B-Hebrew: The Biblical Hebrew Forum

In my dictionaries, I see the word דמים (dameem) which is translated as "price, money, cost, equivalent" but it is not listed in Strong's concordance. Does anyone know if it really exists and in what quotes?

Kenneth Greifer

Kenneth Greifer wrote:In my dictionaries, I see the word דמים (dameem) which is translated as "price, money, cost, equivalent" but it is not listed in Strong's concordance. Does anyone know if it really exists and in what quotes?

Kenneth Greifer

Yes, the word exists, as a plural of the noun דם “blood”. As a plural, it’s sometimes used to refer to an abstract idea of “bloody” rather than to a multitude of “bloods”. An example is Exodus 4:25–6, Ezekiel 22:2, Nahum 3:1. As an extension of the abstract idea, it’s used for “blood guilt” in the idea of guilty of murder Exodus 21:1–2, Deuteronomy 19:10, 22:8, etc. Used also as a general reference to blood Isaiah 1:15, 9:4, Ezekiel 9:9 and acts of unjust violence that result in the shedding of blood Isaiah 33:15, Habakkuk 2:12.

It’s also a name, 1 Samuel 17:1.

Thanks for the question. I notice I don’t have a separate entry for דמים in my dictionary, which is consistent with the fact that my dictionary started as correction notes in the margins of other dictionaries which also didn’t have a separate entry for דמים. These uses of the plural to indicate abstractions or generalizations is consistent with Biblical Hebrew practice that I noticed also with other nouns.

I hope this answers your question.

Karl W. Randolph.

Post biblical. Now very common as דְּמֵי DMEIY, 'payment, fee', to wit: דמי כיס, 'pocket money'; דמי טירחה, 'commission', דמי לא יחרץ, 'hush money'.
Origin not clear. Some say: DE-MAH.

Isaac Fried, Boston University

I should add דמי חסות, 'protection money', and דמים מרוּבים, 'lots of money'.

Isaac Fried, Boston University