H1819 H1819
To be like, resemble; to liken, compare; to think, imagine, plan; a root where likeness and thought intertwine.
Damah is one of those Hebrew roots where etymology opens a window onto ancient cognition. The basic meaning is 'be like, resemble' — the Song of Songs' lover is 'like a gazelle' (Song 2:9), and the psalmist 'is like a pelican of the wilderness' (Ps 102:6). But in the Piel intensive stem, the verb shifts to active comparison — 'to whom will you liken God?' (Isa 40:18) — and then, remarkably, to thinking and imagining, as though to form a mental likeness is to think itself. This semantic bridge from 'resemble' to 'think/plan' is not unique to Hebrew (the Arabic cognate retains the 'image' connection), but it is unusually transparent here. The word also produces the crucial theological noun demuth ('likeness'), as in humanity being made in God's 'likeness' (Gen 1:26).
Senses
1. be like, resemble — To be like, resemble: the basic Qal/Nifal intransitive sense of bearing likeness or being similar to something. The Song of Songs is richest here — the beloved is like a gazelle (Song 2:9, 17; 8:14), the woman's stature is like a palm tree (Song 7:8). In the Psalms, the sufferer 'is like' a desert bird (Ps 102:6) and humans are 'like' a breath (Ps 144:4). Spanish semejante and French semblable both select the stative similarity word rather than an active verb of comparison. Fourteen occurrences make this the largest cluster, and the root's semantic anchor. 14×
AR["دُومِه", "دِمِيه-", "شَابَهنَا", "شَابَهْتَ", "شَبَهتُ", "شُبِّهَتْ", "شُبِّهْتَ", "وَ-نَتَشَابَهُ", "وَكُنْ-", "يُشَابِهُ", "يُشَابِهْ", "يُشَابِهْهُ", "يُشْبِهُ"]·ben["আমি-হয়েছি-মতো", "এবং-সদৃশ-হও-", "তার-সাথে", "তুমি-তুলনা-করছ", "তুমি-তুলনা-হয়েছিলে", "তুলনা-হয়েছিল", "যে-আমরা-সমান", "সদৃশ", "সদৃশ-হও-", "সদৃশ-হতাম", "সদৃশ-হতে-পারে", "সদৃশ;"]·DE["[דומה]", "[דמה]", "[דמו]", "[דמית]", "[דמתה]", "[ודמה]", "[נדמית]", "gleichen", "ich-bin-wie", "ist-wie", "und-gleichen"]·EN["I-am-like", "and-be-like-", "are-you-like", "be-like-", "compared", "is-like", "resembles", "that-we-may-be-alike", "we-would-have-resembled", "you-were-likened"]·FR["Semblable-est", "et-ressembler", "et-sois-semblable,", "ressemble", "ressembler", "semblable", "sois-semblable,"]·heb["דומה", "דמה", "דמו", "דמינו", "דמית", "דמיתי", "דמתה", "ו-דמה", "ו-נידמה", "ידמה", "נדמית"]·HI["और-समान-हो", "और-समान-होंगे", "तू-समान-था", "बराबर-थे", "मैं-समान-हो-गया", "सदृश-हुआ-तू", "सदृश-हो-सकता-है", "समान", "समान-है", "समान-हो-", "हम-हो-जाते"]·ID["Serupa", "aku-serupa", "dan-jadilah-serupa", "dan-kami-serupa", "engkau-dianggap;", "engkau-serupa", "jadilah-serupa", "kita-serupa", "menyamai", "menyerupai", "sama", "serupa"]·IT["[דמה]", "[דמו]", "[דמית]", "[דמיתי]", "[ידמה]", "[נדמית]", "e-paragonare", "e-somigliare", "paragonare", "somigliare"]·jav["Kula-kados", "Memper", "dados-memper-", "kita-sampun-mirip", "lan-dados-memper-", "memper", "panjenengan-memper", "panjenengan-sampun-dados-sepi", "piyambakipun-sami", "sinten-kados", "supados-sami"]·KO["같네", "같다", "같아지라", "같으리이까", "그리고-같아지라", "그리고-닮게-만들겠느뇨", "너는-같았다", "닮았네", "닮았느냐-너는", "닮았다", "닮았도다-내-가", "비슷하였으리라"]·PT["Pareço-me", "Semelhante", "e-seremos-semelhantes", "e-sê-semelhante", "foste-comparado", "igualaram-se", "pode-se-igualar", "se-comparou", "semelhante-a", "sê-semelhante", "te-assemelhas", "te-assemelhaste", "teríamos-semelhado", "é-semelhante"]·RU["Похож", "Уподобился", "будь-подобен-", "и-будем-подобны", "и-будь-подобен-", "подобен", "сравнились", "сравнилось", "уподобились-бы", "уподобился-ты", "уподобится"]·ES["Semejante", "Soy-semejante", "es-semejante", "fuiste-comparado", "nos-habríamos-