דָּעַךְ (da.akh)
da.akh
to put out
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 9 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb da‘akh describes the process of something going out or being extinguished, often with a sense of drying up. It appears nine times in the Old Testament, primarily within the poetic books of Job, Psalms, and Proverbs. The word captures the physical reality of a flame fading away or water evaporating, serving as a tangible metaphor for loss of strength, vitality, or hope.
In its active form, it can mean to put out a fire, but more frequently it describes the natural state of something dying down. For instance, in Job 15:30, it illustrates how wealth and life are consumed by forces beyond human control. The imagery is consistent across texts: just as a fire needs fuel to burn, human energy or divine favor can be quenched when those resources are depleted.
Translators often render da‘akh as "extinguished" or "quenched," highlighting the finality of the action. This choice preserves the starkness of the original image, where light or life does not merely pause but ceases to exist in its current form. The word reminds readers that vitality is fragile and dependent on external sources for sustenance.
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, it is easy to worry that our strength will simply fade away like a fire running out of fuel. This Hebrew word describes that quiet extinguishing, reminding us that human vitality is fragile and dependent on sources beyond ourselves. We do not generate our own light; we receive it.
The biblical text uses this image to contrast two paths. The lamp of the wicked is snuffed out, leaving only darkness. But for those who walk in integrity, the light shines brightly. This is not about earning brightness through perfect behavior, but about remaining connected to the source that sustains us when circumstances grow hot and dry.
Even when external pressures surround you like bees or heat consumes the landscape, your worth does not depend on your own endurance. You are held by a faithfulness that does not go out. Rest in the knowledge that your light is kept safe, not by your grip, but by the One who kindled it.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 9 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- it is extinguished3×
- they were extinguished2×
- it will be extinguished2×
- they are dried up1×
- is it extinguished1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- יִדְעָֽךְ\׃3×
- נִדְעֲכ֥וּ1×
- יִדְעָ֗ךְ1×
- יִדְעָ֑ךְ1×
- יִֽדְעַ֥ךְ1×
- דֹּ֭עֲכוּ1×
- דָּעֲכ֖וּ1×
Key Verses
-
Proverbs 13:9
The light of the righteous shines brightly, but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out.
This verse establishes the core contrast, showing that righteous living results in enduring light while wickedness leads to being snuffed out.
-
Job 18:6
The light will be dark in his tent. His lamp above him will be put out.
Here the word describes the finality of divine judgment, where even the lamp above a person's head is extinguished, leaving total darkness.
-
Psalms 118:12
They surrounded me like bees. They are quenched like the burning thorns. In Yahweh’s name I cut them off.
The psalmist uses this imagery to describe how enemies are quenched like burning thorns when invoked in Yahweh’s name.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hebrew word da‘akh mean?
How is this word different from other words for dying?
Where does this word appear most often?
Every Occurrence (9 verses across 4 books)
Job 4 verses
In the dry season, they vanish. When it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.
Job 18:5“Yes, the light of the wicked will be put out. The spark of his fire won’t shine.
Job 18:6The light will be dark in his tent. His lamp above him will be put out.
Job 21:17“How often is it that the lamp of the wicked is put out, that their calamity comes on them, that God distributes…