דָּשָׁא (da.sah)
da.sah
to sprout
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb dašāʾ describes the simple, vital act of sprouting or shooting forth green growth. In its basic Qal form, it captures the natural process of plants emerging from the earth, bringing color and life back to a landscape. This sense is vividly present in Joel 2:22, where God promises that the fig tree and vine will once again bear fruit, signaling a return to agricultural abundance after judgment.
The word also appears in the Hiphil stem, meaning "to cause to sprout." This active usage is foundational in Genesis 1:11, where God commands the earth to produce vegetation. Here, the term highlights divine sovereignty over creation; the earth does not generate life on its own but responds to the Creator’s word to bring forth seed-bearing plants.
Though rare, appearing in only two verses, dašāʾ carries significant theological weight. It connects the physical reality of plant growth with God’s power to restore and sustain life. The term reminds readers that renewal is both a natural process and a divine gift, rooted in God’s initial creative command and His ongoing care for the earth.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word dašāʾ captures the quiet, vital act of sprouting. It describes green life pushing through soil, bringing color back to a landscape that had gone dry or dormant. This simple image reminds us that renewal is not just a human effort but a divine gift. When God commands the earth to produce vegetation in Genesis 1:11, He initiates the cycle of life that sustains all creation.
In times of personal hardship or spiritual dryness, this word offers hope. Joel 2:22 uses it to promise restoration after judgment, showing that God’s care extends to the smallest details of nature. The fig tree and vine yield their strength because He speaks life into them. Similarly, our own seasons of growth depend on His sustaining power.
We can trust that just as the earth responds to God’s word, our lives are held in His hands. Renewal comes not from our striving alone but from His faithful provision. May you find peace in knowing that new beginnings are always possible through His grace.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- they are green1×
- let it sprout1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- תַּֽדְשֵׁ֤א1×
- דָשְׁא֖וּ1×
Key Verses
-
Genesis 1:11
God said, “Let the earth yield grass, herbs yielding seeds, and fruit trees bearing fruit after their kind, with their seeds in it, on the earth;” and it was so.
This verse establishes the word’s Hiphil stem, showing God actively commanding the earth to produce seed-bearing vegetation as part of His creative sovereignty.
-
Joel 2:22
Don’t be afraid, you animals of the field; for the pastures of the wilderness spring up, for the tree bears its fruit. The fig tree and the vine yield their strength.
Here the verb describes the fig tree and vine yielding strength, symbolizing tangible restoration and agricultural abundance after a period of divine judgment.