Lexical Summary deabah: Sorrow, grief, languishing Original Word: דְּאָבָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance sorrow From da'ab; properly, pining; by analogy, fear -- sorrow. see HEBREW da'ab NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom daeb Definition faintness, dismay NASB Translation dismay (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs דְּאָבָה noun feminine faintness, failure of mental energy, dismay Job 41:14 וּלְפָנָיו תָּדוּץ דְּאָבָה and before him (i.e. the crocodile) danceth dismay. Topical Lexicon Hebrew Background and Literary Setting The noun דְּאָבָה appears once in the Hebrew canon, in Job 41:22. The book of Job, written in elevated poetic style, uses vivid creature imagery to underscore God’s sovereign power. Within that framework, דְּאָבָה serves as a poetic keystone that expresses the psychological impact produced by Leviathan’s presence. Occurrence and Immediate Context (Job 41:22) “Strength resides in his neck, and dismay dances before him.” The Spirit-inspired author presents Leviathan as unrivaled on earth (Job 41:33). Every physical attribute of the creature is matched by an emotional response in observers; where his neck exudes “strength,” דְּאָבָה—“dismay,” “dejection,” or “inner melting”—leaps ahead of him. Job’s earlier insistence on personal integrity (Job 27:6) is thus contrasted with humankind’s sheer powerlessness in the face of divine majesty revealed through creation. Theological Significance 1. Fear of the LORD. In Scripture, terror before God’s unequaled power is wholesome (Proverbs 1:7). By locating דְּאָבָה within the spectacle of Leviathan, the text teaches that true wisdom begins when mortal self-confidence gives way to reverent awe. Historical and Cultural Insights Ancient Near-Eastern epics portrayed sea monsters as primordial foes of the gods, symbolic of chaos. Job, however, reframes the motif: Leviathan is no rival deity but a created being (Job 41:11). דְּאָבָה thus functions apologetically, redirecting fear from mythic chaos to awe of the true Creator. Related Biblical Themes • “My flesh and my heart may fail” (Psalm 73:26) mirrors the internal collapse suggested by דְּאָבָה. Ministry and Pastoral Application 1. Confronting Idolatry of Self-Sufficiency. Modern disciples may trust technology, wealth, or intellect. Teaching Job 41:22 invites believers to recognize that every confidence outside God must crumble. Christological Reflection The gospel resolves the terror embodied in דְּאָבָה. At Calvary, Christ absorbed the ultimate dismay (“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Matthew 27:46) so that all who trust Him might stand fearless before God (Hebrews 4:16). Leviathan’s might foreshadows the greater victory of Jesus, who “disarmed the powers and authorities” (Colossians 2:15), turning dread into triumph. Summary דְּאָבָה, though rare, crystallizes a profound biblical pattern: the collapse of human arrogance before the Creator’s unrivaled power, a collapse intended not for destruction but for redemptive dependence on the Lord. Through Job’s solitary usage, Scripture summons every generation to exchange self-reliance for worshipful trust, knowing that in Christ perfect love casts out fear. Forms and Transliterations דְּאָבָֽה׃ דאבה׃ də’āḇāh də·’ā·ḇāh deaVahLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Job 41:22 HEB: וּ֝לְפָנָ֗יו תָּד֥וּץ דְּאָבָֽה׃ NAS: strength, And dismay leaps KJV: strength, and sorrow is turned into joy INT: before leaps and dismay 1 Occurrence |
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