asemejado", "para-que-seamos-semejantes?", "se-asemeja", "se-asemejará", "se-compararon", "se-comparó", "sé-semejante", "te-comparaste", "y-sé-semejante-"]·SW["anafanana", "anayefanana", "fananishwa", "fanya-sawa", "na-ufanane", "ni-kama", "nimefanana", "tungalifanana", "tupate-kufanana", "umefanana", "umefananishwa"]·TR["benzedi", "benzediler", "benzedim", "benzedin", "benzer", "benzerdik", "benzet", "ve-benzer-olacagiz", "ve-benzet"]·urd["اور-بن-جا", "اور-ہم-ملتے-جلتے-ہوں", "بن-جا", "مانا-جاتا-تھا-تُو", "مانند-تھا", "مانند-تھے", "مانند-ہے", "مانند-ہے-تُو", "مشابہ-ہو-سکتا-ہے", "مشابہ-ہے", "میں-مشابہ-ہو-گیا", "ہم-مشابہ-ہوتے"]
2. think, imagine, plan — To think, imagine, plan, intend: the Piel stem in its cognitive extension, where 'forming a likeness' becomes 'forming a thought.' Judges 20:5 — 'they intended to kill me'; 2 Samuel 21:5 — 'the man who planned against us'; Esther 4:13 — 'do not imagine you will escape.' The semantic journey from resemblance to cognition is striking and reflected in the Arabic cognate's 'image/effigy' meaning. Spanish pensaron and French intended both reach for pure cognitive vocabulary, showing the sense has fully detached from physical likeness. Eight occurrences spanning narrative, wisdom, and prophetic literature. 8×
AR["تَأمَّلْنا", "تَظُنِّي", "ظَنَنْتَ", "ظَنُّوا", "قَصَدَ", "قَصَدْتُ", "يَظُنُّ"]·ben["আমি-ভেবেছি", "চিন্তা-করেছি-আমরা", "পরিকল্পনা-করেছিল-", "ভেবেছিল", "মনে-করেছ", "মনে-করেছিলাম", "মনে-করো", "সে-মনে-করে"]·DE["[תדמי]", "du-Gedanke", "gleichen", "ich-thought", "plotted", "sie-intended", "wir-haben-Gedanke-auf"]·EN["I-have-planned", "I-thought", "imagine", "plotted", "they-intended", "thinks", "we-have-thought-on", "you-thought"]·FR["[תדמי]", "ils-intended", "je-thought", "plotted", "ressembler"]·heb["דימה", "דימו", "דימינו", "דימית", "דימיתי", "דמיתי", "ידמה", "תדמי"]·HI["मैंने-सोचा", "योजना-बनाई", "सोचता-है", "सोचा", "सोचा-तूने", "सोचा-था-मैंने", "सोचा-हमने", "सोचो"]·ID["Aku-rencanakan", "bermaksud", "menyangka", "mereka-bermaksud", "merencanakan-"]·IT["[דמינו]", "[דמית]", "[תדמי]", "essi-intended", "io-thought", "plotted", "somigliare"]·jav["Aku-kendel", "Kula-ngrancang", "kados", "kawula-rancang", "ngira", "ngrancang", "ngrancang-", "piyambakipun-ngira"]·KO["계획했다", "꾀하였다-", "내가-마음-먹었듯이", "생각하고", "생각하였도다", "생각하지-마라", "생각했다"]·PT["Meditamos", "imagines", "pensa", "pensaram", "pensaste", "pensei", "planejei", "planejou"]·RU["думает", "думай", "думал", "думал-Я", "задумал-Я", "замыслил-", "размышляли", "хотели"]·ES["he-pensado", "pensamos", "pensaron", "pensará", "pensaste", "pensé", "pienses", "tramó-"]·SW["Tumetafakari", "alikusudia", "hafikirii", "hivyo", "katika-nafsi-yako", "nilivyokusudia", "ulidhani", "walikusudia"]·TR["Düşündük", "dusuniyor", "düşün", "düşündüler", "düşündüm", "planladim", "sandın", "tasarladı-"]·urd["ارادہ-کیا", "تُو-نے-سوچا", "سازش-کی", "سوچا-میں-نے", "سوچتا-ہے", "سوچو", "ہم-نے-سوچا"]
3. liken, compare to — To liken, compare to: the Piel in its transitive comparative use, where the speaker actively draws an analogy. Isaiah's great monotheistic challenge — 'To whom will you liken God? To what image will you compare him?' (Isa 40:18, 25; 46:5) — uses this sense with devastating rhetorical force. Lamentations 2:13 asks 'what can I compare to you, O daughter of Jerusalem?' Spanish asemejareis and te-comparare show the active, deliberate comparison. Song 1:9 offers a tender instance: 'to a mare among Pharaoh's chariots I compare you.' Five occurrences, concentrated in poetry. 5×
