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דֶּרֶךְ dèrek – road, way

Semantic Fields: Transport   Morality   
Author(s): James K. Aitken
First published: 2024-10-10
Citation: James K. Aitken, דֶּרֶךְ dèrek – road, way,
               Semantics of Ancient Hebrew Database (sahd-online.com), 2024

Introduction

Grammatical Type: noun masc. (sometimes fem.)

Occurrences: 706x HB (116/375/215); 23x Sir; 258x Qum; 0x inscr. (Total: 987).

  • Torah: Gen 3:24; 6:12; 16:7; 18:19; 19:2, 31; 24:21, 27, 40, 42, 48, 56; 28:20; 30:36; 31:23, 35; 32:2; 33:16; 35:3, 19; 38:14, 16, 21; 42:25, 38; 45:21, 23, 24; 48:7 (2x); 49:17; Exod 3:18; 4:24; 5:3; 8:23; 13:17, 18, 21; 18:8, 20; 23:20; 32:8; 33:3, 13; Lev 26:22; Num 9:10, 13; 10:33 (2x); 11:31 (2x); 14:25; 20:17; 21:1, 4 (2x), 22, 33; 22:22, 23 (3x), 26, 31, 32, 34; 24:25; 33:8; Deut 1:2, 19, 22, 31, 33 (2x), 40; 2:1, 8 (2x), 27 (2x); 3:1; 5:33; 6:7; 8:2, 6; 9:12, 16; 10:12; 11:19, 22, 28, 30; 13:6; 14:24; 17:16; 19:3, 6, 9; 22:4, 6; 23:5; 24:9; 25:17, 18; 26:17; 27:18; 28:7 (2x), 9, 25 (2x), 29, 68; 30:16; 31:29; 32:4;
  • Nebiim: Josh 1:8; 2:7, 16, 22; 3:4 (2x); 5:4, 5, 7; 8:15; 9:11, 13; 10:10; 12:3; 22:5; 23:14; 24:17; Judg 2:17, 19, 22; 4:9; 5:10; 8:11; 9:25, 37; 17:8; 18:5, 6, 26; 19:9, 27; 20:42; 1 Sam 1:18; 4:13; 6:9, 12 (2x); 8:3, 5; 9:6, 8; 12:23; 13:17, 18 (2x); 15:2, 18, 20; 17:52; 18:14; 21:6; 24:4, 8, 20; 25:12; 26:3, 25; 28:22; 30:2; 2 Sam 2:24; 4:7; 11:10; 13:30, 34; 15:2, 23; 16:13; 18:23; 22:22, 31, 33; 1 Kgs 1:49; 2:2, 3, 4; 3:14; 8:25, 32, 36, 39, 44 (2x), 48, 58; 11:29, 33, 38; 13:9, 10 (2x), 12 (2x), 17, 24 (2x), 25, 26, 28, 33; 15:26, 34; 16:2, 19, 26; 18:6 (2x), 7, 27, 43; 19:4, 7, 15; 20:38; 22:43, 53 (3x); 2 Kgs 2:23; 3:8 (2x), 9, 20; 6:19; 7:15; 8:18, 27; 9:27; 10:12; 11:16, 19; 16:3; 17:13; 19:28, 33; 21:21, 22; 22:2; 25:4 (2x); Isa 2:3; 3:12; 8:11, 23; 10:24, 26; 15:5; 30:11, 21; 35:8 (3x); 37:29, 34; 40:3, 14, 27; 42:16, 24; 43:16, 19; 45:13; 48:15, 17; 49:9, 11; 51:10; 53:6; 55:7, 8 (2x), 9 (2x); 56:11; 57:10, 14 (2x), 17, 18; 58:2, 13; 59:8; 62:10; 63:17; 64:4; 65:2; 66:3; Jer 2:17, 18 (2x), 23 (2x), 33 (2x), 36; 3:2, 13, 21; 4:11, 18; 5:4, 5; 6:16 (2x), 25, 