon the very limbs that once displayed God’s favor.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word daliyot refers to the sturdy branches of an olive tree, the very limbs that carry the weight of the harvest. In Jeremiah 11:16, this image highlights how deeply connected Israel’s identity was to its spiritual health. Just as a branch cannot exist apart from the tree, the people were meant to reflect the vitality and fruitfulness of their relationship with God.
When those branches are broken by fire, it signals a profound loss. This reminds us that our strength comes from being rooted in something greater than ourselves. It invites reflection on what sustains us during difficult times and how we might remain connected to the source of true life.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- branches/ its1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- דָּלִיּוֹתָֽי/ו\׃1×
Key Verses
-
Jeremiah 11:16
Yahweh called your name, “A green olive tree, beautiful with goodly fruit.” With the noise of a great roar he has kindled fire on it, and its branches are broken.
This verse uses daliyot to show how Israel’s former beauty and productivity were shattered by judgment, emphasizing the consequence of broken connection.