English · KJV
H1793

דַּכָּא

dakkâʼ /dak-kaw'/ Ask about this word
Rootfrom דָּכָא
Meaningcrushed (literally powder, or figuratively, contrite)
KJV usagecontrite, destruction.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of dakkâʼ — 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 dakkâʼ, represented by H1793, is derived from a root meaning to crush. It appears 3 times in 3 unique verses, carrying a dual meaning of both literal destruction and a figurative state of being contrite or crushed in spirit.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In its biblical usage, H1793 describes two distinct concepts. In Psalms 90:3, it refers to physical destruction, the state to which God turns man. In contrast, it is used figuratively in Isaiah and Psalms to denote a spiritual posture. God dwells with those of a contrite and humble spirit Isaiah 57:15, and the Lord is near to those with a broken heart and a contrite spirit Psalms 34:18.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words clarify the meaning of a crushed or contrite state:

  • H7665 shâbar (to burst; break): This word often appears in parallel with states of contrition, describing a "broken heart" Psalms 34:18 or the "brokenhearted" Isaiah 61:1.
  • H8217 shâphâl (humble, low): This term is paired directly with H1793 to describe a "contrite and humble spirit" Isaiah 57:15, emphasizing a posture of lowliness before God.
  • H7307 rûwach (spirit): This is the noun that H1793 modifies in key passages, defining the "contrite spirit" as the object of God's attention Psalms 34:18.
  • H3820 lêb (the heart): Though H1793 describes the spirit, it is closely associated with the state of the heart. God revives the heart of the contrite Isaiah 57:15 and is near to those with a broken heart Psalms 34:18.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H1793 is significant, highlighting God's relationship with humanity.

  • Condition for Divine Presence: A contrite spirit is presented as a condition for intimacy with God. He is "nigh unto them that are of a broken heart" Psalms 34:18 and dwells with those of a "contrite and humble spirit" Isaiah 57:15.
  • Object of Divine Action: God's response to a contrite spirit is one of salvation and restoration. He "saveth" those with a contrite spirit Psalms 34:18 and acts "to revive" both the spirit and the heart of the contrite Isaiah 57:15.
  • Contrast of Human Frailty: The use of H1793 as "destruction" in Psalms 90:3 establishes a stark contrast between God's eternal nature and man's transient state, a state to which God can return him at will.

Summary

In summary, H1793 dakkâʼ encapsulates both a state of physical destruction and a spiritual posture of being crushed or contrite. While its literal sense points to human frailty Psalms 90:3, its figurative use reveals a profound theological truth: a contrite spirit, far from being a state of despair, is the very condition that draws God near to save and revive (Isaiah 57:15, Psalms 34:18). The word illustrates how a state of brokenness is valued by God as a prerequisite for His saving presence.

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 an adjective and a noun across 3 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.

  • דַּכְּאֵי
  • דַּכָּא
  • דַּכָּא

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.

H7665 שָׁבַר a primitive root; to burst (literally or figuratively); break (down, off, in pieces, up), broken (-hearted), bring to th H8217 שָׁפָל from שָׁפֵל; depressed, literally or figuratively; base(-st), humble, low(-er, -ly). H7307 רוּחַ from רוּחַ; wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively, life, anger, unsubs H3820 לֵב a form of לֵבָב; the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the intellect; like

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 Psalms (2 verses); never once in the other 37.

2
Psalms
1
Isaiah

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.