Word Study for H1821 (דְּמָה)

dᵉmâh /dem-aw'/ Ask about this word

Root(Aramaic) corresponding to דָּמָה

Meaningto resemble

KJV usagebe like.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of dᵉmâh — 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 Aramaic word dᵉmâh, represented by H1821, is the counterpart to a Hebrew term for "to resemble; be like." It is a specific and rare term, appearing only 2 times across 2 unique verses in the Bible, both within the book of Daniel. Its function is to draw a direct comparison or describe a likeness.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H1821 is used to articulate visual descriptions of both symbolic and divine beings. In Daniel's vision of the four beasts, the second beast is described as being like a bear, signifying its characteristics within the prophecy Daniel 7:5. The word is also used by Nebuchadnezzar when he observes a fourth figure walking in the fiery furnace, whose form is like the Son of God, highlighting a supernatural event Daniel 3:25.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related Aramaic words provide context for the comparisons made using H1821:

H7299 rêv (aspect; form): This word is used in conjunction with H1821 to describe the appearance of the divine figure in the furnace, specifying that his form was like the Son of God Daniel 3:25.
H2423 chêyvâʼ (an animal; beast): This term is used for the visionary creatures in Daniel's dream, including the one that was like a bear Daniel 7:5.
H2370 chăzâʼ (to gaze upon; see): This verb of sight is central to both occurrences. It is used when Daniel sees the prophetic vision and when Nebuchadnezzar is made to see the men in the fire Daniel 3:25.

Theological Significance

The significance of H1821 lies in its use to describe things that are beyond ordinary experience.

Prophetic Symbolism: The word is crucial for interpreting prophetic visions. Describing a beast as like a bear gives it understandable attributes while maintaining its symbolic nature Daniel 7:5.
Describing the Divine: It provides a linguistic bridge for a human to describe a divine being. Nebuchadnezzar uses it to articulate the appearance of a heavenly figure in a way that can be comprehended, stating the form is like the Son of God Daniel 3:25.

Summary

In summary, H1821 is a specific Aramaic term used for making comparisons. Though it appears only twice, its role is pivotal in two key moments in the book of Daniel. It serves the essential function of relating supernatural visions and divine manifestations to the observable world, whether describing a prophetic beast or the form of a heavenly being.

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 2 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.

דָּמְיָה
דָּמֵה

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

2 verses, all in Daniel — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

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.