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H1758

דּוּשׁ

dûwsh /doosh/ Ask about this word
or דּוֹשׁ · or דִּישׁ · a primitive root
to trample or thresh
break, tear, thresh, tread out (down), at grass (Jeremiah 50:11, by mistake for דֶּשֶׁא).

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of dûwsh — 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 dûwsh, represented by H1758, is a primitive root meaning to trample or thresh. It appears 14 times in 13 verses, often carrying the variants דּוֹשׁ or דִּישׁ. While its literal meaning is tied to the agricultural process of separating grain, it is frequently used as a powerful metaphor for destruction, punishment, and divine judgment. The base definition also notes its mistaken use for a different word in Jeremiah 50:11.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In biblical usage, H1758 encompasses both literal and figurative actions. Its agricultural context is seen when Ornan is found "threshing wheat" 1 Chronicles 21:20 and when Ephraim is described as a heifer that "loveth to tread out the corn" Hosea 10:11. More often, the term describes violent subjugation. The king of Syria is said to have "made them like the dust by threshing" 2 Kings 13:7, and Damascus is judged because "they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron" Amos 1:3. The word can also denote an act of severe punishment, as when Gideon threatens to "tear" the flesh of his enemies Judges 8:7. Figuratively, it illustrates divine power, with God promising Israel they will "thresh the mountains, and beat them small" Isaiah 41:15 and the prophet stating God did "thresh the heathen in anger" Habakkuk 3:12.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the methods and outcomes associated with threshing:

  • H1854 dâqaq: This word means to crush or beat in pieces. It is used alongside H1758 to describe the result of threshing, such as when Israel is promised they will thresh mountains and "beat them small" Isaiah 41:15 or "beat in pieces many people" Micah 4:13.
  • H2742 chărûwts: This term describes a threshing-sledge with sharp teeth. It is the specific tool mentioned in God's promise to make Israel "a new sharp threshing instrument" Isaiah 41:15 and in the accusation against Damascus for using "threshing instruments of iron" Amos 1:3.
  • H2251 châbaṭ: Meaning to knock out or beat off, this word describes a gentler form of threshing. It is contrasted with H1758 in Isaiah, where delicate spices like fitches and cummin are not "threshed" with heavy instruments but are "beaten out with a staff" Isaiah 28:27.
  • H4173 môwrag: This word also refers to a threshing sledge. It is used to describe the instrument God will provide for his people to thresh mountains Isaiah 41:15 and is offered by Ornan as wood for a sacrifice 1 Chronicles 21:23.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H1758 is primarily centered on themes of judgment and power.

  • Divine Judgment: Threshing is a vivid metaphor for God's judgment upon nations. He is depicted threshing the heathen in anger Habakkuk 3:12 and declares that "Moab shall be trodden down" Isaiah 25:10.
  • Instrument of Punishment: The action is used to describe the oppressive cruelty of one nation against another. The threshing of Gilead by Syria is a transgression that brings divine retribution Amos 1:3, and the king of Syria's destruction of Israel is described as making them "like the dust by threshing" 2 Kings 13:7.
  • Empowerment of God's People: God reverses the roles by empowering his people to act as the thresher. He promises to make Zion's "hoofs brass" to "beat in pieces many people" Micah 4:13 and to make Israel a "new sharp threshing instrument" capable of leveling mountains Isaiah 41:15.

Summary

In summary, H1758 evolves from a simple agricultural term to a complex and forceful symbol in scripture. It represents the act of violent separation, whether of grain from chaff or of a people from their power. Its usage illustrates the brutal reality of ancient warfare, the severity of divine judgment against sin, and the immense power God bestows upon His chosen instruments to overcome insurmountable opposition.

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 16 occurrences, inflected in 12 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.

  • דִישׁ
  • תָּדוּשׁ
  • יוּדַשׁ
  • נָדוֹשׁ
  • הִדּוּשׁ
  • דַשְׁתִּי
  • דוֹשִׁי
  • תְּדוּשֶׁ
  • יְדוּשֶׁ
  • אָדוֹשׁ
  • דָשָׁה
  • דָּשׁ

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.

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 13 verses across 10 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Isaiah (4 verses); never once in the other 29.

1
Judges
1
2 Kings
1
1 Chronicles
1
Job
4
Isaiah
1
Jeremiah
1
Hosea
1
Amos
1
Micah
1
Habakkuk

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.