Original Word: דִּיג
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: diyg
Pronunciation: deeg
Phonetic Spelling: (deeg)
KJV: fish
NASB: fish
Word Origin: [denominative from H1709 (דָּג דָּאגּ - fish)]

1. to fish

fish

Denominative from dag; to fish -- fish.

see HEBREW dag

Word Origin
denominative verb from dag
Definition
to fish for, catch
NASB Translation
fish (1).

[דוג, דִּיג] verb denominative fish for, catch —

Qal Perfect3masculine plural suffix וְדִיגוּם consecutive Jeremiah 16:16 (but as

Qal dubious Ges^{§ 73}. 2; Sta^{§ 160 b. 2 regards as}

Hiph`il (abbreviated ), Nö<sup>ZMG. 1883, 540</sup> conjecture Pi`el)

Old Testament usage

The noun דִּיג appears once, in Jeremiah 16:16. The verse reads, “‘But now I will send for many fishermen,’ declares the LORD, ‘and they will catch them…’” (Berean Standard Bible). In its immediate context the term depicts agents of divine judgment who will “fish” for the inhabitants of Judah, locating and removing them from every hiding place prior to exile. The image is vivid: as a net indiscriminately sweeps the waters, so the coming invaders will sweep the land, leaving none unaccounted for.

Prophetic symbolism

1. Judgment and inescapability
• The act of fishing connotes patient pursuit and total capture. Jeremiah’s audience is warned that no cavern, mountain, or sea can conceal them from the LORD’s appointed “fishermen.”
2. Divine sovereignty
• The LORD “sends” and “catches.” National powers are instruments in His hand, reinforcing the prophetic theme that historical events unfold under God’s purposeful rule (Isaiah 10:5-15).
3. Prelude to restoration
• Jeremiah 16 moves rapidly from judgment to promise. After the “fishing” comes the pledge of return and renewed covenant (Jeremiah 16:14-15). Thus דִּיג serves a dual purpose: exposing sin while anticipating grace.

Historical background of fishing in ancient Israel

Fishing was a familiar occupation along the Mediterranean coast and the Sea of Galilee. Nets—often weighted around the edges—were cast or dragged, gathering all kinds of fish indiscriminately (Matthew 13:47-48). Jeremiah’s hearers, whether urban or rural, readily grasped the inevitability portrayed: once a net encloses, escape is virtually impossible.

Connections to wider Old Testament imagery

• Ezekiel 47:10 foresees fishermen standing along the banks of a healed Dead Sea, signaling life and blessing.
• Amos 4:2 warns that the complacent women of Samaria will be taken away “with fishhooks,” another fishing-related judgment.
• Habakkuk 1:15-17 describes the Chaldeans as anglers rejoicing in their nets, paralleling Jeremiah’s vision of conquering powers.

The consistent thread is that fishing language illustrates both the universality of judgment and, in restoration passages, the abundance of future blessing.

From prophecy to Gospel fulfillment

Jesus of Nazareth deliberately employed the same occupational picture when He said, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19). While Jeremiah’s fishermen gathered Judah for judgment, Christ’s disciples gather people for salvation. The continuity highlights two complementary truths:

1. God still commissions fishers; the object has shifted from punitive capture to redemptive rescue.
2. No one is beyond the sweep of His net, whether for judgment or grace (John 12:32).

Ministry implications

• Urgency in evangelism—Jeremiah’s net fell swiftly; the Gospel call should be extended with equal seriousness, knowing a final judgment remains (2 Corinthians 5:10-11).
• Holistic proclamation—The prophet confronted sin before announcing restoration. Faithful ministry likewise tells the whole truth: wrath and reconciliation (Romans 3:23-26).
• Dependence on divine initiative—The LORD “sends” fishermen. Effective witness arises not from human strategy alone but from obedience to God’s sending (Acts 13:2-3).

Theological reflection

דִּיג’s lone appearance anchors an important biblical pattern: God gathers. Whether gathering for discipline or deliverance, His purpose is covenant fidelity. The figure of the fisherman reminds believers that the same authoritative Word that judged Judah now commissions the Church. In Christ, the net cast over the nations becomes an instrument of mercy, drawing an innumerable catch into the kingdom (Revelation 7:9).

וְדִיג֑וּם ודיגום vediGum wə·ḏî·ḡūm wəḏîḡūmInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts