### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **dûwmâh**, represented by `{{H1745}}`, denotes **silence** and is used figuratively for **death**. It appears **2 times** across **2 unique verses**, making it a rare but significant term that describes a state of ultimate stillness and finality. The word is derived from a root that means to be dumb, emphasizing a complete cessation of activity and sound.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In its biblical usage, `{{H1745}}` consistently portrays a place or state of lifelessness. In [[Psalms 115:17]], it is the destination for the dead, a realm where praise for the LORD ceases. The verse states that those who "go down into **silence**" are the dead who cannot praise God. Similarly, [[Psalms 94:17]] presents **silence** as a condition of despair from which the soul is saved only by the LORD's intervention, describing how the psalmist's soul would have "dwelt in **silence**" without God's help.
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words from its context illuminate the meaning of **dûwmâh**:
* `{{H4191}}` **mûwth** (to die): This word is directly linked with entering **silence**, establishing it as a state of the dead [[Psalms 115:17]].
* `{{H3381}}` **yârad** (to descend): This describes the action of entering **silence**, portraying it as a lower region one goes down into, akin to the grave [[Psalms 115:17]].
* `{{H7931}}` **shâkan** (to reside or permanently stay): This term is used to describe the soul's potential fate, which is to "dwell" in **silence**, suggesting it is a permanent state of being without God's help [[Psalms 94:17]].
* `{{H5833}}` **ʻezrâh** (aid; help): This is positioned as the direct antidote to dwelling in **silence**, as it is the LORD's help that prevents this fate [[Psalms 94:17]].
* `{{H1984}}` **hâlal** (to... celebrate... praise): The primary activity that is absent in the state of **silence** is praise, highlighting that this silence is specifically a separation from the worship of God [[Psalms 115:17]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H1745}}` is found in its stark portrayal of life without God.
* **The Finality of Death:** **Dûwmâh** is not merely quiet but a metaphor for death itself. It is the place where the dead `{{H4191}}` go, ceasing all earthly activity and praise [[Psalms 115:17]].
* **Separation from God:** To dwell in **silence** is to be in a state where one's soul `{{H5315}}` is cut off from the help `{{H5833}}` of the LORD `{{H3068}}`. It is the consequence of being without God's saving presence [[Psalms 94:17]].
* **The Absence of Worship:** The defining characteristic of this state of **silence** is the inability to praise `{{H1984}}` the LORD `{{H3050}}`. This contrasts sharply with a life of faith, which is marked by worship and song.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H1745}}` **dûwmâh** is a powerful and concise term for the silence of death. Though used only twice, it effectively captures a theological concept of ultimate separation from God's presence and praise. It represents the final state of the soul without divine help, a place of stillness where the relationship with the living God is severed.
TRV