H8557 H8557
melting, dissolving (noun describing the process of melting away, used of a snail leaving a slime trail)
A noun denoting melting or dissolving, appearing in Psalm 58:8 in a vivid image: 'like a snail that goes into melting.' The metaphor refers to the slimy trail a snail leaves as it moves, which looks like the creature is dissolving. The psalmist uses this striking image for the wicked, who should melt away and come to nothing. The word captures the process of something solid becoming liquid, dissolution and disappearance.
Senses
1. sense 1 — In Psalm 58:8, this describes the snail's apparent dissolution as it leaves its slime trail, a metaphor for the wicked vanishing. The image is visceral—just as a snail seems to melt away as it crawls, leaving a liquid trail, so the wicked should dissolve to nothing. Cross-linguistic evidence shows 'melting,' 'dissolving,' recognizing the term's connection to liquefaction and disappearance. 1×
AR["يَذوبُ"]·ben["গলে-যায়"]·DE["der-schmilzt"]·EN["that-melts"]·FR["fondre"]·heb["תמס"]·HI["पिघलता-है"]·IT["[תמס]"]·jav["banyu"]·KO["녹는"]·PT["que-derrete"]·RU["растаяющая"]·ES["derritiendo"]·SW["inayoyeyuka"]·TR["eriyerek"]·urd["پِغَلنا"]
Related Senses
H4325 1. water, waters (582×)H6965b 1. Qal: to rise, arise, get up (432×)H2091 1. gold (the metal) (389×)H0068 1. stone, rock (material/object) (267×)H5178a 1. bronze/copper as metal (131×)H6083 1. dust, dry earth, soil (108×)H8313 1. burn, set fire to (94×)H2734 1. anger was kindled (82×)G5204 1. water (80×)H2822 1. darkness, absence of light (80×)G5457 1. light (illumination) (71×)G0450 1. rise, stand up (physical) (69×)H6965b 2. Qal: to stand firm, endure, be valid (50×)H6999a 2. burn sacrifice on altar (Hifil) (45×)H5553 1. rock, cliff (physical feature) (43×)H6965b 4. Hifil: to establish, confirm (covenant/kingdom/word) (40×)H1197a 1. burn, be on fire (39×)H4306 1. rain, showers (38×)H1653 1. rain, precipitation (34×)G4655 1. darkness (30×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† תֶּ֫מֶס n.m. melting (away);—כְּמוֹ שַׁבְּלוּל ת׳ יַהֲלֹךְ ψ 58:9 like a snail that goeth into melting (leaving slimy track).