What does דָּמָה (dāmāh) mean in the Bible?
דָּמָה (dāmāh): Extends from comparison to likeness: to declare or perceive resemblance between things or persons.
Hebrew · H1819
דָּמָה
To compare ; by implication, to resemble , liken , consider
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דָּמָה H1819
Pronunciation dāmāh
What does דָּמָה (dāmāh) mean in the Bible?
דָּמָה (dāmāh): Extends from comparison to likeness: to declare or perceive resemblance between things or persons.
Full entry for דָּמָה (H1819) · Open the biblical lexicon
Questions this entry answers
How does the BSB render H1819?
The BSB source-word alignment has 30 aligned rows for this entry. Common renderings include is like (4), and be like (2), will you liken Me (2), can be compared (1), can I compare you (1).
Where does דָּמָה (dāmāh) appear in Scripture?
The source-word alignment first shows this entry at Numbers 33:56. Its strongest book concentrations include Isaiah (8), Ezekiel (5), Psalms (5), Song Of Solomon (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 It is like 4× Psalms 89:6, Psalms 144:4, Song Of Solomon 2:9, Song Of Solomon 7:7
and be like 2× Song Of Solomon 2:17, Song Of Solomon 8:14
will you liken Me 2× Isaiah 40:25, Isaiah 46:5
can be compared 1× Ezekiel 31:2
can I compare you 1× Lamentations 2:13
compare 1× Ezekiel 31:8
could compare 1× Ezekiel 31:8
his intention 1× Isaiah 10:7
I compare you 1× Song Of Solomon 1:9
I gave parables 1× Hosea 12:10
I had planned 1× Numbers 33:56
I have planned 1× Isaiah 14:24
I will destroy 1× Jeremiah 6:2
I will make myself like 1× Isaiah 14:14
imagine that 1× Esther 4:13
is like you 1× Ezekiel 31:18
like 1× Psalms 102:6
plotted 1× 2 Samuel 21:5
that we should be alike 1× Isaiah 46:5
They intended 1× Judges 20:5
we contemplate 1× Psalms 48:9
we would have resembled 1× Isaiah 1:9
will you liken 1× Isaiah 40:18
You are like 1× Ezekiel 32:2
you thought 1× Psalms 50:21
Show sample aligned rows
Numbers 33:56 דִּמִּ֛יתִי to I had planned Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular Judges 20:5 דִּמּ֣וּ to They intended Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural 2 Samuel 21:5 דִּמָּה־ to plotted Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular Esther 4:13 תְּדַמִּ֣י to imagine that Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person feminine singular Psalms 48:9 דִּמִּ֣ינוּ to we contemplate Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common plural Psalms 50:21 דִּמִּ֗יתָ to you thought Verb - Piel - Perfect - second person masculine singular Psalms 89:6 יִדְמֶ֥ה to is like Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular Psalms 102:6 דָּ֭מִיתִי to like Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular Psalms 144:4 דָּמָ֑ה to is like Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular Song Of Solomon 1:9 דִּמִּיתִ֖יךְ to I compare you Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular | second person feminine singular
Usage map
A compact distribution from source-word alignment before the full evidence tables.
First aligned row Numbers 33:56
Aligned rows 30
Books represented 11
Numbers 1 Judges 1 2 Samuel 1 Esther 1 Psalms 5 Song Of Solomon 5 Isaiah 8 Jeremiah 1 Lamentations 1 Ezekiel 5 Hosea 1
Source forms
אֶדַּמֶּ֖ה 1x ’ed·dam·meh Isaiah 14:14
אֲדַמֶּה־ 1x ’ă·ḏam·meh- Lamentations 2:13
אֲדַמֶּֽה׃ 1x ’ă·ḏam·meh Hosea 12:10
דּוֹמֶ֤ה 1x dō·w·meh Song Of Solomon 2:9
דָמָ֥ה 1x ḏā·māh Ezekiel 31:8
דָּמָ֑ה 1x dā·māh Psalms 144:4
דְּמֵה־ 1x də·mêh- Song Of Solomon 2:17
דִּמָּה־ 1x dim·māh- 2 Samuel 21:5
Parsing patterns
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular 2x Lamentations 2:13, Hosea 12:10
Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine plural | first person common singular 2x Isaiah 40:25, Isaiah 46:5
Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular 2x Numbers 33:56, Isaiah 14:24
Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular 2x Psalms 102:6, Jeremiah 6:2
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular 2x Ezekiel 31:2, Ezekiel 31:18
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular 2x Psalms 144:4, Ezekiel 31:8
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - first person common plural 1x Isaiah 46:5
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular 1x Song Of Solomon 8:14
Evidence Summary
Hebrew word. Extends from comparison to likeness: to declare or perceive resemblance between things or persons.
Strong's H1819
Lexical occurrences 29 verses Word forms 4 forms 23 references Verse guides 0 guides
Study link Isaiah 46:5-7 Source Gloss
to compare ; by implication, to resemble , liken , consider
Extended definition Source: Open Scriptures Hebrew Lexicon + Brown-Driver-Briggs
Extends from comparison to likeness: to declare or perceive resemblance between things or persons.
to compare; by implication, to resemble, liken, consider BDB: be like Usage: compare, devise, (be) like(-n), mean, think, use similitudes.
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 23
Qal basic active stem — the word in its most common, direct sense 11×
Perfect Ezek 31:2 · Ezek 31:18 · Ezek 31:8 · Ps 144:4 · Isa 1:9 · Ps 102:7 · Song 7:8 8×
Imperfect Ps 89:7 1×
Participle active Song 2:9 1×
Sequential imperfect Song 2:17 1×
Piel intensive active — emphasizes thoroughness or repeated action 10×
Perfect Isa 14:24 · Num 33:56 · 2Sam 21:5 · Judg 20:5 · Ps 48:10 · Ps 50:21 6×
Imperfect Hos 12:11 · Lam 2:13 · Isa 10:7 3×
Jussive Esth 4:13 1×
Niphal passive or reflexive — the subject receives or experiences the action 1×
Perfect Ezek 32:2 1×
Hithpael reflexive or reciprocal — the subject acts on itself or mutually with others 1×
Imperfect Isa 14:14 1×
Selected Scripture Witness
Selected passage-level study witnesses for this word. This section is not the full occurrence list.
Old Testament Witnesses
To compare or resemble.
Showing 1 selected witness from 29 lexical occurrence verses.
Word Origins
דָּמָה is a primitive root - no further derivation.
Why This Word Matters
Highlights the impossibility of equating God with idols. Isaiah 46:5-7
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