דָּגַר
to brood over eggs or young
Definition
The Hebrew verb דָּגַר (dâgar) means to brood over eggs or young, specifically describing a bird sitting on its nest to incubate eggs or protect hatchlings. In its two biblical occurrences, it carries this literal sense of avian care. In Isaiah 34:15, it describes the owl (or 'arrow-snake' in some translations) nesting and brooding in a desolate place, contributing to a scene of utter abandonment. In Jeremiah 17:11, the word is used metaphorically: a partridge that 'gathers' (broods over) eggs it did not lay illustrates a person who gains wealth unjustly, only to lose it.
Biblical Usage
This verb is used only twice in the Old Testament, both in prophetic books. It appears once in a literal, descriptive context (Isaiah 34:15) within a prophecy against Edom depicting a wilderness inhabited by wild creatures. Its second use is in a metaphorical proverb (Jeremiah 17:11) to critique foolish and unjust gain. There is no pattern of frequent usage, making each instance particularly significant for its context.
Etymology
דָּגַר is a primitive root in Biblical Hebrew, meaning its origin is not derived from another Hebrew word within the biblical corpus. It is specifically associated with the action of birds. Cognates in related Semitic languages, like Arabic and Aramaic, also carry meanings related to covering, brooding, or gathering, confirming this core sense.
Semantic Range
While not a major theological term, דָּגַר enriches understanding through its vivid imagery. In Jeremiah 17:11, it provides a powerful metaphor for the folly of ill-gotten gains, which do not ultimately belong to the one who 'broods' over them, teaching about God's justice and the futility of greed. In Isaiah 34:15, its use in a judgment oracle highlights the completeness of desolation, where God's judgment returns a place to a primitive, chaotic state inhabited only by creatures like brooding owls.
In an agrarian society closely tied to nature, the image of a bird brooding on its nest was a familiar and potent symbol of care, protection, and possession. The metaphor in Jeremiah leverages this common understanding: just as a bird's diligent brooding is futile if the eggs are not its own, so is human effort spent on unjust wealth. This cultural touchstone made the prophetic message immediately relatable.
יָשַׁב (yāšab, H3427) — a general verb meaning 'to sit, dwell, remain'; דָּגַר specifies sitting with the purpose of brooding or incubating. קִנֵּן (qinnēn, H7077) — means 'to make a nest'; דָּגַר describes the action performed in the nest.
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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