דָּשֵׁן (da.shen)
da.shen
to prosper
H:VQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 10 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- H:V
Word Overview
The Hebrew verb dashen literally means to become fat or grow thick, but in Scripture it most often describes prosperity in a figurative sense. When applied to people, it suggests a state of flourishing or success that comes from divine favor. This usage appears frequently in the wisdom literature and prophetic books, where physical fullness serves as a metaphor for spiritual or material well-being.
Interestingly, the word carries a dual edge depending on context. While it can denote blessed abundance, it is also used to describe the hardness of heart that results from self-sufficiency. For instance, in Deuteronomy 32:15 and Isaiah 6:9-10, the people are said to have become "fat" or "dull," leading them to forget God. This contrast highlights how prosperity can sometimes lead to spiritual complacency rather than gratitude.
The term also appears in ritual contexts, such as in the Piel stem where it means to anoint or make fat offerings acceptable. This connection between physical richness and sacred duty underscores the ancient Israelite view that material blessings were not merely personal gains but signs of covenant relationship. Translators often render this word as "prosper" or "flourish," capturing the sense of thriving life that comes from walking in alignment with God’s will.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Hebrew word dashen paints a vivid picture of abundance, moving from the literal idea of becoming physically full to the spiritual reality of flourishing under God’s care. In the Psalms and Proverbs, this term describes the quiet confidence that comes from trusting in divine provision rather than human effort. It suggests a life where needs are met not by hoarding, but by receiving grace with an open hand.
Yet Scripture also offers a gentle warning about this same word. In Deuteronomy, becoming too comfortable can sometimes lead to forgetting the source of our blessings. The danger lies not in prosperity itself, but in allowing self-sufficiency to replace gratitude. When we feel fully satisfied by our own strength, we risk drifting from the One who sustains us.
This balance invites us to view our daily resources with both thankfulness and humility. Whether experiencing plenty or waiting on provision, we are called to remember that true flourishing is rooted in relationship with God. May your heart remain open to receive His goodness without becoming distant from Him.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 10 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- he will be made fat2×
- you have refreshed1×
- to/ take away ashes/ its1×
- it will be made fat1×
- it will be fattened1×
- it has fattened itself1×
- it fattens1×
- and/ they will take away [the] ashes from1×
- and/ it will grow fat1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- יְדֻשָּֽׁן\׃2×
- תְּדֻשָּֽׁן\׃1×
- תְּדַשֶּׁן\־1×
- תְדֻשָּׁ֑ן1×
- לְ/דַשְּׁנ֔/וֹ1×
- וְ/דָשֵׁ֑ן1×
- וְ/דִשְּׁנ֖וּ1×
- הֻדַּ֣שְׁנָה1×
- דִּשַּׁ֖נְתָּ1×
Key Verses
-
Psalms 23:5
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil. My cup runs over.
This verse uses the concept of being anointed and overflowing, illustrating how divine presence provides a sense of secure abundance even amidst opposition.
-
Proverbs 11:25
The liberal soul shall be made fat. He who waters shall be watered also himself.
Here the word describes the reciprocal nature of generosity, showing that those who freely give experience their own spiritual and material flourishing.
-
Deuteronomy 31:20
For when I have brought them into the land which I swore to their fathers, flowing with milk and honey, and they have eaten and filled themselves, and grown fat, then they will turn to other gods, and serve them, and despise me, and break my covenant.
This passage highlights the spiritual risk of prosperity, where physical fullness leads to arrogance and a forgetting of God's covenant.
-
Proverbs 28:25
One who is greedy stirs up strife; but one who trusts in Yahweh will prosper.
It contrasts greed with trust, indicating that genuine prosperity is the result of relying on Yahweh rather than pursuing selfish gain.