דְּקַק (de.qaq)
de.qaq
to break up
A:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 8 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb deqaq describes a violent physical breaking, meaning to shatter or crush something into small fragments. It is not a gentle cracking but a forceful destruction that reduces an object to pieces. This word appears eight times in the Old Testament, with the majority of those occurrences found in the book of Daniel.
In its active form, it depicts the act of breaking things apart, while the passive form describes the result of being shattered. The sources highlight its use for tangible objects rather than abstract concepts, emphasizing the finality of the break. When used in Daniel, it often underscores the power of God to dismantle earthly kingdoms or idols, leaving them in ruins.
The word’s root suggests a fine division, implying that what was once whole is now scattered. Translators typically render it as "break" or "shatter," capturing the suddenness and completeness of the action. Its limited usage allows readers to focus on the specific context of divine judgment or human weakness in the face of overwhelming force.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word deqaq describes a forceful shattering, reducing something solid into scattered fragments. In Daniel, this imagery appears when God’s kingdom dismantles earthly powers that seem unbreakable. It reminds us that no human system is permanent or beyond reach.
When life feels unstable, this truth offers comfort. What stands firm today may crumble tomorrow, but God’s reign remains. We find peace not in controlling outcomes, but in trusting the One who holds history together.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 8 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- it will shatter2×
- and/ it shattered2×
- they were shattered1×
- and/ it will shatter/ it1×
- and/ [it was] shattering1×
- [it was] shattering1×
- [is] shattering1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- תַּדִּ֥ק1×
- תַּדִּ֤ק1×
- מַדֲּקָ֔ה1×
- מְהַדֵּ֤ק1×
- וּ/מַדֱּקָ֔ה1×
- וְ֠/הַדֶּקֶת1×
- וְ/תַדְּקִנַּֽ/הּ\׃1×
- וְ/הַדֵּ֖קֶת1×
- דָּ֣קוּ1×
Key Verses
-
Daniel 2:44
“In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, nor will its sovereignty be left to another people; but it will break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it will stand forever.
This verse uses deqaq to show God’s kingdom actively breaking and consuming earthly kingdoms, emphasizing its eternal stability.
-
Daniel 7:7
“After this I saw in the night visions, and, behold, there was a fourth animal, awesome, powerful, and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth. It devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet. It was different from all the animals that were before it. It had ten horns.
Here the fourth beast’s iron teeth break in pieces, illustrating violent destruction as part of a divine vision of rising empires.
-
Daniel 2:34
You saw until a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet that were of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces.
The stone cut without hands strikes the image and breaks it in pieces, highlighting God’s sovereign intervention against human pride.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does deqaq mean in the Bible?
Why is deqaq used in Daniel?
Is deqaq only about physical objects?
Every Occurrence (8 verses across 1 books)
Daniel 8 verses
You saw until a stone was cut out without hands, which struck the image on its feet that were of iron and clay, and…
Daniel 2:35Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were broken in pieces together, and became like the chaff…
Daniel 2:40The fourth kingdom will be strong as iron, because iron breaks in pieces and subdues all things; and as iron that…
Daniel 2:44“In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, nor will its…
Daniel 2:45Because you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the…
Daniel 7:7“After this I saw in the night visions, and, behold, there was a fourth animal, awesome, powerful, and exceedingly…
Daniel 7:19“Then I desired to know the truth concerning the fourth animal, which was different from all of them, exceedingly…
Daniel 7:23“So he said, ‘The fourth animal will be a fourth kingdom on earth, which will be different from all the kingdoms, and…