### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **dᵉmîy**, represented by `{{H1824}}`, is defined as **quiet; cutting off, rest, silence**. According to usage statistics, it appears **4 times** across **4 unique verses** in the Bible, carrying a specific weight in each context. Its meaning shifts between a state of rest or silence and the more final sense of being cut off.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In its biblical occurrences, `{{H1824}}` is used to convey distinct commands and descriptions. It is a command to God's "watchmen" to persistently intercede, to "keep not **silence**" [[Isaiah 62:6]] and to give God "no **rest**" until His promises are fulfilled [[Isaiah 62:7]]. The term is also used in a desperate plea for God to act, with the psalmist crying, "Keep not thou **silence**, O God" [[Psalms 83:1]]. In a completely different context, it describes a moment of mortal crisis, with the speaker lamenting, "I said in the **cutting off** of my days, I shall go to the gates of the grave" [[Isaiah 38:10]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help clarify the concepts of silence and rest associated with `{{H1824}}`:
* `{{H2790}}` **chârash**: Defined as to be silent or hold peace, this word appears alongside `{{H1824}}` in [[Psalms 83:1]], where the psalmist begs God to "hold not thy **peace**."
* `{{H2814}}` **châshâh**: Meaning to hush or keep quiet, this term is used in parallel with `{{H1824}}` in Isaiah's command for the watchmen on Jerusalem's walls to never "hold their **peace**" day or night [[Isaiah 62:6]].
* `{{H8252}}` **shâqaṭ**: Meaning to repose or be still, this word is also part of the plea in [[Psalms 83:1]], urging God to "be not **still**."
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H1824}}` is centered on the nature of communication between God and humanity.
* **Urgency in Intercession:** The command to give God no "rest" (dᵉmîy) highlights a divine desire for persistent, unceasing prayer from His people on behalf of His purposes for Jerusalem [[Isaiah 62:7]].
* **Divine Silence:** The plea for God not to keep "silence" (dᵉmîy) frames divine inaction as a form of silence. The psalmist implores God to break this silence and intervene against His enemies [[Psalms 83:1]].
* **Finality of Life:** The use of `{{H1824}}` as "cutting off" connects the concepts of silence and rest to the end of one's days, portraying the grave as a place of cessation and deprivation [[Isaiah 38:10]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H1824}}` is a potent term whose meaning is heavily shaped by its context. While it appears infrequently, it plays a critical role in expressing concepts ranging from the duty of relentless intercession to the finality of human mortality. It demonstrates that silence, or the lack thereof, is a powerful theme in the conversation between the divine and the human in scripture.
TRV