### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **dallâh**, represented by `{{H1803}}`, describes something dangling, like a loose thread or hair. This core idea extends figuratively to represent the indigent, pining sickness, or the poor. It appears 8 times across 8 unique verses, illustrating a range of meanings from the literal to the metaphorical.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In biblical usage, `{{H1803}}` most often identifies the lowest class of society, particularly the remnant left behind during the Babylonian exile. The conquerors carried away the skilled and powerful, but "none remained, save the **poorest sort** of the people of the land" [[2 Kings 24:14]]. This group was left to work the land as vinedressers and husbandmen ([[2 Kings 25:12]], [[Jeremiah 52:16]]). The word is also used to describe physical weakness, as in Pharaoh's dream of "poor and very ill favoured" kine [[Genesis 41:19]] and in Hezekiah's lament over his "**pining sickness**" [[Isaiah 38:12]]. In a completely different context, it literally means **hair**, as seen in [[Song of Solomon 7:5]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help clarify the status and state of those described by `{{H1803}}`:
* `{{H7604}}` **shâʼar** (leave, remnant, reserve): This word is frequently paired with `{{H1803}}` to emphasize that the poor were the ones **left** behind. The captain of the guard **left** of the poor of the land [[2 Kings 25:12]]. It reinforces the theme of a remnant being reserved in the land.
* `{{H1368}}` **gibbôwr** (mighty, strong man, warrior): This word serves as a direct contrast to the **poor** `{{H1803}}`. In the exile account, the captives included "all the **mighty men** of valour," while only the "poorest sort" remained [[2 Kings 24:14]].
* `{{H3755}}` **kôrêm** (vine dresser): This term defines the specific occupation assigned to the **poor** `{{H1803}}` who were left in Judah, highlighting their agrarian, subservient role [[Jeremiah 52:16]].
### Theological Significance
The conceptual weight of `{{H1803}}` is tied to themes of humility, weakness, and divine judgment.
* **The Humble Remnant:** The repeated use of `{{H1803}}` for those left in Judah after the exile is significant. It portrays the remnant not as a powerful force, but as the most humble and overlooked segment of the population ([[2 Kings 24:14]], [[Jeremiah 40:7]]).
* **A State of Affliction:** Whether describing sick cattle [[Genesis 41:19]], personal illness [[Isaiah 38:12]], or poverty, the word consistently points to a state of being low, weak, or afflicted. It is associated with **badness** `{{H7455}}` and **evil** `{{H7451}}` in a physical or natural sense.
* **Literal and Figurative Weakness:** The word's semantic range from a dangling "hair" [[Song of Solomon 7:5]] to a "pining sickness" [[Isaiah 38:12]] illustrates a connection between something physically loose or weak and a state of figurative powerlessness or indigence.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H1803}}` is a versatile word that moves from a literal meaning of "dangling" to a figurative representation of the weak, sick, and poor. Its primary biblical role is to identify the humble remnant left in the land of Judah, contrasting them with the mighty and the skilled who were taken into captivity. The word encapsulates a state of lowliness, whether physical, social, or economic.
TRV