דָּלַל (da.lal)
da.lal
to languish
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 8 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb dalal describes a state of hanging down or being low, often conveying physical weakness or distress. In its basic sense, it refers to something drooping or languishing, such as eyes that look weak or weary. This imagery extends to the human condition, where it depicts people who are brought low by hardship or poverty.
Scripture uses this word to paint a vivid picture of vulnerability. For instance, in Isaiah 32:7, the sources note its application to those whose actions are base, contrasting with the noble. In Psalms and Proverbs, it often highlights the plight of the poor or the humble who find themselves in a lowly position. The Niphal form emphasizes this passive experience, describing how individuals are laid low by external forces.
Its root suggests a downward movement, reinforcing the idea of descent into weakness. Translators typically render it as "languish," "be low," or "be brought low," capturing both the physical and social dimensions of the word. This term reminds readers that humility and distress are real experiences acknowledged in biblical wisdom.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
When life feels heavy and your strength is fading, this word reminds you that God sees your weakness. It describes a state of being brought low, whether by hardship or physical exhaustion. You do not have to hide your fatigue from Him. He notices when you are struggling and offers comfort in those quiet moments.
In Psalm 116:6, the writer says, 'I was brought low, and he saved me.' This shows that humility before God is not a failure but a place of safety. When we acknowledge our limits, we open ourselves to His help. He preserves those who are simple and vulnerable.
Even in Isaiah 38:14, the king moans like a dove with weakening eyes, yet he turns his pain into prayer. Your struggles are known. You can bring your weariness to Him with honesty, trusting that He hears you even when you have no words left.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 8 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- they hang down2×
- we have become low1×
- they will be low1×
- they are cast down1×
- it will become low1×
- and/ it became low1×
- I had become low1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- יִדַּ֖ל1×
- וַ/יִּדַּ֧ל1×
- דָּלֲל֥וּ1×
- דַּלּ֤וּ1×
- דַּלְי֣וּ1×
- דַּ֝לּוֹתִ֗י1×
- דַּ֖לּוּ1×
- דַלּ֣וֹנוּ1×
Key Verses
-
Psalms 116:6
Yahweh preserves the simple. I was brought low, and he saved me.
The writer explicitly links being brought low by hardship with God's act of preservation and salvation.
-
Isaiah 38:14
I chattered like a swallow or a crane. I moaned like a dove. My eyes weaken looking upward. Lord, I am oppressed. Be my security.”
This verse uses the imagery of weakening eyes to describe personal oppression, showing how physical distress leads to direct prayer.
-
Judges 6:6
Israel was brought very low because of Midian; and the children of Israel cried to Yahweh.
It describes the national crisis where Israel was brought very low by Midian, prompting them to cry out for deliverance.