English · KJV
H1669

דָּאַב

dâʼab /daw-ab'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningto pine
KJV usagemourn, sorrow(-ful).

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of dâʼab — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Hebrew word dâʼab, represented by H1669, is a primitive root that means to pine; mourn, sorrow(-ful). Though it appears only 3 times across 3 unique verses, its usage points to a deep, internal state of grief and mourning that affects the soul.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical occurrences, H1669 describes a profound emotional state that is met by God's promise of restoration. In the book of Jeremiah, it is used to describe the "sorrowful soul" that the LORD promises to replenish Jeremiah 31:25. This promise is echoed in the same chapter, where God declares that his restored people "shall not sorrow any more at all" Jeremiah 31:12. In the Psalms, the word conveys personal anguish, as the psalmist cries out that his "eye mourneth by reason of affliction" Psalms 88:9, directly linking the feeling to suffering.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help define the context of this sorrow:

  • H5315 nephesh (soul): Defined as a "breathing creature" or "vitality," this is the part of a person that experiences the sorrow. God promises to replenish the "sorrowful soul" Jeremiah 31:25 and restore it Psalms 23:3.
  • H6040 ʻŏnîy (affliction): This word means "depression, i.e. misery; afflicted(-ion), trouble" and is presented as the direct cause of the mourning in Psalms 88:9. God sees the affliction of his people and hears their cry Exodus 3:7.
  • H5889 ʻâyêph (weary): Meaning "languid; faint, thirsty, weary," this word is used in parallel with H1669 to describe a state of exhaustion that God promises to satiate Jeremiah 31:25. It often depicts a deep longing for God, like a soul in a thirsty land Psalms 143:6.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H1669 is seen in its portrayal of suffering and divine response.

  • The State of the Soul: The word highlights a condition of the soul (H5315) that is marked by deep grief and mourning, often brought on by external affliction (H6040).
  • A Precursor to Restoration: Sorrow is not depicted as a final state, but as the condition that God specifically addresses with promises of replenishment (H4390) and satisfaction (H7301), as seen in Jeremiah 31:25.
  • Divine Compassion: The use of dâʼab in scripture underscores God's awareness of and compassion for human suffering. The promise to end sorrow and satiate the weary soul demonstrates his character as a restorer Jeremiah 31:12.

Summary

In summary, H1669 provides a specific and powerful term for a state of deep sorrow and mourning. While used sparingly, it effectively captures a profound human experience of grief. Its primary context in the Bible is not to dwell on the sorrow itself, but to frame it as the state from which God promises deliverance and restoration, transforming a "sorrowful soul" into one that is replenished and satisfied.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a verb across 3 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

  • דָּאֲבָה
  • דַאֲבָה

Related Words

Related

Other entries the study above points to — each one is drawn from a reference it makes. Follow the trail to see how the words connect.

H5315 נֶפֶשׁ from נָפַשׁ; properly, a breathing creature, i.e. animal of (abstractly) vitality; used very widely in a literal, accomm H6040 עֳנִי from עָנָה; depression, i.e. misery; afflicted(-ion), trouble. H5889 עָיֵף from עָיֵף; languid; faint, thirsty, weary. H4390 מָלֵא or מָלָא; (Esther 7:5), a primitive root; to fill or (intransitively) be full of, in a wide application (literally and f H7301 רָוָה a primitive root; to slake the thirst (occasionally of other appetites); bathe, make drunk, (take the) fill, satiate, (a

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

Appears in 3 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Jeremiah (2 verses); never once in the other 37.

1
Psalms
2
Jeremiah

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.