Word Study for H1699 (דֹּבֶר)

dôber /do'-ber/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom דָבַר (in its original sense)

Meaninga pasture (from its arrangement of the flock)

KJV usagefold, manner.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of dôber — 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 dôber, represented by H1699, refers to a pasture, fold, or manner. It is derived from a root word signifying the arrangement of a flock. It appears only 2 times in 2 unique verses, highlighting a specific pastoral concept in scripture.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The two uses of H1699 illustrate its connection to flocks and their environment. In Micah 2:12, God promises to gather the remnant of Israel "as the flock in the midst of their fold," indicating a place of security and organized gathering. In contrast, Isaiah 5:17 uses the word to describe how lambs will "feed after their manner," which points to the natural, customary way a flock grazes in its designated pasture.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the pastoral imagery associated with H1699:

H7462 râʻâh (to tend a flock; i.e. pasture it): This word, used in Isaiah 5:17, describes the action of feeding that takes place within the manner or pasture of H1699. It is the root for words like "pastor" and "shepherd" Psalms 23:1.
H6908 qâbats (to grasp, i.e. collect): This term for gathering is used in Micah 2:12 to describe the act of bringing God's people together into the fold H1699, an action God promises to His scattered flock Ezekiel 34:13.
H622 ʼâçaph (to gather for any purpose): Also appearing in Micah 2:12, this word reinforces the theme of divine assembly. It is used for gathering people, such as when God gathers His saints Psalms 50:5 or when Abraham was "gathered to his people" in death Genesis 25:8.
H1949 hûwm (to make an uproar, or agitate greatly): This word describes the result of the gathering in Micah 2:12, where the multitude in the fold will "make great noise," signifying a place teeming with life and activity.

Theological Significance

The theological significance of H1699 is centered on God's role as the Shepherd of Israel.

Divine Restoration: The concept of the "fold" is a powerful image of God's promise to restore His people. After being scattered, God will actively gather the remnant of His flock and bring them to a place of safety and community (Micah 2:12, Jeremiah 23:3).
Security and Order: The "fold" H1699 represents a divinely appointed place of security and arrangement. It is where the flock is protected, organized, and able to thrive under the shepherd's care, a direct contrast to being scattered or destroyed Jeremiah 23:1.
Promised Abundance: The consequence of being gathered into the "fold" is life and vitality. This is seen in the "great noise by reason of the multitude" in Micah 2:12 and in the peaceful feeding of lambs "after their manner" in Isaiah 5:17, both pointing to God's provision.

Summary

In summary, dôber H1699 is a focused term that, while rare, carries significant theological weight. It denotes the secure and orderly environment of a flock, whether a physical fold or the characteristic manner of life within a pasture. It serves as a key image for God's covenant promise to gather, protect, and provide for His people, transforming them from a scattered remnant into a thriving and populous community.

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 noun and 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.

דָבְרָ
דִּבֵּר

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 2 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Isaiah and Micah (1 verse each); never once in the other 37.

Isaiah

Micah

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.