דָּוֶה
sick (especially in menstruation)
Definition
The Hebrew noun דָּוֶה (dâveh) refers to a state of being sick, weak, or faint, often with a specific association to menstrual impurity or illness. In its primary usage, it describes a woman during her menstrual period, as seen in Leviticus 15:33 and 20:18, where it denotes ritual impurity. The word also extends to a more general sense of sickness or fainting from affliction, as in Lamentations 1:13, where Jerusalem is described as 'faint' from God's judgment, and Lamentations 5:17, where the heart is 'faint' from sorrow. In Isaiah 30:22, it is used metaphorically for idolatrous objects that are 'menstruous' or defiled, to be cast away as unclean.
Biblical Usage
This word appears five times in the Old Testament, primarily in legal and prophetic contexts. In the Holiness Code of Leviticus (15:33, 20:18), it is used technically for a menstruating woman, relating to purity laws. In the poetic books of Lamentations (1:13, 5:17), it conveys metaphorical or emotional sickness—faintness from divine wrath or grief. In Isaiah 30:22, it is applied figuratively to idolatrous images, emphasizing their ritual defilement. The usage thus shifts from a specific physical condition in legal texts to broader imagery of weakness and impurity in prophetic lament.
Etymology
Derived from the root דָּוָה (dāvâ, H1738), meaning 'to be ill' or 'to languish.' This root conveys a sense of physical sickness or weakness. דָּוֶה is the adjectival or nominal form, specifically indicating one who is in a sickened state. Cognates in other Semitic languages, such as Arabic and Aramaic, also relate to illness or menstruation, showing a shared semantic field in the ancient Near East.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it bridges concepts of physical purity, human frailty, and spiritual defilement. In Leviticus, it underscores the holiness code that separates the clean from the unclean, reflecting God's call for purity among His people. In Lamentations and Isaiah, it illustrates how sin and judgment lead to a state of spiritual and emotional sickness, pointing to humanity's need for healing and redemption. Understanding דָּוֶה enriches reading by highlighting the biblical connection between physical conditions and spiritual realities, emphasizing both the consequences of impurity and the depth of human suffering under divine discipline.
In ancient Israelite culture, menstruation was viewed as a source of ritual impurity (tum'ah), requiring separation and purification rites, as detailed in Leviticus 15. This was not merely a medical issue but a religious one, integrated into the covenant community's holiness practices. The term's application to idols in Isaiah 30:22 leverages this cultural understanding to portray idolatry as profoundly defiling. Modern readers may find this perspective unfamiliar, as contemporary views often separate physiological processes from spiritual impurity, but in its context, דָּוֶה encapsulated both physical and ritual dimensions of uncleanness.
חוֹלֶה (ḥôleh, H2470) — a more general term for sick or ill, without the specific ritual connotations of דָּוֶה. תָּפֵל (tāphēl, H8602) — meaning 'unseemly' or 'insipid,' sometimes used in contexts of weakness or sickness, but less specific. אָנַשׁ (ʾānaš, H605) — to be weak or sick, often in poetic or prophetic literature, emphasizing frailty.
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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