Word Study for H1777 (דִּין) | Strong's Concordance

dîyn /deen/ Ask about this word

Rootor (Genesis 6:3) דּוּן · a primitive root

Meaninga straight course, i.e. sail direct

KJV usage(come) with a straight course.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of dîyn — 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 dîyn, represented by H1777, is a primitive root defined as a straight course or to sail direct. It appears 24 times across 24 unique verses in the Bible. While its root meaning suggests a direct action, it is primarily used in scripture as a verb meaning to judge, plead a case, or to contend and strive.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The use of H1777 spans from divine judgment to human legal responsibility. God is shown as the ultimate arbiter who will judge the ends of the earth 1 Samuel 2:10 and the nations Genesis 15:14. Humans are also commanded to use this faculty, particularly to plead the cause of the poor and needy Proverbs 31:9. The term also carries the meaning of contention or striving, as when God's spirit will not always strive with man Genesis 6:3, or when the people were at strife 2 Samuel 19:9. In a personal context, Rachel exclaims that God has judged her, which becomes the basis for naming her son Dan Genesis 30:6.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words expand on the concept of judgment and legal pleading:

H1779 dîyn (judgement, cause, plea): This is the direct noun form, representing the legal case or plea itself. It is often the object of the verb, as in "He judged H1777 the cause H1779 of the poor" Jeremiah 22:16.
H1835 Dân (judge): The name given to one of Jacob's sons, directly derived from this root. This is explained when Rachel says God has judged her Genesis 30:6, and Jacob prophesies, "Dan shall judge his people" Genesis 49:16.
H8199 shâphaṭ (to judge, vindicate, punish): A primary verb for judging, often used in parallel with H1777 to describe God's or a ruler's judicial actions, such as judging the people with righteousness Psalms 72:2.
H7378 rîyb (to contend, plead): This word is used to describe holding a controversy or defending a case. It appears alongside H1777 when the LORD "standeth up to plead (rîyb), and standeth to judge (dîyn) the people" Isaiah 3:13.

Theological Significance

The theological implications of H1777 are centered on justice and divine authority.

Divine Sovereignty in Judgment: The word establishes the LORD as the supreme judge over all creation. He judges the people righteously Psalms 96:10, the ends of the earth 1 Samuel 2:10, and even the heathen Psalms 110:6, demonstrating His ultimate authority and power to establish order.
The Standard of Righteous Leadership: Judging rightly is a divine mandate given to human leaders. Kings are expected to judge the people with righteousness Psalms 72:2, and all are called to plead the cause of the poor and needy Proverbs 31:9. Jeremiah explicitly links judging the cause of the poor with knowing the LORD Jeremiah 22:16.
Personal Vindication and Relationship: H1777 is used to express a personal cry for justice or vindication from God. Rachel sees the birth of her son as God having judged her Genesis 30:6, and the psalmist asks God to judge him by His strength Psalms 54:1, showing that divine judgment is also a source of personal help and validation.
Contention with Sin: The term is used to describe God's striving against human sinfulness, as when His spirit will not always strive with man Genesis 6:3. It also appears in the context of man's inability to contend with a God who is much mightier Ecclesiastes 6:10.

Summary

In summary, dîyn H1777 encapsulates a wide spectrum of judicial and relational concepts. It is not merely about passing a sentence, but about the active process of judging, pleading, contending, and setting things right. From the LORD's sovereign judgment over the nations to the righteous mandate for leaders to defend the vulnerable, the word is a cornerstone of biblical justice. It reveals a God who is both the ultimate judge and a personal vindicator, one who strives with humanity and calls his people to reflect His righteous character.

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 24 occurrences, inflected in 9 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form.

Qal Imperfect 3rd Singular Masculine 11×
Qal Infinitive Construct 3×
Qal Imperfect 2nd Singular Masculine 2×
Qal Participle Singular Masculine Absolute 2×
Qal Perfect 3rd Singular Masculine 2×
Niphal Participle Singular Masculine Absolute 1×
Qal Imperative 2nd Plural Masculine 1×
Qal Imperative 2nd Singular Masculine 1×
Qal Perfect 3rd Plural common gender 1×

Singular: One.
Plural: More than one.
Masculine: Masculine grammatical gender.
common gender: Either gender — the form does not distinguish.
2nd: Second person — the one addressed ("you").
3rd: Third person — the one spoken about ("he"/"they").
Imperfect: Ongoing or repeated action in the past — "was doing".
Perfect: A completed act whose results continue.
Imperative: A command or entreaty.
Infinitive: The verb as a noun — "to do".
Participle: A verbal adjective — describes while carrying the verb's action.
Qal: The simple, basic stem — plain action in the active voice.
Niphal: Simple passive or reflexive of the Qal.
Absolute: The independent form of a noun (not bound to another).
Construct: Bound to a following noun — "the X of…".

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 24 verses across 11 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Psalms (8 verses); never once in the other 28.

Genesis

Deuteronomy

1 Samuel

2 Samuel

Job

Psalms

Proverbs

Ecclesiastes

Isaiah

Jeremiah

Zechariah

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, 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.