H1677 H1677
dob -- bear; the Syrian brown bear, used literally of the animal and figuratively of ferocity and danger
The masculine noun dob ('bear') refers to the Syrian brown bear (Ursus arctos syriacus), which was native to the hills and forests of ancient Israel and remained present into the early modern period. David cites killing a bear and a lion as credentials for facing Goliath (1 Sam 17:34-37). Two she-bears maul the youths who mock Elisha (2 Kgs 2:24). Figuratively, the bear represents savage, unexpected danger: 'like a bear robbed of her cubs' describes ferocious human rage (2 Sam 17:8; Prov 17:12; Hos 13:8). In prophetic vision, the bear symbolizes a devouring empire (Dan 7:5), and Isaiah's peaceable kingdom envisions the cow and bear grazing together (Isa 11:7). Spanish oso, French ours, and German Baer all capture this single zoological referent in both literal and metaphorical use.
Senses
1. bear (animal) — The Syrian brown bear, used both literally (David's encounter, 1 Sam 17:34; Elisha's curse, 2 Kgs 2:24) and figuratively for ferocity and danger (a bear robbed of cubs, Prov 17:12; Hos 13:8; the beast-empire, Dan 7:5; the peaceable kingdom, Isa 11:7). Spanish oso, French ours, and German Baer confirm one zoological referent across both registers. 12×
AR["الدُّبَّ", "الدُّبُّ", "الدُّبِّ", "دُبٌّ", "دُبَّتَانِ", "كَ-الدِّبَبَةِ", "كَ-دُبَّةٍ", "كَدُبٍّ", "وَ-الدُّبُّ", "وَ-دُبٌّ"]·ben["-ভালুক", "এবং-ভাল্লুক", "ও-ভাল্লুক", "ভালুক", "ভাল্লুক", "ভাল্লুকটিকে", "ভাল্লুকদের-মতো", "ভাল্লুকের", "ভাল্লুকের-মতো", "যেমন-ভালুক"]·DE["[דב]", "[הדב]", "[ודב]", "[כדב]", "[כדבים]", "der-Baer", "female-bears", "wie-ein-Baer"]·EN["A-bear", "and-a-bear", "and-bear", "bear", "female-bears", "like-a-bear", "like-bears", "the-bear"]·FR["[דב]", "[ודב]", "[כדבים]", "comme-un-ours", "et-ודב", "female-bears", "le-ours", "ours", "דב"]·heb["דוב", "דובים", "ה-דוֹב", "ה-דוב", "ו-דוב", "כ-דוב", "כ-דובים"]·HI["और-भालू", "और-रीछ", "जैसे-रीछ", "भअलोओ", "भअलोओ-के", "भअलोओ-को", "भालू", "भालूओंकी-तरह", "रीछ", "रीछनी-के-समान"]·ID["Beruang", "beruang", "dan-beruang", "seperti-beruang", "seperti-beruang-beruang"]·IT["[דב]", "[הדב]", "[ודב]", "[כדב]", "[כדבים]", "bear", "come-un-orso", "e-e-un-bear", "femmina-bears", "il-orso"]·jav["-bruwang", "Bruwang", "bruwang", "kados-beruang", "lan-bruwang", "lan-mlebet"]·KO["같으니라-곰에", "같이-곰", "고은", "곰-이라", "곰들같이-", "곰이", "그-곰을", "그-곰의", "그-곰이", "그를-곰이", "그리고-곰처럼"]·PT["Urso", "como-os-ursos", "como-ursa", "como-urso", "e-urso", "o-urso", "ursa", "ursas"]·RU["Медведь", "и-медведица", "и-медведь", "как-медведи", "как-медведица", "как-медведь", "медведицы", "медведь", "медведя"]·ES["Oso", "como-osa", "como-osos", "el-oso", "osa", "osas", "y-osa", "y-oso"]·SW["Dubu", "dubu", "kama-dubu", "na-dubu", "wa-dubu"]·TR["Ayı", "ayi", "ayilar-gibi", "ayı", "ayı-gibi", "ayının", "ayıyı", "ve-ayi", "ve-ayı"]·urd["-ریچھ", "اور-ریچھ", "اور-ریچھھ", "ریچھ", "ریچھ-کو", "ریچھ-کے", "ریچھنی", "ریچھنی-کی-طرح", "ریچھنیاں", "ریچھوں-کی-طرح"]
Related Senses
H6629 1. flock, sheep/goats (small livestock) (274×)H1241 1. cattle, herd (bovine livestock) (183×)H0352a 1. ram (male sheep) (156×)H6499 1. young bull, bullock (130×)H3532 1. lamb, young male sheep (105×)H2543 1. donkey (male ass) (96×)H7794 1. ox, bull (79×)H7462b 1. shepherd (agent noun) (76×)H5795 1. she-goat(s), female goat(s) (68×)H7462b 2. to shepherd, tend, pasture (60×)H1581 1. camel (domestic animal) (54×)H0738b 1. lion (46×)G4263 1. sheep (39×)H5739 1. flock or herd of livestock (38×)H5695 1. calf, young bull (35×)H0738a 1. lion (large predatory feline) (34×)H0860 1. female donkey (34×)H3611 1. dog (animal) (32×)H3715a 1. young lion, lion cub (31×)G0721 1. Lamb (29×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† דֹּב n.m. Pr 28:15, f. 2 K 2:24 (seld.) bear (from soft or gliding motion, NH id., Ethiopic ድብ Assyrian dabû(?) DlS 55; Aramaic דּוּבָּא, ܕܶܒܳܐ; Arabic دُبٌّ, دُبَّةٌ, is however a loan-word cf. Hom NS 301 f.);—abs. דֹּב Am 5:19 + 5 times; דּוֹב 1 S 17:34 + 2 times; pl. דֻּבִּים 2 K 2:24; Is 59:11;—bear, female 2 K 2:24; 2 S 17:8; Pr 17:12; Ho 13:8 cf. Is 11:7; undetermined 1 S 17:34, 36, 37 Am 5:19 Pr 28:15; Is 59:11; La 3:10 (on art. 1 S 17:34; Am 5:19 cf. RSSem i 119 n.)