דָּקַר
to stab; by analogy, to starve; figuratively, to revile
Definition
The Hebrew verb דָּקַר (dâqar) primarily means 'to stab' or 'to pierce through,' often with a spear or sword, as seen in Judges 9:54 where Abimelech is stabbed by his armor-bearer. By extension, it can describe being 'pierced' by hunger or famine in a figurative sense, as in Lamentations 4:9, where those slain by hunger are said to be 'pierced.' In a few prophetic contexts, such as Isaiah 13:15 and Jeremiah 51:4, it carries the sense of being violently struck down in battle. The word does not typically mean 'to revile' in modern translations; that older gloss is better understood as the devastating effect of such a piercing blow.
Biblical Usage
דָּקַר is used 10 times in the Old Testament, primarily in narrative and prophetic books. In historical narratives, it describes fatal stabbings in battle or suicide, such as Phinehas driving a spear through the Israelite man and the Midianite woman (Numbers 25:8) and Saul falling on his sword (1 Samuel 31:4; 1 Chronicles 10:4). In prophecy, it depicts the violent fate of enemies, as in Isaiah 13:15 and Jeremiah 37:10; 51:4. Its figurative use for the piercing effects of famine appears uniquely in Lamentations 4:9.
Etymology
Derived from a primitive root, דָּקַר is related to the idea of a sharp, penetrating thrust. Cognates in other Semitic languages, like Arabic daqara ('to stab'), support this core meaning. The word's development from a physical act to a metaphor for severe suffering (like famine) is a natural semantic extension within Hebrew.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it is used in the prophecy of Zechariah 12:10, which states 'they will look on me, the one they have pierced' (though a different verb, דָּקַר, is used there, it is conceptually linked). This passage is often seen as a messianic prophecy pointing to the crucifixion of Jesus (cf. John 19:37). Understanding דָּקַר enriches the reading of both judgment narratives and prophetic oracles, highlighting the severity of divine judgment and the profound cost of sin, ultimately foreshadowing the piercing of the Messiah.
In ancient Near Eastern warfare, death by spear or sword thrust was a common and graphic reality. The act of 'piercing' conveyed not just killing, but a decisive, often public, and sometimes ritualized act of execution or battle triumph. The metaphorical use for famine reflects the cultural understanding of hunger as an equally violent and piercing force that destroys life from within.
חָלַל (ḥālal, H2490) — to pierce, wound, or profane; often used for piercing in battle but with a broader range including defilement. הָרַג (hārag, H2026) — to kill, slay; a general term for causing death, not specifying the method like stabbing. נָקַב (nāqav, H5344) — to bore, pierce, or designate; can mean to pierce through but also to specify by name.
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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