What does דָּבַק (dābaq) mean in the Bible?
דָּבַק (dābaq): Intimate adhesion ranging from physical clinging to relentless pursuit; covenantal loyalty when applied to God-relationship.
Hebrew · H1692
דָּבַק
Properly, to impinge , i.e. cling or adhere ; figuratively, to catch by pursuit
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דָּבַק H1692
Pronunciation dābaq
What does דָּבַק (dābaq) mean in the Bible?
דָּבַק (dābaq): Intimate adhesion ranging from physical clinging to relentless pursuit; covenantal loyalty when applied to God-relationship.
Full entry for דָּבַק (H1692) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H1692?
The BSB source-word alignment has 54 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include cling (6), clings (3), and hold fast (2), and overtook (2), clung (2).
Where does דָּבַק (dābaq) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 2:24. Its strongest book concentrations include Psalms (8), Deuteronomy (7), Job (6), Genesis (4).
Are there verse guides for דָּבַק (dābaq)?
This entry includes 1 verse guide that explain exact original-language forms in context.
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders It cling 6× Deuteronomy 28:21, Job 19:20, Psalms 44:25, Psalms 101:3
clings 3× Psalms 63:8, Jeremiah 13:11, Lamentations 4:4
and hold fast 2× Deuteronomy 13:4, Deuteronomy 30:20
and overtook 2× Genesis 31:23, Judges 18:22
clung 2× Ruth 1:14, 1 Kings 11:2
will cling 2× 2 Kings 5:27, Ezekiel 29:4
and be united 1× Genesis 2:24
and cause 1× Ezekiel 29:4
and cling 1× Joshua 23:12
and stuck 1× 2 Samuel 23:10
And they overtook them 1× Judges 20:45
and they will cling 1× Deuteronomy 28:60
and to hold fast 1× Deuteronomy 11:22
are tightly joined 1× Job 41:23
cleaves 1× Psalms 119:25
close 1× Ruth 2:8
closing in on him 1× 2 Samuel 1:6
followed hard after 1× 1 Chronicles 10:2
hangs on 1× Psalms 102:5
has stuck 1× Job 31:7
he clung 1× 2 Kings 3:3
He remained faithful 1× 2 Kings 18:6
Hold fast to Him 1× Deuteronomy 10:20
hotly pursued 1× 1 Samuel 31:2
I cling 1× Psalms 119:31
in close pursuit 1× 1 Samuel 14:22
is to retain 1× Numbers 36:7
must retain 1× Numbers 36:9
overtook them 1× Judges 20:42
shall cling 1× Deuteronomy 13:17
So Ruth stayed close 1× Ruth 2:23
Stay 1× Ruth 2:21
stayed by 1× 2 Samuel 20:2
stick 1× Ezekiel 3:26
stick together 1× Job 38:38
sticks 1× Psalms 22:15
stuck 1× Job 29:10
They are joined 1× Job 41:17
to hold fast 1× Joshua 22:5
was drawn 1× Genesis 34:3
will follow on your heels 1× Jeremiah 42:16
will overtake me 1× Genesis 19:19
you shall hold fast 1× Joshua 23:8
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 2:24 וְדָבַ֣ק to and be united Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person masculine singular Genesis 19:19 תִּדְבָּקַ֥נִי to will overtake me Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular | first person common singular Genesis 31:23 וַיַּדְבֵּ֥ק to and overtook Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Genesis 34:3 וַתִּדְבַּ֣ק to was drawn Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular Numbers 36:7 יִדְבְּק֖וּ to is to retain Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural Numbers 36:9 יִדְבְּק֕וּ to must retain Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural Deuteronomy 10:20 תִדְבָּ֔ק to Hold fast to Him Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular Deuteronomy 11:22 וּלְדָבְקָה־ to and to hold fast Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person feminine singular Deuteronomy 13:4 תִדְבָּקֽוּן׃ to and hold fast Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | Paragogic nun Deuteronomy 13:17 יִדְבַּ֧ק to shall cling Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Genesis 2:24
Aligned rows 54
Books represented 16
Genesis 4 Numbers 2 Deuteronomy 7 Joshua 3 Judges 3 Ruth 4 1 Samuel 2 2 Samuel 3 1 Kings 1 2 Kings 3 1 Chronicles 1 Job 6 Psalms 8 Jeremiah 3 Lamentations 1 Ezekiel 3
