דָּאַג
be anxious
Definition
The Hebrew verb דָּאַג (dâʼag) means to be anxious, worried, or concerned, often with a sense of inner turmoil or distress. In some contexts, it carries the nuance of being afraid or sorrowful, as seen in 1 Samuel 9:5 where Saul's servant expresses worry about their journey. In other passages, like Psalm 38:18, it describes the psalmist's personal anguish over his sin. The word can also imply careful thought or preoccupation, as in Jeremiah 17:8, which contrasts the one who trusts in God and 'shall not be anxious' in the year of drought.
Biblical Usage
This word appears 7 times in the Old Testament, primarily in narrative and poetic/prophetic books. It is used in contexts of personal worry (1 Samuel 9:5; 10:2), spiritual distress over sin (Psalm 38:18), and prophetic warnings about misplaced anxiety (Isaiah 57:11; Jeremiah 17:8; 38:19; 42:16). A pattern emerges where human anxiety is often contrasted with trust in God, especially in the prophets.
Etymology
Derived from a primitive root, דָּאַג is a verb related to the experience of inner agitation. Cognates in other Semitic languages suggest a core meaning of trembling or fear. Its development in Biblical Hebrew expanded to encompass mental anxiety and sorrowful care.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it directly addresses the human condition of anxiety and God's perspective on it. It enriches the reading of passages like Jeremiah 17:7-8 and Psalm 38, highlighting the biblical call to replace anxious worry with trust in the Lord. Understanding this Hebrew term deepens comprehension of Jesus' teaching in Matthew 6:25-34 against 'being anxious' (μεριμνάω in Greek, a conceptual parallel).
In ancient Israelite culture, anxiety was often tied to tangible threats like famine, war, or social shame, which differs from some modern, internalized forms of anxiety. The word's use in contexts of journey (1 Samuel 9:5) and drought (Jeremiah 17:8) reflects these concrete concerns.
יָרֵא (yārēʼ, H3372) — a more general term for fear or reverence, often of God. פָּחַד (pāḥaḏ, H6342) — denotes sudden terror or dread. דְּאָגָה (dĕʼāgâ, H1674) — the noun form meaning anxiety or concern.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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