דְּמָמָה
quiet
Definition
The Hebrew noun דְּמָמָה (dᵉmâmâh) denotes a profound, often tangible state of quietness or stillness. It can describe a literal, audible silence, as in the 'still small voice' that Elijah heard after the wind, earthquake, and fire (1 Kings 19:12). It also describes a visual or atmospheric calm, such as the serene stillness of the air when a storm ceases, as seen when God stills the storm-tossed sea in Psalm 107:29. In Job 4:16, it conveys an eerie, hushed quiet that accompanies a terrifying spiritual vision, suggesting a silence of awe or dread.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only three times in the Old Testament, each in a distinct and powerful context. In 1 Kings 19:12, it describes the quiet medium through which God speaks to the prophet Elijah. In Job 4:16, it characterizes the unsettling stillness preceding a divine apparition. In Psalm 107:29, it refers to the dramatic calming of a storm at God's command. Its usage is exclusively in poetic or prophetic narratives to mark a significant, God-involved transition from chaos or noise to profound quiet.
Etymology
Derived from the root דָּמַם (dāmam, H1826), meaning 'to be silent, cease, perish.' דְּמָמָה is the feminine noun form, intensifying the concept into a settled state or condition of silence. It is related to words like דּוּמִיָּה (dûmîyâh, H1747), which also means 'silence,' but דְּמָמָה often carries a more concrete, observable quality of stillness.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it is intimately connected to divine revelation and God's sovereign power over chaos. In 1 Kings 19:12, it corrects the assumption that God is only in dramatic displays, revealing His presence in gentle, focused quiet. In Psalm 107:29, it demonstrates His absolute command over creation. Understanding דְּמָמָה enriches reading by highlighting that biblical silence is not merely an absence of sound, but a pregnant, purposeful stillness where God often chooses to speak and act.
In the ancient Near Eastern context, silence was not always valued as it is in some modern contemplative traditions. Sudden, profound silence could be as startling and significant as a great noise, often interpreted as a divine portent or the immediate aftermath of a theophany (an appearance of God). The calm after a storm at sea (Psalm 107:29) would have been experienced as a miraculous and direct intervention, as sailors had little control over such forces.
דּוּמִיָּה (dûmîyâh, H1747) — a more general term for silence or a pause. שָׁקַט (shāqat, H8252) — to be quiet, at rest, often after turmoil. חָרֵשׁ (ḥārēsh, H2790) — to be silent, deaf, or inactive.
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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