דָּם
Dam
Blood
Dam (דָּם) is a Hebrew word meaning “blood,” pronounced “DAHM.” Derived from the root ד-ם, dam appears 360 times in the Hebrew Bible (Strong's H1818).
| Hebrew | דָּם |
|---|---|
| Transliteration | Dam |
| Pronunciation | DAHM |
| Meaning | Blood |
| Root Letters | ד-ם |
| Occurrences in Hebrew Bible | 360× |
| Key Verse | Leviticus 17:11 |
| Strong's Number | H1818 |
| Category | Covenant & Theology |
From the very first murder to the Passover lamb, from the covenant at Sinai to the cross at Calvary, one Hebrew word pulses through the entire biblical story: dam (דָּם), blood. Leviticus 17:11 makes the foundational declaration: 'The life (nefesh) of the flesh is in the dam.' This is not merely a biological observation — it is a theological principle that governs the entire sacrificial system and ultimately explains the cross. When Abel's blood 'cried out from the ground' (Genesis 4:10), it revealed that blood carries the voice of life. When the Israelites painted lamb's blood on their doorposts at Passover, it was dam that stood between them and death. When Moses sprinkled blood on the people at Sinai, he sealed the covenant with dam (Exodus 24:8). And when Jesus lifted the cup at the Last Supper and said, 'This is my blood of the covenant' (Matthew 26:28), He was completing a crimson thread that had been woven through every page of the Hebrew Bible. The word dam appears 360 times in Scripture — it is impossible to understand the Bible without understanding blood. For squeamish modern readers, this can be uncomfortable. But the Hebrew Bible is unflinching: life requires blood, covenant requires blood, and atonement requires blood. To shy away from dam is to shy away from the very mechanism by which God saves.
Key Bible Verse: Leviticus 17:11
“For the life of the flesh is in the blood (dam), and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.”
What Is the Root of Dam in Hebrew?
Dam (דָּם) is one of the oldest Semitic words, shared across Hebrew, Aramaic, and Arabic. It may be related to 'adamah' (ground/earth) and 'adam' (human) — suggesting a deep linguistic connection between blood, earth, and humanity. The first human (adam) was formed from the earth (adamah) and animated by blood (dam).
What Does Dam Mean in the Bible?
Dam appears 360 times in the Hebrew Bible. Key contexts include Abel's blood crying from the ground (Genesis 4:10), the Passover lamb's blood on the doorposts (Exodus 12:7), the covenant blood sprinkled at Sinai (Exodus 24:8), the principle 'life is in the blood' (Leviticus 17:11), and the prophetic vision of the Messiah whose garments are stained with blood (Isaiah 63:1-3).
How Is Dam Used in Modern Hebrew?
The Jewish dietary law of draining blood from meat (through salting and soaking) derives directly from the biblical command that blood belongs to God. Kosher butchering (shechitah) and meat preparation are designed to remove as much blood as possible. The phrase 'dam naki' (innocent blood) is a powerful ethical concept in Jewish tradition, especially regarding justice.
How to Use Dam in Prayer & Worship
Meditate on the blood of Jesus with fresh understanding. Every time you take communion, you are participating in the same covenant reality as the Passover and Sinai — the dam of the Lamb that stands between you and judgment, and seals you into eternal covenant with God.
Frequently Asked Questions About Dam
How do you say “Blood” in Hebrew?
“Blood” in Hebrew is Dam (דָּם), pronounced “DAHM.” Dam (דָּם) is one of the oldest Semitic words, shared across Hebrew, Aramaic, and Arabic. It may be related to 'adamah' (ground/earth) and 'adam' (human) — suggesting a deep linguistic connection between blood, earth, and humanity. The first human (adam) was formed from the earth (adamah) and animated by blood (dam).
What does Dam mean in the Bible?
Dam (דָּם) means “Blood” in Biblical Hebrew. Dam appears 360 times in the Hebrew Bible. Key contexts include Abel's blood crying from the ground (Genesis 4:10), the Passover lamb's blood on the doorposts (Exodus 12:7), the covenant blood sprinkled at Sinai (Exodus 24:8), the principle 'life is in the blood' (Leviticus 17:11), and the prophetic vision of the Messiah whose garments are stained with blood (Isaiah 63:1-3).
How do you pronounce Dam?
Dam is pronounced “DAHM.” The word comes from the Hebrew root ד-ם.
Why does the Bible say 'the life is in the blood'?
Leviticus 17:11 establishes the theological principle that blood carries the nefesh (life/soul) of a living creature. This is why blood was sacred and could not be consumed (Genesis 9:4), and why it was the only substance acceptable for atonement on the altar. Blood represents life itself — and giving blood means giving life. Every sacrifice was a life given in place of a life owed.
How does the Passover blood connect to Jesus?
At the first Passover (Exodus 12), the blood of an unblemished lamb painted on the doorposts caused the angel of death to 'pass over' Israelite homes. Paul explicitly connects this to Jesus: 'Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed' (1 Corinthians 5:7). Jesus was crucified during Passover, and John the Baptist identified Him as 'the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world' (John 1:29). The Passover dam foreshadowed the blood of the ultimate Lamb.
Why are Jews forbidden to eat blood?
The prohibition against consuming blood appears repeatedly (Genesis 9:4; Leviticus 7:26-27; 17:10-14; Deuteronomy 12:23). Because 'the life is in the blood,' consuming blood was treated as consuming life itself — which belongs to God alone. The blood was set apart for atonement on the altar. Kosher dietary laws (kashrut) require draining blood from meat through salting and soaking, a practice observed to this day.
Sources & Further Study
- Blue Letter Bible — H1818: Dam
- Bible Gateway — Leviticus 17:11 (ESV)
- Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB) — entry for ד-ם
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