AR["أُشَبِّهُ-", "تُشَبِّهُونَ", "تُشَبِّهُونَنِي", "دِمِّيتِيكْ"]·ben["আমি-তোমাকে-তুলনা-করি", "উপমা-দেবে", "উপমা-দেবে-আমাকে", "তুলনা-দেব", "তোমরা-আমাকে-তুলনা-করবে"]·DE["Erde", "[דמיתיך]", "gleichen"]·EN["El", "I-liken-you", "shall-I-compare", "that-I-should-be-equal", "will-you-liken-Me"]·FR["je-te-compare,", "ressembler", "sol"]·heb["אדמה", "דימיתיך", "תדמיון", "תדמיוני"]·HI["तुम-मुझे-तुलना-करोगे", "तुलना-करूं-", "तुलना-करोगे", "तुलना-करोगे-मुझे", "तुलना-की-है-तुझे-मैंने"]·ID["akan-kusamakan", "aku-membandingkan-engkau", "kamu-menyamakan", "kamu-menyamakan-Ku"]·IT["paragonare-tua", "somigliare", "suolo"]·jav["kawula-badhé-nandhing", "kula-ngibarataken-panjenengan", "panjenengan-badhé-nandhingaken", "panjenengan-badhé-nandhingaken-Ingsun"]·KO["내-가-너-를-비교했네", "내-가-비교하리오", "비기겠느뇨", "비기겠느뇨-나를"]·PT["compararei", "comparareis", "comparei-te", "me-comparareis"]·RU["сравнить", "уподобил-тебя", "уподобите", "уподобите-Меня"]·ES["asemejaréis", "me-asemejaréis", "te-compararé", "te-comparo"]·SW["kukufananisha-na", "mtamlinganisha", "mtanifananisha", "mtanilinganisha", "nimekufananisha"]·TR["benzeteceksiniz", "benzeteceksiniz-Beni", "benzeteceksiniz-beni", "benzeteyim", "benzettim-seni"]·urd["تشبیہ-دوں", "تم-تشبیہ-دو-گے", "تم-مجھے-تشبیہ-دو-گے", "میں-نے-تشبیہ-دی-تجھے"]
4. sense 4 — To make oneself like, self-assimilate: the Hitpael reflexive at Isaiah 14:14, where the king of Babylon declares 'I will make myself like the Most High.' The reflexive force indicates deliberate, presumptuous self-elevation — not natural resemblance but willed usurpation of divine likeness. Spanish me-hare-semejante preserves the reflexive. A single occurrence, but theologically loaded as the archetype of hubristic aspiration to divine status. 1×
AR["أَصِيرُ"]·ben["আমি-সদৃশ-হব"]·DE["Erde"]·EN["I-will-make-myself-like"]·FR["sol"]·heb["אדמה"]·HI["मैं-समान-होऊंगा"]·ID["aku-menjadikan-diriku-serupa"]·IT["suolo"]·jav["kawula-badhé-sami"]·KO["내가-같아지리라"]·PT["serei-semelhante"]·RU["уподоблюсь"]·ES["me-haré-semejante"]·SW["nitajifanya-sawa-na"]·TR["benzeyecegim"]·urd["برابر-ہوں-گا"]
5. sense 5 — To use parables or similitudes: a specialized Piel usage in Hosea 12:10, where God says 'I spoke through the prophets and I used parables.' Here the verb moves from comparing things to the prophetic practice of teaching through extended figurative comparisons — the parabolic method itself. Spanish uso-parabolas and French semblable both point toward the rhetorical-device interpretation. One occurrence, but it bridges the gap between the root's 'likeness' semantics and the prophetic communication tradition. 1×
AR["مَثَّلتُ"]·ben["আমি-দৃষ্টান্ত-দিই"]·DE["Erde"]·EN["I-use-parables"]·FR["semblable"]·heb["אדמה"]·HI["मैंने-दृष्टांत-दिया"]·IT["suolo"]·jav["Kawula-ngumpamakaken"]·KO["비유하였노라"]·PT["usei-parábolas"]·RU["притчами-говорил"]·ES["usé-parábolas"]·SW["nilitoa-mifano"]·TR["benzetmeler-kullandım"]·urd["میں-نے-تمثیلیں-دیں"]
Related Senses
H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)H8033 1. There (locative adverb) (835×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)H5869a 1. in the eyes/sight of (evaluative) (734×)H5650 1. Servant, attendant, subject (723×)H0408 1. prohibitive negation do-not (712×)G2443 1. so that, in order that (purpose/result) (665×)G0575 1. from (649×)G1223 1. through, by means of (582×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† I דָּמָה vb. be like, resemble (NH id., Aramaic דְּמֵי, דְּמָא, ܕܡܳܐ cf. דמין, ܕܡܰܝܳܐ price, Nab. דמי id. (Nö in EutNab.Inscr. p. 35); also ܕܡܽܘܬܳܐ, and ܕܽܘܡܝܳܐ likeness (whence Arabic دُمْيَةٌ image, effigy, as loan-wd. Frä272) cf. דְּמוּת)— Qal Pf. 3 ms. ד׳ Ez 31:8 ψ 144:4; 3 fs. דָּֽמְתָה Ct 7:8; 2 ms. דָּמִיתָ Ez 31:2, 18; 1 s. דָּמִיתִי ψ 102:7; 3 pl. דָּמוּ Ez 31:8; 1 pl. דָּמִינוּ Is…