דְּאָגָה
anxiety
Definition
The Hebrew noun דְּאָגָה (dᵉʼâgâh) refers to a state of anxious care, worry, or mental distress. It describes the heavy burden of anxiety that weighs on the heart, as seen in Proverbs 12:25, where 'anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down.' In some contexts, it carries the sense of fearful concern or dread, such as the 'fear' of idolatry corrupting future generations in Joshua 22:24. In the prophetic books, it often denotes the sorrow and heaviness associated with divine judgment, as in Ezekiel's prophecies where it is linked with trembling and despair (Ezekiel 12:18-19).
Biblical Usage
This word is used six times in the Old Testament, appearing in historical, wisdom, and prophetic literature. In Joshua 22:24, it describes a preventative 'care' or concern to avoid future misunderstanding. In the wisdom book of Proverbs 12:25, it is the internal 'anxiety' that depresses a person. Its most concentrated usage is in the prophetic judgments of Ezekiel (4:16, 12:18, 12:19), where it signifies the 'heaviness' and 'sorrow' of heart that God's people will experience as a consequence of their rebellion. Jeremiah 49:23 also uses it for the 'anguish' and restless anxiety felt by a city under God's judgment.
Etymology
Derived from the root verb דָּאַג (dāʼag, H1672), which means 'to fear, be anxious, or be concerned.' The noun form דְּאָגָה captures the resulting state or object of that anxiety. Cognates in other Semitic languages carry similar meanings of fear and care, indicating a concept deeply rooted in the experience of mental and emotional distress.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it names a universal human experience—anxiety—and places it within a biblical framework. It shows that anxiety is not merely a modern psychological state but a spiritual condition addressed in Scripture. In Proverbs, it is presented as a burden from which a good word can deliver (Proverbs 12:25). In the prophets, it is often a consequence of turning from God, part of the 'trembling' judgment that leads to a recognition of divine sovereignty (Ezekiel 12:18). Understanding this Hebrew term enriches reading by connecting emotional states to spiritual causes and remedies, highlighting God's concern for the whole person.
In ancient Israelite culture, emotional and psychological states like anxiety were often expressed in physical, visceral terms—as a weight on the heart or a cause of trembling. דְּאָגָה was not a private, internal feeling alone but a condition with communal and covenantal implications, affecting one's standing before God and the community. This contrasts with some modern individualistic views of anxiety.
יָגוֹן (yāgôn, H3015) — sorrow, grief; more focused on mourning and lamentation. פַּחַד (pachaḏ, H6343) — dread, terror; a more sudden and intense fear. דְּאָבוֹן (dᵉʼāḇôn, H1675) — pining, languishing; a wasting away from sorrow or grief.
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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