Original Word: דּוֹד
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: dowd
Pronunciation: dode
Phonetic Spelling: (dode)
KJV: (well-)beloved, father's brother, love, uncle
NASB: beloved, uncle, love, uncle's, beloved's, beloved's and my beloved, lovers
Word Origin: [from an unused root meaning properly, to boil]

1. (figuratively) to love
2. (by implication) a love-token, lover, friend
3. (specifically) an uncle

well-beloved, father's brother, love, uncle

Or (shortened) dod {dode}; from an unused root meaning properly, to boil, i.e. (figuratively) to love; by implication, a love- token, lover, friend; specifically an uncle -- (well-)beloved, father's brother, love, uncle.

Word Origin
from an unused word
Definition
beloved, love, uncle
NASB Translation
beloved (31), beloved's (1), beloved's and my beloved (1), love (8), lovers (1), uncle (11), uncle's (6), uncles' (1).

דּוֺד noun masculine^{Song of Solomon 1:2} beloved, love (plural), uncle (Late Hebrew id., Syriac ; Assyrian dâdu Dl^{HA 19}) — absolute דּוֺד Songs 5:9 (twice in verse); construct דּוֺד 1 Samuel 10:14 3t.; דֹּד Leviticus 10:4; Esther 2:15; suffix דּוֺדִי Isaiah 5:1 (but compare below) + 26 t. all Canticles; דֹּדִי Jeremiah 32:8 2t.; דֹּדְךָ Jeremiah 32:7; דּוֺדֵךְ Songs 5:9 (twice in verse) + 2t.; דּוֺדוֺ Amos 6:10; 1 Samuel 10:16, דֹּדוֺ Leviticus 20:20 4t.; דּוֺדָהּ Songs 8:5; plural דּוֺדִים Songs 5:1; דֹּדִים Proverbs 7:18; Ezekiel 16:8; Ezekiel 23:17; plural suffix דֹּדַי Cant 7:13; דֹּדֶיךָ Songs 1:2,4; דֹּדַיִךְ Songs 4:10 (twice in verse); דֹּדֵיהֶן Numbers 36:11 —

1 most often loved one, beloved (lover, betrothed) Songs 1:13,14,16; Songs 2:3,8,9,10,16,17; Songs 4:16; Songs 5:2,4,5,6 (twice in verse); Songs 5:8,9 (twice in verse); Songs 5:10,16; Songs 6:1 (twice in verse); Songs 6:2,3(twice in verse); Songs 7:10; Songs 7:11; Songs 7:12; Songs 7:14; Songs 8:5; Songs 8:14; beloved one, friend, שִׁירַת דּוֺדִי Isaiah 5:1 (where Lo Che דודים ׳שׁ love-song, see 3 below)

2 specifically uncle, Leviticus 10:4 (father's brother, patruus; Syriac = also avunculus) Numbers 36:11; 1 Samuel 14:50; 2 Kings 24:17; Leviticus 20:20; Leviticus 25:49 (twice in verse); 1 Samuel 10:14,15,16; Esther 2:7,15; Jeremiah 32:7,8,9,12; perhaps also 1 Chronicles 27:32 Jonathan, David's דּוֺד so AV RV; = kinsman (?, so St RVm) Amos 6:10.

3 plural abstract love Proverbs 7:18; Songs 1:2,4; Songs 4:10 (twice in verse); Songs 5:1 (Song of Solomon 5:1 and elsewhere concrete beloved ones, so AV RV, ᵐ5 ἀδελφυἰ; so עֵת דדים Ezekiel 16:8; מִשְׁכַּב דדים Ezekiel 23:17.

Meaning and Semantic Range

The Hebrew noun דּוֹד occurs about sixty-one times and carries two complementary ideas: (1) a near blood relative, especially an uncle, and (2) an intimate, covenantal affection expressed between a man and a woman. The contexts determine whether the emphasis falls on kinship responsibility or on tender, often poetic, love.

Family Relationships and Kinship Duty

In the Torah and the Former Prophets the word identifies an “uncle,” highlighting the solidarity of the extended household in Israelite society.
• Leviticus 10:4 records Moses calling on “Mishael and Elzaphan, sons of Aaron’s uncle Uzziel” to remove the bodies of Nadab and Abihu, showing that an uncle’s branch of the family shared priestly obligations.
• Leviticus 25:49 gives the uncle first place among potential kinsman-redeemers: “Either his uncle or cousin may redeem him”. This establishes the uncle as a protector of family liberty and property.
• Jeremia 32:7-12 recounts Jeremiah’s exercise of the redemption right when “Hanamel son of your uncle Shallum” offered his field. The episode illustrates how דּוֹד safeguarded inheritance lines even during national crisis.
• 1 Samuel 10:14-16 and 20:29 portray Saul’s uncle as an authoritative figure within the clan, asking probing questions and receiving truthful reports.

In such passages דּוֹד emphasizes covenant responsibility. The uncle stands as a living reminder that no Israelite was meant to face loss or danger alone; the family must intervene.

Romantic and Marital Love

The Song of Solomon accounts for more than two-thirds of the occurrences. Here דּוֹד is usually translated “beloved,” expressing exclusive, covenantal affection.
• Song of Solomon 1:13 “My beloved is to me a sachet of myrrh resting between my breasts.”
• Song of Solomon 2:8 “Listen! My beloved is coming, leaping over the mountains, bounding over the hills.”
• Song of Solomon 5:16 “His mouth is most sweet, and he is altogether lovely. This is my beloved, and this is my friend, O daughters of Jerusalem.”

