What does דִּין (diyn) mean in the Bible?
דִּין (diyn): Judicial authority rooted in arbitrating disputes; extends from settling legal cases to executing divine justice and covenant accountability.
Hebrew · H1777
דִּין
To rule ; by implication to judge (as umpire); also to strive (as at law)
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דִּיןH1777
Pronunciationdiyn
What does דִּין (diyn) mean in the Bible?
דִּין (diyn): Judicial authority rooted in arbitrating disputes; extends from settling legal cases to executing divine justice and covenant accountability.
Full entry for דִּין (H1777) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H1777?
The BSB source-word alignment has 24 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include contend (2), He will judge (2), will judge (2), will vindicate (2), . . . (1).
Where does דִּין (diyn) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Genesis 6:3. Its strongest book concentrations include Psalms (8), Genesis (4), Jeremiah (4), 1 Samuel (1).
Source Word Evidence
BSB source-word alignment connects this entry to exact verse rows, English rendering, source form, transliteration, and parsing.
How English Renders Itcontend2×Genesis 6:3, Ecclesiastes 6:10
He will judge2×Psalms 96:10, Psalms 110:6
will judge2×Genesis 15:14, 1 Samuel 2:10
will vindicate2×Deuteronomy 32:36, Psalms 135:14
. . .1×Jeremiah 5:28
Administer1×Jeremiah 21:12
and defend the cause1×Proverbs 31:9
and vindicate me1×Psalms 54:1
has vindicated me1×Genesis 30:6
He governs1×Psalms 9:8
He judges1×Job 36:31
He took up1×Jeremiah 22:16
judges1×Psalms 7:8
May he judge1×Psalms 72:2
shall provide justice1×Genesis 49:16
that He may judge1×Psalms 50:4
to judge1×Isaiah 3:13
to plead your cause1×Jeremiah 30:13
were arguing1×2 Samuel 19:9
will govern1×Zechariah 3:7
Show sample aligned rows
Genesis 6:3יָד֨וֹןtocontendVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularGenesis 15:14דָּ֣ןtowill judgeVerb - Qal - Participle - masculine singularGenesis 30:6דָּנַ֣נִּיtohas vindicated meVerb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singularGenesis 49:16יָדִ֣יןtoshall provide justiceVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularDeuteronomy 32:36יָדִ֤יןtowill vindicateVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular1 Samuel 2:10יָדִ֣יןtowill judgeVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular2 Samuel 19:9נָד֔וֹןtowere arguingVerb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singularJob 36:31יָדִ֣יןtoHe judgesVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularPsalms 7:8יָדִ֪יןtojudgesVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singularPsalms 9:8יָדִ֥יןtoHe governsVerb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned rowGenesis 6:3
Aligned rows24
Books represented11
Genesis4Deuteronomy11 Samuel12 Samuel1Job1Psalms8Proverbs1Ecclesiastes1Isaiah1Jeremiah4Zechariah1
Source forms
יָדִ֣ין6xyā·ḏînGenesis 49:16, 1 Samuel 2:10, Job 36:31, Psalms 72:2
יָדִ֥ין2xyā·ḏînPsalms 9:8, Psalms 96:10
לָדִ֥ין2xlā·ḏînPsalms 50:4, Isaiah 3:13
דִּ֤ינוּ1xdî·nūJeremiah 21:12
דָּ֣ן1xdānGenesis 15:14
דָּ֛ן1xdānJeremiah 22:16
דָּ֥ן1xdānJeremiah 30:13
דָ֔נוּ1xḏā·nūJeremiah 5:28
Parsing patterns
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular11xGenesis 6:3, Genesis 49:16, Deuteronomy 32:36, 1 Samuel 2:10
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct3xPsalms 50:4, Ecclesiastes 6:10, Isaiah 3:13
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular2xGenesis 15:14, Jeremiah 30:13
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular1xProverbs 31:9
Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine singular1x2 Samuel 19:9
Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine plural1xJeremiah 21:12
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular1xZechariah 3:7
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular | first person common singular1xPsalms 54:1
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Judicial authority rooted in arbitrating disputes; extends from settling legal cases to executing divine justice and covenant accountability.
Strong'sH1777
Lexical occurrences24 versesWord forms2 forms18 referencesVerse guides0 guides
Study linkGenesis 30:1-24Source Gloss
to rule ; by implication to judge (as umpire); also to strive (as at law)
Extended definitionSource: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Judicial authority rooted in arbitrating disputes; extends from settling legal cases to executing divine justice and covenant accountability.
to rule; by implication to judge (as umpire); also to strive (as at law) BDB: judge Usage: contend contend execute (judgment) judge minister judgment plead (the cause) at strife strive.
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 groups2Aligned forms18
Qalbasic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense17×
Imperfect1Sam 2:10 · Deut 32:36 · Gen 6:3 · Gen 49:16 · Job 36:31 · Ps 7:9 · Ps 9:9 · Ps 72:2 · Ps 96:10 · Ps 110:6 · Ps 135:14 · Zech 3:712×
Participle activeGen 15:14 · Jer 30:132×
PerfectJer 5:28 · Jer 22:162×
Sequential imperfectJer 21:121×
Niphalpassive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action1×
Participle active2Sam 19:101×
Selected Scripture Witnesses
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Biblical Witnesses
God judges or decides between the competing claims of Rachel and Leah
Tribe of Dan will judge his people as ruler among the tribes of Israel
A king who judges or rules with discernment winnows out all evil through justice
Showing 3 selected witnesses from 24 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
דִּין is a primitive root - no further derivation.