27; 7:3, 5, 23; 10:2, 23; 12:1, 16; 15:7; 16:17; 17:10; 18:11 (2x), 15 (2x); 21:8 (2x); 22:21; 23:12, 22; 25:5; 26:3, 13; 28:11; 31:9, 21; 32:19 (2x), 39; 35:15; 36:3, 7; 39:4 (2x); 42:3; 48:19; 50:5; 52:7 (2x); Ezek 3:18, 19; 7:3, 4, 8, 9, 27; 8:5 (2x); 9:2, 10; 11:21; 13:22; 14:22, 23; 16:25, 27, 31, 43, 47 (2x), 61; 18:23, 25 (3x), 29 (3x), 30; 20:30, 43, 44; 21:2, 24 (2x), 25, 26 (2x); 22:31; 23:13, 31; 24:14; 28:15; 33:8, 9 (2x), 11 (2x), 17 (2x), 20 (2x); 36:17 (2x), 19, 31, 32; 40:6, 10, 20, 22, 24 (2x), 27 (2x), 32, 44 (2x), 45, 46; 41:11, 12; 42:1 (2x), 4, 7, 10, 11 (2x), 12 (4x), 15 (2x); 43:1, 2, 4 (2x); 44:1, 3 (2x), 4; 46:2, 8 (2x), 9 (5x); 47:2 (3x), 15; 48:1; Hos 2:8; 4:9; 6:9; 9:8; 10:13; 12:3; 13:7; 14:10; Joel 2:7; Amos 2:7; 4:10; 8:14; Jon 3:8, 10; Mic 4:2; Nah 1:3; 2:2; Hag 1:5, 7; Zech 1:4, 6; 3:7; Mal 2:8, 9; 3:1;
  • Ketubim: Pss 1:1, 6 (2x); 2:12; 5:9; 10:5; 18:22, 31, 33; 25:4, 8, 9, 12; 27:11; 32:8; 35:6; 36:5; 37:5, 7, 14, 23, 34; 39:2; 49:14; 50:23; 51:15; 67:3; 77:14, 20; 80:13; 81:14; 85:14; 86:11; 89:42; 91:11; 95:10; 101:2, 6; 102:24; 103:7; 107:4, 7, 17, 40; 110:7; 119:1, 3, 5, 14, 26, 27, 29, 30, 32, 33, 37, 59, 168; 128:1; 138:5; 139:3, 24 (2x); 143:8; 145:17; 146:9; Job 3:23; 4:6; 6:18; 8:19; 12:24; 13:15; 17:9; 19:12; 21:14, 29, 31; 22:3, 28; 23:10, 11; 24:4, 13, 18, 23; 26:14; 28:23, 26; 29:25; 31:4, 7; 34:21, 27; 36:23; 38:19, 24, 25; 40:19; Prov 1:15, 31; 2:8, 12, 13, 20; 3:6, 17 (2x), 23, 31; 4:11, 14, 19, 26; 5:8, 21; 6:6, 23; 7:8, 19, 25, 27; 8:2, 13, 22, 32; 9:6, 15; 10:9, 29; 11:5, 20; 12:15, 26, 28; 13:6, 15; 14:2, 8, 12 (2x), 14; 15:9, 19; 16:2, 7, 9, 17, 25 (2x), 29, 31; 19:3, 16; 20:24; 21:2, 8, 16, 29; 22:5, 6; 23:19, 26; 26:13; 28:6, 10, 18; 29:27; 30:19 (4x), 20; 31:3; Ruth 1:7; Qoh 10:3; 11:5, 9; 12:5; Lam 1:4, 12; 2:15; 3:9, 11, 40; Ezra 8:21, 22, 31; Neh 9:12, 19 (2x); 2 Chron 6:16, 23, 27, 30, 31, 34 (2x), 38; 7:14; 11:17; 13:22; 17:3, 6; 18:23; 20:32; 21:6, 12 (2x), 13; 22:3; 27:6, 7; 28:2, 26; 34:2.
  • Sira: 3:31A; 5:9A (different in C); 7:17A (omitted in C); 8:16A; 10:6A; 11:15[14]A, 34A (2x); 13:1A; 14:21A; 16:20A; 32:20aB,F, 20bE,F (in 32:21 in B), 21B,E,F, 22B, 23[22]B; 33:11Emg, 32E (ד֯[רך); 37:7B,Bmg,D, 9B,D; 42:3Mas (different in B); 46:20B; 48:22B; 49:9B (ד֯[רכי);
