English · KJV
H1736

דּוּדַי

dûwday /doo-dah'-ee/ Ask about this word
Rootfrom דּוּד
Meaninga boiler or basket; also the mandrake (as an aphrodisiac)
KJV usagebasket, mandrake.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of dûwday — 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 dûwday, represented by H1736, holds a dual meaning as both mandrake and basket. Derived from a root associated with boiling or love, its base definition also includes "boiler" and notes the mandrake's use as an aphrodisiac. It appears 7 times across 5 unique verses in the Bible, signifying its specific but impactful role in scripture.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H1736 is used in two distinct contexts. In Genesis, mandrakes are found by Reuben during the wheat harvest and become a point of contention between Leah and Rachel, who trades a night with Jacob for them Genesis 30:14-16. In Song of Solomon, the mandrakes give off a smell and are part of an offering of pleasant fruits to a beloved Song of Solomon 7:13. In a completely different usage, Jeremiah is shown a vision of two baskets H1736 of figs set before the temple of the LORD Jeremiah 24:1, where they serve as a prophetic symbol.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words illuminate the contexts in which H1736 appears:

  • H1730 dôwd (beloved, love): This word, from the same root as dûwday, highlights the theme of affection. It appears in the same verse as the mandrakes in Song of Solomon, where fruits are laid up for the beloved Song of Solomon 7:13.
  • H2406 chiṭṭâh (wheat): This term grounds the Genesis narrative in a specific time, noting that Reuben found the mandrakes during the "days of wheat harvest" Genesis 30:14.
  • H8384 tᵉʼên (fig): This word is crucial for the second meaning of H1736, specifying the contents of the baskets in Jeremiah's vision as figs Jeremiah 24:1.

Theological Significance

The significance of H1736 lies in its symbolic weight within its contexts.

  • Catalyst for Desire: In Genesis, the mandrakes are a tangible object of human desire, acting as a bargaining chip in the family drama between Rachel and Leah and playing a role in the lineage of Jacob Genesis 30:15.
  • Vessel for Prophecy: As baskets in Jeremiah's vision, the items are not mundane but are part of a divine communication from the LORD, symbolizing the fate of the people of Judah Jeremiah 24:1.
  • Emblem of Intimate Affection: In Song of Solomon, the mandrakes are presented alongside "pleasant fruits, new and old," their distinctive "smell" contributing to a scene of rich, sensuous love and devotion Song of Solomon 7:13.

Summary

In summary, H1736 is a word with two specific but powerful meanings. Whether as the coveted mandrake in narratives of family and love or as the symbolic basket in prophetic vision, it demonstrates how ordinary objects can carry extraordinary weight. Dûwday illustrates a biblical theme where the tangible things of the earth—plants, fruits, and containers—are used to convey profound truths about human relationships and divine messages.

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 across 7 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.

  • דּוּדָאֵי
  • דוּדָאִים

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.

H1730 דּוֹד or (shortened) דֹּד; from an unused root meaning properly, to boil, i.e.; (figuratively) to love; by implication, a love H2406 חִטָּה of uncertain derivation; wheat, whether the grain or the plant; wheat(-en). H8384 תְּאֵן or (in the singular, feminine) תְּאֵנָה; perhaps of foreign derivation; the fig (tree or fruit); fig (tree).

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 5 verses across 3 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Genesis (3 verses); never once in the other 36.

3
Genesis
1
Song of Solomon
1
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.