Source forms
וּלְדָבְקָה־ 3x ū·lə·ḏā·ḇə·qāh- Deuteronomy 11:22, Deuteronomy 30:20, Joshua 22:5
דָּבְקָ֣ה 2x dā·ḇə·qāh Job 19:20, Psalms 63:8
וַיַּדְבְּק֣וּ 2x way·yaḏ·bə·qū 1 Samuel 31:2, 1 Chronicles 10:2
יִדְבַּ֧ק 2x yiḏ·baq Deuteronomy 13:17, Jeremiah 42:16
אַדְבִּ֣יק 1x ’aḏ·bîq Ezekiel 3:26
דָּבֵ֑ק 1x dā·ḇêq 2 Kings 3:3
דָּבַ֥ק 1x dā·ḇaq 1 Kings 11:2
דָּ֣בַק 1x dā·ḇaq Job 31:7
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person feminine singular 7x Ruth 1:14, Job 19:20, Job 29:10, Psalms 44:25
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural 5x Judges 18:22, Judges 20:45, 1 Samuel 14:22, 1 Samuel 31:2
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular 4x Deuteronomy 13:17, Psalms 101:3, Jeremiah 13:11, Jeremiah 42:16
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular 4x 1 Kings 11:2, 2 Kings 3:3, Job 31:7, Lamentations 4:4
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person feminine singular 3x Genesis 34:3, Ruth 2:23, 2 Samuel 23:10
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | third person feminine singular 3x Deuteronomy 11:22, Deuteronomy 30:20, Joshua 22:5
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person feminine singular 3x 2 Kings 5:27, Psalms 137:6, Ezekiel 29:4
Verb - Pual - Imperfect - third person masculine plural 2x Job 38:38, Job 41:17
Key Verse and Form Guides
Verse-level guides showing how this original-language form works in its specific context, including grammar, verse function, and guarded interpretation.
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Intimate adhesion ranging from physical clinging to relentless pursuit; covenantal loyalty when applied to God-relationship.
Source Gloss
properly, to impinge , i.e. cling or adhere ; figuratively, to catch by pursuit
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Intimate adhesion ranging from physical clinging to relentless pursuit; covenantal loyalty when applied to God-relationship.
properly, to impinge, i.e. cling or adhere; figuratively, to catch by pursuit BDB: cling Usage: abide fast, cleave (fast together), follow close (hard after), be joined (together), keep (fast), overtake, pursue hard, stick, take.
Grammatical Forms
How the stem changes the meaning of this verb across the biblical text.
This verb appears through different tense, voice, mood, or stem patterns. Those forms help readers see how the action is presented in context.
Form groups 4 Aligned forms 31
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 25×
Perfect Job 19:20 · Job 29:10 · Ps 44:26 · Ps 63:9 · Ps 102:6 · Ps 119:25 · Ruth 1:14 · 1Kgs 11:2 · 2Kgs 3:3 · Job 31:7 · Lam 4:4 · 2Sam 20:2 · Job 41:15 · Ps 119:31 14×
Imperfect Deut 13:18 · Jer 13:11 · Jer 42:16 · Ps 101:3 · 2Kgs 5:27 · Ezek 29:4 · Ps 137:6 · Num 36:7 · Num 36:9 · Deut 10:20 · Josh 23:8 11×
Pual intensive passive — intensive action received by the subject 2×
Imperfect Job 38:38 · Job 41:9 2×
Hiphil causative active — the subject causes someone else to perform the action 3×
Imperfect Deut 28:21 · Ezek 3:26 2×
Perfect Jer 13:11 1×
Hophal causative passive — the subject is caused to perform the action 1×
Participle passive Ps 22:16 1×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
intimate attachment or clinging of people to God, like a garment clinging to body
Showing 1 selected witness from 54 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
דָּבַק is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Part of These Phrases
Compound and idiomatic phrases that include this word. Follow a link to study the phrase and how its parts work together.
Sources
MorphGNT Strong's Dictionary XML — CC0 1.0 Public Domain
Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible (morphhb/OSHB) — CC BY 4.0
Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon — CC BY 4.0
Berean Standard Bible (BSB) source-word alignment - CC0 Public Domain