1674. deagah

Lexical Summary

deagah: Anxiety, worry, care

Original Word: דְּאָגָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: d'agah
Pronunciation: deh-aw-GAW
Phonetic Spelling: (deh-aw-gaw')
KJV: care(-fulness), fear, heaviness, sorrow
NASB: anxiety, concern
Word Origin: [from H1672 (דָּאַג - anxious)]

1. anxiety

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

carefulness, fear, heaviness, sorrow

From da'ag; anxiety -- care(-fulness), fear, heaviness, sorrow.

see HEBREW da'ag

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
from daag
Definition
anxiety, anxious care
NASB Translation
anxiety (5), concern (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

דְּאָגָה noun feminine anxiety, anxious care — דְּאָגָה Joshua 22:24 5t.; anxiety for = for fear of, with מִן Joshua 22:24; anxiety Proverbs 12:25 (where with verb. masculine compare Now), Jeremiah 49:23 ׳בַּיָּם ד; anxious care Ezekiel 4:16; Ezekiel 12:19 (in both "" שִׁמָּמוֺן), Ezekiel 12:18 ("" רַעַשׁ and רָגְזָה).

Topical Lexicon

Meaning and Thematic Scope

דְּאָגָה depicts inner uneasiness, worry, or fearful concern. Scripture presents it as both a natural response to uncertainty and a symptom of broken covenant fellowship, standing in contrast to the peace that comes from trusting the LORD.

Occurrences in Scripture

1. Joshua 22:24 – The Transjordan tribes act “out of concern” to safeguard future access to the LORD’s altar, showing that anxiety can prompt covenant-preserving initiative.
2. Proverbs 12:25 – “Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.” The burden is personal, and relief comes through life-giving speech.
3. Jeremiah 49:23 – Nations tremble at divine judgment: “Hamath and Arpad are put to shame… they are agitated.” International dread signals impending wrath.
4. Ezekiel 4:16 – Under siege Jerusalem will “eat their bread with anxiety,” dramatizing judgment upon persistent rebellion.
5. Ezekiel 12:18–19 – Repeated symbolism of eating “with quivering and anxiety” warns exiles of the hardships awaiting their city.

Contextual Insights

• Joshua shows legitimate, forward-looking concern aimed at faithfulness.
• Proverbs isolates the emotion itself, prescribing encouragement as medicine.
• The prophets convert anxiety into an atmosphere of judgment; dread fills a society under covenant curses.

Historical and Cultural Background

Life in ancient Israel was precarious—susceptible to famine, invasion, and exile. Anxiety about lineage (Joshua 22), daily sustenance (Ezekiel 4), and national security (Jeremiah 49) intensified whenever the warnings of Leviticus 26 and Deuteronomy 28 materialized. Ezekiel’s rationing drama gave vivid form to the dread that siege warfare imposed on a city.

Theological Significance

• Covenant Dynamics – Concern directed toward obedience is acceptable; worry that supplants trust is not.
• Divine Sovereignty – Prophetic usage grounds collective anxiety in God’s righteous governance.
• Redemption – The Old Testament tension anticipates the New Testament call: “Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

Ministry and Pastoral Application

• Counseling: Following Proverbs 12:25, offer kind, gospel-rich words that lift burdened hearts.
• Preaching: Prophetic texts invite self-examination—does lingering anxiety spring from unbelief?
• Mercy Ministry: Ezekiel links anxiety to economic collapse; the church responds with tangible aid that reflects Christ’s compassion.

Canonical Trajectory

Anxiety moves from fear of exclusion (Joshua), to wisdom reflection (Proverbs), to covenant curse (Prophets), and finds its resolution in the Messiah’s exhortation, “Do not worry about tomorrow” (Matthew 6:34). Ultimately, believers receive the peace “which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).

Key Takeaways

• דְּאָגָה exposes the emotional cost of a ruptured relationship with God yet can motivate covenant fidelity.
• Scripture never trivializes anxiety; it redirects the heart toward trust, community encouragement, and obedience.
• The prophetic linkage of anxiety with judgment magnifies the grace of Christ, who offers rest for every troubled soul (Matthew 11:28–30).

Forms and Transliterations

בִּדְאָגָ֣ה בדאגה דְּאָגָ֔ה דְּאָגָ֣ה דאגה וּבִדְאָגָ֑ה וּבִדְאָגָ֖ה ובדאגה מִדְּאָגָה֙ מדאגה biḏ’āḡāh biḏ·’ā·ḡāh bidaGah də’āḡāh də·’ā·ḡāh deaGah mid·də·’ā·ḡāh middə’āḡāh middeaGah ū·ḇiḏ·’ā·ḡāh ūḇiḏ’āḡāh uvidaGah

Englishman's Concordance

Joshua 22:24
HEB: וְאִם־ לֹ֤א מִדְּאָגָה֙ מִדָּבָ֔ר עָשִׂ֥ינוּ
NAS: this out of concern, for a reason,
KJV: And if we have not [rather] done it for fear of [this] thing,
INT: lo out of concern A reason have done

Proverbs 12:25
HEB: דְּאָגָ֣ה בְלֶב־ אִ֣ישׁ
NAS: Anxiety in a man's heart
KJV: Heaviness in the heart of man
INT: Anxiety heart A man's

Jeremiah 49:23
HEB: נָמֹ֑גוּ בַּיָּ֣ם דְּאָגָ֔ה הַשְׁקֵ֖ט לֹ֥א
NAS: They are disheartened. There is anxiety by the sea,
KJV: they are fainthearted; [there is] sorrow on the sea;
INT: are disheartened the sea is anxiety be calmed not

Ezekiel 4:16
HEB: לֶ֥חֶם בְּמִשְׁקָ֖ל וּבִדְאָגָ֑ה וּמַ֕יִם בִּמְשׂוּרָ֥ה
NAS: by weight and with anxiety, and drink
KJV: by weight, and with care; and they shall drink
INT: bread weight anxiety water measure

Ezekiel 12:18
HEB: וּמֵימֶ֕יךָ בְּרָגְזָ֥ה וּבִדְאָגָ֖ה תִּשְׁתֶּֽה׃
NAS: your water with quivering and anxiety.
KJV: with trembling and with carefulness;
INT: your water quivering and anxiety and drink

Ezekiel 12:19
HEB: יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לַחְמָם֙ בִּדְאָגָ֣ה יֹאכֵ֔לוּ וּמֵֽימֵיהֶ֖ם
NAS: their bread with anxiety and drink
KJV: their bread with carefulness, and drink
INT: of Israel their bread anxiety will eat their water

6 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 1674
6 Occurrences

biḏ·’ā·ḡāh — 1 Occ.
də·’ā·ḡāh — 2 Occ.
mid·də·’ā·ḡāh — 1 Occ.
ū·ḇiḏ·’ā·ḡāh — 2 Occ.