English · KJV
H1814

דָּלַק

dâlaq /daw-lak'/ Ask about this word
Roota primitive root
Meaningto flame (literally or figuratively)
KJV usageburning, chase, inflame, kindle, persecute(-or), pursue hotly.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of dâlaq — 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 dâlaq, represented by H1814, is a primitive root meaning to flame, either literally or figuratively. It is translated in various ways, including burning, chase, inflame, kindle, persecute, and pursue hotly. It appears 9 times across 9 unique verses, highlighting its specific and intense applications in scripture.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical usage, H1814 carries a dual meaning of both literal fire and figurative, heated pursuit. It describes the aggressive, hostile action of enemies, as when the wicked persecute the poor Psalms 10:2 or when persecutors pursued the people upon the mountains Lamentations 4:19. This sense of urgent pursuit is also seen when Jacob confronts Laban for having so hotly pursued after him Genesis 31:36. In a literal sense, the word is used in the command to "heap on wood, kindle the fire" Ezekiel 24:10 and prophetically when the house of Jacob is said to kindle in the house of Esau like a fire in stubble Obadiah 1:18.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the contexts in which H1814 is used:

  • H7291 râdaph (to run after): This root is used for the act of persecution itself, often in parallel with H1814. It means to chase or follow with hostile intent, as seen when Israel's persecutors H7291 hotly pursued H1814 them Lamentations 4:19.
  • H7563 râshâʻ (wicked): This term identifies the moral character of those who perform the action of persecuting. In Psalms 10:2, it is the wicked H7563 who, in their pride, persecute H1814 the poor.
  • H2787 chârar (to glow, burn, dry up): This word is used alongside H1814 in the context of literal fire. In Ezekiel's prophetic act, the command is to kindle H1814 the fire and let the bones be burned H2787, showing a direct relationship between starting a fire and its consuming effect.

Theological Significance

The conceptual weight of H1814 is significant, illustrating intensity in several domains:

  • The Heat of Persecution: The word connects the hostility of an enemy with the physical properties of a consuming flame. The act of chasing is not merely following but a "hot pursuit" Genesis 31:36 and a "burning" persecution that aims to consume its target.
  • The Fire of Divine Judgment: H1814 is used to depict God's judgment enacted through his people. The house of Jacob will kindle upon and devour Esau, an act initiated because "the LORD hath spoken it" Obadiah 1:18. The command to kindle a fire in Ezekiel 24:10 is also a symbol of impending divine reckoning.
  • The Flame of Sinful Passion: The term describes the internal, destructive heat of sin. Wine is said to inflame those who pursue it Isaiah 5:11, and deceptive speech is characterized by burning lips that come from a wicked heart Proverbs 26:23.

Summary

In summary, H1814 is a powerful and vivid word that encapsulates the concept of intense, consuming heat. It is applied to both the literal act of kindling a fire and the figurative passion of hot pursuit, whether in hostile persecution, divine judgment, or sinful indulgence. Through its usage, scripture illustrates how a single concept of "flaming" can define the nature of conflict, justice, and human desire.

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 9 occurrences, inflected in 8 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.

  • דֹלְקִים
  • הַדְלֵק
  • יַדְלִיקֵ
  • דָלְקוּ
  • יִדְלַק
  • דְּלֹק
  • דָלַקְתָּ
  • דְּלָקֻ

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.

H7291 רָדַף a primitive root; to run after (usually with hostile intent; figuratively (of time) gone by); chase, put to flight, foll H7563 רָשָׁע from רָשַׁע; morally wrong; concretely, an (actively) bad person; [phrase] condemned, guilty, ungodly, wicked (man), tha H2787 חָרַר a primitive root; to glow, i.e. literally (to melt, burn, dry up) or figuratively (to show or incite passion); be angry,

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 9 verses across 8 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Psalms (2 verses); never once in the other 31.

1
Genesis
1
1 Samuel
2
Psalms
1
Proverbs
1
Isaiah
1
Lamentations
1
Ezekiel
1
Obadiah

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.