  • Qumran:1 CD 1.9, 11, 13, 15, 2.2, 6, 16, 3.15, 17, 7.19, 8.4, 5, 9, 11, 16, 11.1, 15.7, 19.17 (2x), 21, 23, 29, 20.18, 1QH 1.36, 2.10, 4.4, 18, 21, 24, 31 (2x), 32, 6.7, 20 (2x), 21, 24, 7.31, 8.9, 11.4, 12.34, 14.26, 15.13, 18, 17.21, 18.12, 22, 31.2, fr 1.5, 1QM 3.10, 14.7, 1QpHab 8.12, 11.13, 15.25, 1QS 1.13, 2.2, 3.3, 6, 10, 20, 21, 26, 4.1, 2 (2x), 10, 11, 15,17, 19, 22, 5.4, 7, 11, 24, 8.10, 13, 14, 18, 21, 25, 9.2, 5, 9 (2x), 18, 19, 20, 21, 10.21 (2x), 11.2, 4, 10, 11, 13, 17, 14.7,1QSa i 2, 17, 28, 1QSb v 22, 1Q17 1.4, 27.19, 1Q19 1.3, 1Q22 ii 18, 1Q30 2 I 2, 2QSir 2.7, 2Q22 1 ii 3, 3Q15 8.1, 4QPsf 2 viii 4, 4Q158 1-2 10, 4Q161 1 ii 16, 2.7, 10, 27.10, 4Q162 i 5, 4Q163 1 i 3, 22 i 2, 4Q165 4.2, 4Q166 1.7, 4Q171 1+i 17, 25, 1 ii 16, 17, 1 iii 14, 1 iv 10, 4Q174 1-2 i 14, 4Q175 1.12, 4Q176 1+i 2, 7, 18.2, 4Q180 2-4 I 1, 5-6 i 3,4Q183 1 ii 5, 4Q184 1.8, 9 (2x), 14, 16, 17, 4Q185 1-2 ii 1, 4Q200 2.5, 4.5, 4Q215 1 ii 6, 1 iv 6, 4Q219 21.22, 4Q222 1.3, 25.10, 4Q223-4 2 ii 6, 4Q227 2.5, 4Q256 5.4, 4Q258 1 i 3,3 i 3, 6, 3 ii 2, 4, 5, 4Q259 1 iii 17, 4Q266 1 i 1, 2 i 4, 18 v 11, 4Q267 5.4, 4Q270 1 iii 17, 9 ii 20, 4Q271 1 i 9, 4Q286 2.1, 4Q299 5.2, 79.3, 4Q364 23.5-6, 4Q370 1 i 3, 4Q379 18.3, 4Q381 31 i 3, 4Q382 115.2, 4Q385 2 i, 3, 4Q390 1.3, 4Q391 9.3, 11.2, 32.2, 4Q392 1.4, 4Q397 14.12, 4Q400 1 i 14, 16, 4Q403 1 i 22, 2.3,4Q404 2 i 3, 4Q405 13 i 6, 20 ii-21-22 12, 23 i 11, 4Q408 1.6, 4Q413 i 1, 4Q416 2 iii 10, 14, 4Q417 2 i 7, 2 ii 11, 4Q418 55 iii 4, 4Q419 1.12, 4Q420 1a ii-b 5, 4Q421 1a ii-b 12, 4Q422 C 1, 25.10, 4Q423 9.3,4Q425 1-2 iii 6, 11, 4Q428 7.5, 10, 4Q432 9.2, 4Q434 2 i 4, 10, 11, 2 ii 4, 4Q436 1.6, 4Q464 5 ii 4, 4Q473 2.3, 2.4, 4Q486 1.4, 4Q491 8-10 i 5, 6, 4Q497 6.2, 4Q499 5.2, 4Q502 119.1, 4Q504 1-2 v 20 (2x), 8 recto 13, 4.13, 17 ii 4, 4Q505 121.1, 4Q509 296.1, 4Q510 1 i 9, 22, 4Q511 2 i 6, 10 i 8, 63 iii 3, 4Q517 17.2, 4Q524 5.4, 4Q525 3 ii 2 (2x), 4, 7, 3 v 8, 11, 5 viii 11, 12.3, 14 ii 6, 16, 11QJub 5.2, 11QMelch 1+ii 24, 11QPsa xxi 13, xxii10, xxvii 3, 11QShirShab a 3, 11QT 31.6, 43.12, 52.14, 54.17, 56.18, 58.21, 65.2.

