H1823 H1823
Likeness, resemblance, or form; the quality of being similar in appearance, used of God's image, visionary forms, and concrete designs.
A noun expressing resemblance or similitude, most famously appearing in Genesis 1:26 where humanity is made 'in our likeness.' In Ezekiel's visions it describes the approximate appearance of heavenly beings and thrones — something that looked like but defied full description. The Spanish 'semejanza' and German 'Gleichheit' consistently render the abstract sense of resemblance, while at 2 Kings 16:10 the word shifts to a concrete 'pattern' or 'design' — a blueprint Ahaz sent from Damascus. This range from divine image to architectural model shows how Hebrew thought held together abstract likeness and tangible form.
Senses
1. likeness, resemblance, similitude — Abstract resemblance or similitude — the quality of being like something. Central to the imago Dei theology of Genesis 1:26 and 5:1-3, where it pairs with tselem ('image'). Spanish consistently uses 'semejanza' and French 'ressemblance,' confirming the comparative meaning. In Ezekiel's throne visions (1:5, 26; 10:1), it functions as an approximation marker: 'the likeness of...' signals that what the prophet saw was beyond precise description yet bore recognizable form. Also used in simile at Psalm 58:4 and Daniel 10:16. 24×
AR["شَبَهًا","شَبَهٌ","شَبَهُ","شَبَهِ","شِبْهُ","شِبْهِ","كَ-شَبَهِنَا","كَ-مِثلِ","وَ-شَبَهٌ","وَ-شَبَهُ","وَشَبَهُ"]·ben["আকৃতি","আমাদের-সদৃশে","আর-আকৃতি","আর-সাদৃশ্য","সদৃশ্য","সাদৃশ্য"]·DE["Gleichnis","[דמות]","nach-unserer-Gleichheit","und-Gleichnis","wie-der-likeness-von"]·EN["according-to-likeness-our","and-likeness-of","like-the-likeness-of","likeness-of","likeness-of-","will-you-compare"]·FR["[דמות]","[ודמות]","comme-ressemblance","et-ressemblance","ressemblance","selon-à-ressemblance-notre"]·heb["דמות","ו-דמות","כ-דמות","כ-דמות-נו"]·HI["आकृति","और-आकृति","और-समानता","रूप","समान","समानता","हमारी-समानता-में"]·ID["Dan-rupa","dan-gambaran","dan-rupa","menurut-rupa-Kita","rupa"]·IT["[דמות]","[ודמות]","[כדמות]","e-parabola","parabola","secondo-a-likeness-nostro"]·jav["Lan-rupinipun","Lan-wujud","gegambaran","lan-rupinipun","lan-wujud","miturut-rupa-Kita","rupi","rupinipun","saking-gu-kandhutan","wujud"]·KO["그리고-모양의","그리고-형상","그리고-형상은","그리고-형상이","닮음이다","모양-으로","에-우리의-모양대로","형상","형상을","형상의","형상이","형상이라"]·PT["E-semelhança","E-semelhança-de","conforme-nossa-semelhança","e-semelhança-de","semelhança","semelhança-de"]·RU["военачальников","и-подобие","по-подобию-Нашему","подобен","подобие","подобии","подобия"]·ES["Y-figura-de","Y-semejanza","Y-semejanza-de","como-semejanza-de","según-nuestra-semejanza","semejanza","semejanza-de","y-semejanza-de"]·SW["kama-sumu","kwa-sura-yetu","mfano","mfano-wa","na-mfano","na-mfano-wa","wa-mfano"]·TR["Ve-şekli","benzeri","benzerinde-","benzerlik","benzerliğimize-göre","gibi","görünüşü","lacivert-taşının","tahtın","tarşiş'in","ve-benzerlik","ve-benzerliği","ve-üzerinde"]·urd["اور-شبیہ","اور-شکل","اور-صورت","اپنی-مشابہت-میں","شبیہ","شکل","صورت","کَ-مِسل"]
2. pattern, form, design — A concrete pattern, model, or design meant for replication. At 2 Kings 16:10 Ahaz sends the 'demut' of the Damascus altar to Uriah the priest — here Spanish shifts to 'diseno' (design) rather than 'semejanza,' and the context demands a physical blueprint rather than abstract similarity. This single occurrence stands apart from the word's dominant usage, showing a practical, architectural extension of the root idea of likeness. 1×
AR["شَكْلِ"]·ben["আকৃতি"]·DE["likeness-von"]·EN["likeness-of"]·FR["likeness-de"]·heb["דמות"]·HI["आकृति"]·ID["rupa"]·IT["somiglianza-di"]·jav["gambaran"]·KO["본-을"]·PT["semelhança-de"]·RU["образ"]·ES["diseño-de"]·SW["mfano"]·TR["benzerini"]·urd["نمونہ"]
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×)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×)H3541 1. thus, so, in this manner (569×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† דְּמוּת n.f. likeness, similitude (mostly late) (according to LagBN 12, 147 ff. mispunct. for דִּמְוַת from דִּמְוָה; according to WeProl. 413, Eng. Tr 389 an Aramaic loan-word, but v. Di Gn 5:1, DrJPh. xi. 216 CheOP. 474)—abs. ד׳ Is 40:18 + 3 times; cstr. ד׳ Gn 5:1 + 16 times; sf. דְּמוּתוֹ Gn 5:3; דְּמוּתֵנוּ 1:26;— 1. likeness, similitude, of external appearance, chiefly in Ezek.: Ez 1:5…