What does דְּבַשׁ (dĕbaš) mean in the Bible?
דְּבַשׁ (dĕbaš): Honey as sweetness and stickiness combined—captures both taste appeal and binding adhesive quality in biblical metaphor
Hebrew · H1706
דְּבַשׁ
Honey (from its stickiness ); by analogy, syrup
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דְּבַשׁH1706
Pronunciationdĕbaš
What does דְּבַשׁ (dĕbaš) mean in the Bible?
דְּבַשׁ (dĕbaš): Honey as sweetness and stickiness combined—captures both taste appeal and binding adhesive quality in biblical metaphor
Full entry for דְּבַשׁ (H1706) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H1706?
The BSB source-word alignment has 54 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include and honey (28), honey (12), . . . (2), than honey (2), with honey (2).
Where does דְּבַשׁ (dĕbaš) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 43:11. Its strongest book concentrations include Deuteronomy (8), Ezekiel (6), 1 Samuel (5), Exodus (5).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itand honey28×Exodus 3:8, Exodus 3:17, Exodus 13:5, Exodus 33:3
honey12×Genesis 43:11, 1 Samuel 14:25, 1 Samuel 14:26, 1 Samuel 14:29
. . .2×1 Samuel 14:27, Proverbs 16:24
than honey2×Judges 14:18, Psalms 19:10
with honey2×Deuteronomy 32:13, Psalms 81:16
[sweeter than] honey1×Psalms 119:103
along with their honey1×Judges 14:8
as honey1×Ezekiel 3:3
made with honey1×Exodus 16:31
my honey1×Song Of Solomon 5:1
of honey1×1 Kings 14:3
or honey1×Leviticus 2:11
the honey1×Judges 14:9
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 43:11דְּבַ֔שׁtohoneyNoun - masculine singularExodus 3:8וּדְבָ֑שׁtoand honeyConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularExodus 3:17וּדְבָֽשׁ׃toand honeyConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularExodus 13:5וּדְבָ֑שׁtoand honeyConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularExodus 16:31בִּדְבָֽשׁ׃tomade with honeyPreposition-b | Noun - masculine singularExodus 33:3וּדְבָ֑שׁtoand honeyConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularLeviticus 2:11דְּבַ֔שׁtoor honeyNoun - masculine singularLeviticus 20:24וּדְבָ֑שׁtoand honeyConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularNumbers 13:27וּדְבַ֛שׁtoand honeyConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singularNumbers 14:8וּדְבָֽשׁ׃toand honeyConjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 43:11
Aligned rows54
Books represented19
Genesis1Exodus5Leviticus2Numbers4Deuteronomy8Joshua1Judges31 Samuel52 Samuel11 Kings12 Kings12 Chronicles1Job1Psalms3Proverbs4Song Of Solomon2Isaiah2Jeremiah3Ezekiel6
Source forms
וּדְבַ֔שׁ7xū·ḏə·ḇašNumbers 16:13, Deuteronomy 27:3, Deuteronomy 31:20, 2 Kings 18:32
וּדְבָֽשׁ׃7xū·ḏə·ḇāšExodus 3:17, Numbers 14:8, Deuteronomy 8:8, Deuteronomy 26:9
וּדְבָ֑שׁ5xū·ḏə·ḇāšExodus 3:8, Exodus 13:5, Exodus 33:3, Leviticus 20:24
דְּבַ֣שׁ4xdə·ḇašJob 20:17, Psalms 81:16, Proverbs 25:16, Proverbs 25:27
וּדְבַשׁ֙3xū·ḏə·ḇašNumbers 16:14, Isaiah 7:22, Ezekiel 16:19
דְּבַ֔שׁ2xdə·ḇašGenesis 43:11, Leviticus 2:11
דְּבַ֖שׁ2xdə·ḇaš1 Samuel 14:43, 1 Kings 14:3
וּדְבַ֛שׁ2xū·ḏə·ḇašNumbers 13:27, Ezekiel 16:13
Parsing patterns
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular31xExodus 3:8, Exodus 3:17, Exodus 13:5, Exodus 33:3
Noun - masculine singular14xGenesis 43:11, Leviticus 2:11, Deuteronomy 32:13, 1 Samuel 14:25
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular3xJudges 14:18, Psalms 19:10, Psalms 119:103
Article | Noun - masculine singular2xJudges 14:9, 1 Samuel 14:27
Noun - masculine singular construct1xProverbs 25:27
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular1xSong Of Solomon 5:1
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular1xExodus 16:31
Preposition-k | Noun - masculine singular1xEzekiel 3:3
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Honey as sweetness and stickiness combined—captures both taste appeal and binding adhesive quality in biblical metaphor
Source Gloss
honey (from its stickiness ); by analogy, syrup
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Honey as sweetness and stickiness combined—captures both taste appeal and binding adhesive quality in biblical metaphor
honey (from its stickiness); by analogy, syrup BDB: honey Usage: honey(-comb).
Grammatical Forms
How this word appears across different grammatical cases and numbers.
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
Sweet substance to be eaten for health and wisdom benefits
Pleasant food that becomes harmful if consumed in excess
Sweet substance representing excess and indulgence leading to harm
Sweet substance contrasted with bitter food in hunger context
Showing 4 selected witnesses from 54 lexical occurrence verses.
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.