The vocabulary of דּוֹד frames marriage as joyous, reciprocal, and deeply personal. It presents divine revelation’s high valuation of marital intimacy as God-given and honorable (compare Proverbs 5:18-19; Hebrews 13:4).

Covenantal and Theological Implications

Prophetic literature occasionally employs דּוֹד as a metaphor for Yahweh’s covenant love with His people. Ezekiel 16:8 states, “I passed by you and saw you, and behold, you were old enough for love… I pledged Myself to you and entered into a covenant with you”. The prophet’s marriage imagery draws on the tenderness of human love to dramatize God’s unwavering commitment and Israel’s required fidelity.

Because King David’s name derives from the same consonantal root (דוד), the term subtly echoes forward to the “beloved” messianic line (2 Samuel 7:12-16; Matthew 1:1). In the New Testament the Father’s declaration, “This is My beloved Son” (Matthew 3:17), resonates with the Old Testament background, uniting royal, filial, and marital strands in one Christ-centered fulfillment.

Occurrences in Wisdom and Prophetic Texts Beyond the Song

• Proverbs 7:18 uses the plural form to expose illicit seduction: “Come, let us take our fill of love till morning.” Here דּוֹדִים warns that misdirected passion leads to death (Proverbs 7:27).
• Ezekiel 33:6 and 47:13 show family terms persisting in exilic settings, signaling that God’s covenant order remains intact despite displacement.

Messianic Foreshadowing

The root connection between דּוֹד and David links the affectionate term to messianic hope. Isaiah 55:3 speaks of the “everlasting covenant, the faithful love promised to David,” a promise secured in Jesus Christ (Acts 13:34). Thus every appearance of דּוֹד as “beloved” can remind readers that ultimate, unfailing love finds embodiment in the Son of David.

Practical Ministry Applications

1. Family Care: Pastoral teaching can draw on the “uncle” passages to encourage responsible involvement across extended family lines, especially in times of crisis or poverty.
2. Marriage Enrichment: The Song’s repeated use of דּוֹד legitimizes affectionate language and celebration within Christian marriage, providing a biblical counter to both prudery and promiscuity.
3. Redemption Theme: Leviticus 25:49 offers a model for church-based advocacy, portraying the kinsman-redeemer as precursor to Christ’s redemptive work (Mark 10:45).
4. Christological Focus: Linking דּוֹד with David fosters a natural transition to proclaiming Jesus as the “Beloved” who secures the everlasting covenant, strengthening evangelistic preaching.

Summary

דּוֹד weaves together kinship duty and covenant love across the Old Testament. Whether describing an uncle who redeems a relative, a bride who longs for her groom, or the Lord who pledges Himself to His people, the word advances Scripture’s unfolding portrait of faithful, sacrificial affection—a portrait ultimately perfected in the Beloved Son who redeems and unites His family forever.

דֹ֭דִים דֹּ֣ד דֹּֽדְךָ֔ דֹּד֔וֹ דֹּד֖וֹ דֹּדִ֔י דֹּדִ֔ים דֹּדִ֖י דֹּדִ֜י דֹּדֶ֖יךָ דֹּדַ֖י דֹּדוֹ֙ דֹד֖וֹ דֹד֞וֹ דֹדֵיהֶ֖ן דֹדֶ֙יךָ֙ דֹדַ֖יִךְ דֹדַ֙יִךְ֙ דּ֣וֹד דּ֥וֹד דּ֨וֹד דּוֹד֔וֹ דּוֹד֣וֹ דּוֹדִ֔י דּוֹדִ֖י דּוֹדִ֗י דּוֹדִ֣י דּוֹדִ֥י דּוֹדִֽים׃ דּוֹדִי֙ דּוֹדֵ֔ךְ דּוֹדֵ֣ךְ דּוֹדָ֑הּ דּוֹד־ דד דדו דדי דדיהן דדיך דדים דדך דוֹדִ֖י דוֹדִ֜י דוֹדִי֙ דוֹדֵ֔ךְ דוד דוד־ דודה דודו דודי דודים׃ דודך וְדוֹדִ֖י וְדוֹדִ֣י ודודי לְדוֹדִ֑י לְדוֹדִ֔י לְדוֹדִ֖י לְדוֹדִי֙ לדודי מִדּ֔וֹד מדוד ḏō·ḏa·yiḵ dō·ḏay ḏō·ḏê·hen dō·ḏe·ḵā dō·ḏə·ḵā ḏō·ḏe·ḵā dō·ḏî dō·ḏîm ḏō·ḏîm dō·ḏōw ḏō·ḏōw dō·w·ḏāh dō·w·ḏêḵ ḏō·w·ḏêḵ dō·w·ḏî ḏō·w·ḏî dō·w·ḏîm dō·w·ḏōw dō·wḏ dō·wḏ- dod dōḏ doDah doDai dōḏay doDayich ḏōḏayiḵ doDech dodeCha ḏōḏêhen doDeicha dodeiHen dōḏeḵā dōḏəḵā ḏōḏeḵā doDi dōḏî Dodim dōḏîm ḏōḏîm doDo dōḏōw ḏōḏōw dōwḏ dōwḏ- dōwḏāh dōwḏêḵ ḏōwḏêḵ dōwḏî ḏōwḏî dōwḏîm dōwḏōw lə·ḏō·w·ḏî ledoDi ləḏōwḏî mid·dō·wḏ midDod middōwḏ vedoDi wə·ḏō·w·ḏî wəḏōwḏîInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts