Lexical Summary
din: judge, judges, plead
Original Word:דִּין
Part of Speech:Verb
Transliteration:diyn
Pronunciation:deen
Phonetic Spelling:(deen)
KJV: (come) with a straight course
NASB:judge, judges, plead, vindicate, administer, defend, dispute
Word Origin:[a primitive root]
1. a straight course, i.e. sail direct
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
Sail direct
Or (Gen. 6:3) duwn {doon}; a primitive roy a straight course, i.e. Sail direct -- (come) with a straight course.
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origina prim. root
Definitionto judge
NASB Translationadminister (1), defend (1), dispute (1), execute judgment (1), govern (1), judge (9), judges (2), plead (2), pled (1), quarreling (1), strive (1), vindicate (2), vindicated (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
[] dubious; only in
Genesis 6:3, see .
(compare Arabic
intransitiveto be obedient, submissive, transitiverequite, compensate, rule, govern,
obedience, abasement, recompense,
requiter, governor,
city; Assyriandânu, Imperfectidin,judge AsrbAnn. x. 120 DlHA 49; Aramaic ,
judge, exercise judgment, punish, ,
,judge, ,
judgment,
city; — on √ see NöZMG 1883, 533), synonym —
PerfectJeremiah 22:16 etc.;ImperfectGenesis 49:16 9t.,Genesis 6:3 compare below, etc.;ImperativeProverbs 31:9;Job 35:14;Jeremiah 21:12;InfinitivePsalm 50:4 2t.;ParticipleGenesis 15:14;Jeremiah 30:13; —
act as judge, minister judgment, of GodDeuteronomy 32:36 (poetry =Psalm 135:14)Psalm 50:4;Psalm 7:9;Psalm 96:10;Isaiah 3:13;Psalm 9:9; Messianic kingPsalm 72:2.
plead the cause,
, usually with accusative of congnate meaning with verb,there is none to plead thy causeJeremiah 30:13;plead cause of orphanJeremiah 5:28;Jeremiah 22:16; also, accusative of congnate meaning with verb omitted,Proverbs 31:9.
,God has pled my causeGenesis 30:6 (E).
execute judgment, vindicate, in battle against enemies,Dan will judge (vindicate as a warrior)his people (see Di)Genesis 49:16 (poetry); the Messianic kingPsalm 110:6; God,in thy might judge me (vindicate me)Psalm 54:3.
execute judgment, requite, of man,execute judgment every morningJeremiah 21:12; of God, upon EgyptGenesis 15:14 (E); by means of powers of natureJob 36:31;1 Samuel 2:10 (poetry)
govern,thou shalt govern my houseZechariah 3:7.
he cannot contend with one mightier than heEcclesiastes 6:10.
Participleand all the people were at strife throughout all the tribes of Israel2 Samuel 19:10 (reciprocal, compare Dr.)
—Genesis 6:3 compare perhaps
continue, do something continually, in modern Egyptian Arabic (SoSK lxvii {1894}, 211 f.). (1) Onk read or (Kue)abide in, dwell, —My spirit will not abide in man for ever; this best suits the context, but , as Aramaism, is dubious (2) Kn De Schr RVm renderrule in, supported byZechariah 3:7 only. (3) Thes Ew Di renderbe humbled in, sustained by Arabic usage, but not by Hebrew (4)strive with of AV RV (compare
above) is hardly justified.
[] (Biblical Hebrew); —
Participle pluralEzra 7:25 Kt (Qr ), followed by person
Topical Lexicon
OverviewStrong’s Hebrew 1777 (dîn) expresses the exercise of judgment in all its facets—deciding a case, contending for a cause, executing justice, or securing vindication. Across twenty-four Old Testament occurrences the verb consistently presents a moral universe in which God Himself is Judge, His covenant people are responsible to reflect His justice, and every individual may appeal to Him for righteous vindication.
Foundational Uses in Genesis
•Genesis 6:3 introduces the term in a setting of universal corruption: “My Spirit shall not contend with man forever”. Divine judgment is portrayed as a patient but certain restraint on evil.
• InGenesis 15:14 the judgment of Egypt anticipates the Exodus: “I will judge the nation they serve.” Judgment is not merely punitive but covenant-protective, securing the promises given to Abraham.
•Genesis 30:6 records Rachel’s personal plea: “God has vindicated me.” The root thus ranges from cosmic decrees to intimate family struggles.
•Genesis 49:16 names Dan as the tribe that “shall provide justice for his people,” hinting that Israel’s social structures were designed to echo God’s own commitment to righteous adjudication.
