Word Study for H1713 (דָּגַל)

dâgal /daw-gal'/ Ask about this word

Roota primitive root

Meaningto flaunt, i.e. raise a flag; figuratively, to be conspicuous

KJV usage(set up, with) banners, chiefest.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of dâgal — 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 dâgal, represented by H1713, is a primitive root meaning to flaunt, raise a flag, or be conspicuous. It appears 4 times in 4 unique verses in the Bible. Its translations include "(set up, with) banners" and "chiefest," indicating a theme of public display and prominence.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical text, H1713 is used both literally and figuratively. In Psalms, it is associated with worship and victory, where the people declare, "in the name of our God we will set up our banners" Psalms 20:5. In the Song of Solomon, it is used to describe the awe-inspiring nature of the beloved, who is "terrible as an army with banners" (Song of Solomon 6:4, Song of Solomon 6:10). Figuratively, it denotes preeminence, describing the beloved as "the chiefest among ten thousand" Song of Solomon 5:10.

Related Words & Concepts

Several words are contextually linked to H1713, enriching its meaning:

H1730 dôwd (beloved, love, uncle): This word for beloved is used to describe the one who is called the "chiefest" H1713 among thousands, establishing a connection between prominence and affection Song of Solomon 5:10.
H366 ʼâyôm (terrible): This describes the quality of an "army with banners" H1713, signifying a frightful or awe-inspiring presence (Song of Solomon 6:4, Song of Solomon 6:10).
H3444 yᵉshûwʻâh (salvation, deliverance, victory): Banners H1713 are set up in celebration of God's salvation, linking the act of raising a flag to divine deliverance and aid Psalms 20:5.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H1713 is seen in its symbolic applications.

Symbol of Divine Victory: The act of setting up banners is explicitly tied to rejoicing in God's salvation H3444 and fulfilled petitions H4862. It is a public declaration of trust and triumph in God's power Psalms 20:5.
Mark of Distinction: The word's use as "chiefest" highlights a person who is conspicuous and set apart. This points to the idea of being chosen or uniquely favored, as the beloved H1730 is described as preeminent Song of Solomon 5:10.
Awe-Inspiring Presence: When used with ʼâyôm H366, the image of an "army with banners" conveys a sense of organized, powerful, and beautiful majesty that is both intimidating and compelling (Song of Solomon 6:4, Song of Solomon 6:10).

Summary

In summary, H1713 dâgal signifies more than a mere flag. It is a powerful symbol of victory celebrated in God's name, a descriptor for an awe-inspiring and conspicuous presence, and a mark of preeminence. From a triumphant declaration of faith to a poetic expression of admiration, dâgal consistently points to that which is raised up and made visible for all to see.

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 4 occurrences, inflected in 3 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.

נִּדְגָּלוֹת
נִדְגֹּל
דָּגוּל

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 4 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Song of Solomon (3 verses); never once in the other 37.

Psalms

Song of Solomon

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.