The figure of 706 in the OT is the correct number of occurrences in the MT and is that preferred by most scholars; see, e.g., Sauer 1971:456; Andersen-Forbes 1989:305; Dorsey 1991:212, 249 n. 1; also DCH and DCHR. This figure corresponds to the number of citations in Lisowsky (1958:370-75). BDB give the number 715 and HAL/HALOT 710. Mandelkern's list of 707 (1896:301-04) includes the one occurrence of the substantive מִדְרַךְ (Deut 2:5; constr. state).

There is a concentration of occurrences of דֶּרֶךְ in Ezekiel (107), while the word is absent or quite rare in some other Biblical books (e.g., Esther, 1 Chron).

Qere/Ketiv: The six cases (1 Sam 8:3; 2 Sam 22:33; Jer 17:10; Ps 10:5; Job 26:14; Prov 21:29) concern only corrections of the suffixes, while דֶּרֶךְ is retained.

Conclusion

A דֶּרֶךְ can be either a literal road or a metaphorical course of behaviour. As a physical road, it is the most general and common word for road, being used to refer to many different types. It also is the one word consistently paired with the other words in the semantic field of ‘road’. It may mean a ‘journey’ or ‘course of travel’, and it is in this respect that it appears to have a prepositional sense, expressing the direction of travel. As a course of behaviour דֶּרֶךְ can refer to habitual behaviour, good or bad ways of life and to the moral course prescribed by God or followed by those who are faithful to him. In a related sense to that of a course of behaviour, it may refer to a business enterprise.

The range of meanings exhibited by דֶּרֶךְ is also reflected by the primary words for ‘road’ in other Semitic languages. One may, for example, compare Akk. (as Dorsey 1991:249, n. 2) in which the word ḥarrānu has an even wider range of meanings. It may mean a highway, road, path; or a course of travel (not distinguished in CAD 6:107-09); a journey; a business trip or venture (involving travel); a military campaign, expedition; a caravan, or expeditionary force. The Aram. and Syr. ʾwrḥʾ exhibit similar meanings (Jastrow, DTT, 33; Sokoloff, SLB, 21-22), as does Arb ṭarīq (Wehr 1971:559).

Since דֶּרֶךְ is never in parallel to חוּץ, the most common word for ‘street’, it is uncertain whether דֶּרֶךְ could ever denote a street within a city. Therefore, although דֶּרֶךְ has a generally similar range of meanings to Heb אֹרַח, it is possible that there is a difference in that אֹרַח could be used of a city street in at least the Hebrew of Qumran (4QapLama 2.7) and Sir (49:6).

For this entry, see further James K. Aitken, ‘דֶּרֶךְ’, in: T. Muraoka (ed.), Semantics of Ancient Hebrew (AbrNSup, 6), Leuven: Peeters, 1998, 11-37, 137-45 (→ Printed publications).

Bibliography

Andersen-Forbes 1989
Francis I. Andersen and A. Dean Forbes. The Vocabulary of the Old Testament, Rome: Biblical Institute.
Dorsey 1991
David A. Dorsey, The Roads and Highways of Ancient Israel, Baltimore and London: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Bergman, Haldar, Koch, Ringgren 1977
J. Bergman, A. Haldar, K. Koch, H. Ringgren,
‘דֶּרֶךְ dæræk’, ThWAT 2:288-312.
Lisowsky 1958
G. Lisowsky, Konkordanz zum hebräischen Alten Testament, 2nd ed., Stuttgart.
Mandelkern 1896
S. Mandelkern, Veteris Testamenti concordantiae hebraicae atque chaldaicae, Leipzig.
Ratner 1987
Robert Ratner, ‘Derek: Morpho-syntactical considerations’, JAOS 107:471-73.
Sauer 1971
G. Sauer, ‘דֶּרֶךְ dæræk Weg’, THAT 1:456-60.
Wehr 1971
Hans Wehr, A Dictionary of Modern Written Arabic, 3rd ed. J. Milton Cowan, Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz.

  1. These references are those in James K. Aitken, ‘דֶּרֶךְ’, in: T. Muraoka (ed.), Semantics of Ancient Hebrew (AbrNSup, 6), Leuven: Peeters, 1998, 11. ↩

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