National and Theocratic Context
Within the Song of Moses the verb underscores Yahweh’s covenant faithfulness: “The LORD will judge His people” (Deuteronomy 32:36). In Israel’s monarchy Hannah foresees the same pattern: “The LORD will judge the ends of the earth” (1 Samuel 2:10). By the time of David’s restoration the word can even describe political debate: “All the people were arguing throughout the tribes of Israel” (2 Samuel 19:9), indicating its breadth—contending, not merely rendering verdicts.
Wisdom Literature and the Prayer of the Righteous
Psalms employs dîn more than any other section, fusing worship with courtroom imagery:
• “He judges the world with justice” (Psalm 9:8).
• “Save me, O God, by Your name, and vindicate me by Your might” (Psalm 54:1).
These prayers assume that righteous judgment is accessible, timely, and rooted in God’s own character.Proverbs 31:9 commands rulers: “Open your mouth, judge righteously,” making justice a moral obligation, not a governmental option.Ecclesiastes 6:10 warns that humanity “cannot contend with one stronger than he,” reminding the wise that God’s verdict is final.
Prophetic Covenant Lawsuits
The prophets often cast Israel’s unfaithfulness in legal terms:
•Isaiah 3:13—“The LORD takes His stand to contend, and stands to judge the peoples.”
•Jeremiah 5:28 condemns leaders who “do not plead the cause of the orphan.”
•Jeremiah 22:16 commends Josiah: “He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well.”
•Zechariah 3:7 promises that faithful priesthood will “judge My house,” connecting priestly service with judicial responsibility.
Thus dîn operates as a prophetic measuring rod, exposing societal injustice and calling the nation back to covenant loyalty.
Divine Vindication and Eschatological Hope
Several psalms using dîn anticipate an ultimate, universal assize: “He will judge the nations, heaping up the dead” (Psalm 110:6).Psalm 96:10 links present proclamation to future certainty: “He will judge the peoples with equity.” The theme progresses toward eschatological climax, preparing the way for New Testament revelation that “the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son” (John 5:22).
Christological Fulfillment
The Messianic Psalms (e.g.,Psalm 72:2) envision a king who will “judge Your people with righteousness.” The New Testament identifies this ideal ruler with Jesus Christ, who both embodies and executes perfect judgment (Acts 17:31;Revelation 19:11). The verb dîn therefore foreshadows the redemptive work by which the cross satisfies divine justice and the resurrection secures the believer’s vindication (Romans 3:26;1 Peter 3:18).
Practical Ministry Implications
1. Advocacy for the vulnerable: Prophetic usage demands that contemporary believers “administer justice every morning” (Jeremiah 21:12).
2. Confidence in prayer: Like the psalmists, Christians may seek God’s righteous vindication amid oppression, trusting His unfailing character.
3. Proclamation of judgment and grace: The gospel message includes both the certainty of coming judgment and the provision of justification through Christ.
4. Ethical leadership: From tribal judges to modern authorities, the mandate remains—exercise judgment that reflects God’s impartial righteousness.
Summary
Dîn weaves through Scripture as a multifaceted witness to God’s just rule, human accountability, and the longing for righteous vindication ultimately met in the Messiah. Its occurrences form a coherent narrative: judgment begun in Genesis, institutionalized in Israel, pleaded for in worship, enforced by the prophets, and consummated in Christ’s kingdom.
Forms and Transliterations
דִּ֤ינוּ דָ֔נוּ דָּ֛ן דָּ֣ן דָּ֥ן דָּנַ֣נִּי דינו דן דנו דנני וְ֝דִ֗ין ודין יָד֨וֹן יָדִ֣ין יָדִ֤ין יָדִ֥ין יָדִ֪ין ידון ידין לָדִ֔ין לָדִ֥ין לדין נָד֔וֹן נדון תְדִינֵֽנִי׃ תָּדִ֣ין תדין תדינני׃ dā·nan·nî ḏā·nū dan dān daNanni dānannî Danu ḏānū dî·nū Dinu dînū lā·ḏîn laDin lāḏîn nā·ḏō·wn naDon nāḏōwn tā·ḏîn taDin tāḏîn ṯə·ḏî·nê·nî tediNeni ṯəḏînênî veDin wə·ḏîn wəḏîn yā·ḏîn yā·ḏō·wn yaDin yāḏîn yaDon yāḏōwn
Links
Interlinear Greek •
Interlinear Hebrew •
Strong's Numbers •
Englishman's Greek Concordance •
Englishman's Hebrew Concordance •
Parallel Texts
