דָּלַח
to roil water
Definition
The Hebrew verb דָּלַח (dâlach) means to stir up, disturb, or roil water, creating a murky, troubled state. In its two biblical occurrences, it is used metaphorically to describe the disruptive actions of powerful nations or rulers. In Ezekiel 32:2, it depicts Pharaoh as a 'young lion' who 'troubled the waters' of the Nile, symbolizing his violent, destabilizing influence. In Ezekiel 32:13, God promises to stop all the animals from 'troubling the waters' of Egypt's streams, representing the end of chaotic, oppressive power and the restoration of calm order.
Biblical Usage
This verb is used exclusively in the book of Ezekiel, specifically in the prophetic oracle against Egypt (Ezekiel 32:2, 13). In both instances, it is employed in a metaphorical sense. The usage describes the political and military turmoil caused by a ruler (Pharaoh) or nation, which is poetically compared to a great creature stirring up a body of water, making it muddy and unfit for life.
Etymology
דָּלַח (dâlach) is a primitive root in Biblical Hebrew. Its core meaning relates to disturbing or muddying water. Cognates in other Semitic languages, like Arabic and Aramaic, support this sense of stirring, troubling, or agitating a liquid. The word does not appear to be derived from a more basic Hebrew root, standing as its own core concept of creating turbidity.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it connects human arrogance and violence with the defilement of creation. Pharaoh's actions 'troubling the waters' (Ezekiel 32:2) symbolize sin's chaotic effect on the world order God established. Conversely, God's act of stopping the waters from being troubled (Ezekiel 32:13) is an image of divine judgment that ultimately brings restoration and peace, reversing the damage caused by human pride. It enriches the reading of Ezekiel by showing that God's judgment is not merely punitive but aims to cleanse and return creation to a state of tranquil order.
In the ancient Near East, major rivers like the Nile were lifelines, sources of water, food, transportation, and religious symbolism. To 'trouble' such waters was not just a physical act but a profound image of causing societal and cosmic disorder. A clear, flowing river symbolized life, blessing, and stability, while murky, roiled water represented death, curse, and chaos. Ezekiel's audience would have immediately understood troubling the Nile as an attack on Egypt's very foundation and a violation of natural and divine order.
גָּעַשׁ (ga'ash, H1607) — to shake or quake, often of the earth or nations, implying a broader physical trembling rather than specifically muddying water. בָּלַע (bala', H1104) — to swallow or engulf, often used for destruction, but focuses on consumption rather than disturbance. הָמָה (hamah, H1993) — to murmur, roar, be tumultuous; describes noisy agitation or uproar, often of crowds or seas, but not specifically the muddying effect of דָּלַח.
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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