Hebrew word · H1880

דֶּ֫שֶׁן

dashen

ashes

(1) Fatness or richness, the best and most nourishing part (Ps 36:8, "the fatness of your house"; 63:5, "as with fat and fatness"; Isa 55:2; Judg 9:9, the olive's "fatness," its oil). (2) The fat-soaked ashes from the altar (Lev 1:16; 4:12; 6:10–11).

Appears 15 times in 14 verses of the Hebrew Old Testament. ·

What it means

1) fat ashes, fatness

1a) fatness

1a1) of fertility

1a2) of blessing (fig.)

1b) fat ashes (ashes of victims, mixed with the fat)

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Psalm 65:11

Range of meaning

(1) Fatness or richness, the best and most nourishing part (Ps 36:8, "the fatness of your house"; 63:5, "as with fat and fatness"; Isa 55:2; Judg 9:9, the olive's "fatness," its oil). (2) The fat-soaked ashes from the altar (Lev 1:16; 4:12; 6:10–11).

Against the English

KJV and NASB have "fatness." BSB has "plenty," and NIV and ESV have "abundance." The modern versions avoid a word that now sounds unpleasant, but "plenty" loses the oily, rich, feast-like flavour.

How it drifted

In modern English "fat" mostly suggests excess weight and unhealthy food. In ancient Israel fat stood for the best, the richest portion. It belonged to God at the altar (Lev 3:16, "all fat is the LORD's") and was a sign of a thriving land.

Used elsewhere in the period

The related verb dāšēn means "to be fat, prosperous" (Deut 31:20; Prov 11:25, "the generous soul will be made fat"; Prov 28:25). The Septuagint uses piotēs, "fatness, richness," and the Vulgate ubertas, "fruitfulness."

From the study of Psalm 36:8

Range of meaning

Fatness, richness, the choicest food. In the sacrificial laws it also means the fat-soaked ashes left on the altar (Leviticus 1:16; 4:12), which explains the Strong's gloss "ashes". The related verb dishen means to make fat or to anoint (Psalm 23:5, "you anoint my head with oil"). In poetry deshen means abundance and rich food (Isaiah 55:2; Job 36:16; Psalm 63:5 "marrow and fatness").

Against the English

KJV "fatness" is literal but now sounds unappetising or unhealthy. BSB/NIV/ESV/WEB "abundance" captures the plenty but drops the sense of rich festive food. "Rich food" or "the richest fare" is closer to what was meant.

How it drifted

In ancient Israel fat was the most prized part of a meal and a sign of blessing. In modern English "fat" carries mostly negative associations, so the KJV wording now pulls the reader the wrong way.

Used elsewhere in the period

Isaiah 55:2: "let your soul delight itself in fatness (deshen)". Jeremiah 31:14 is quoted above. Psalm 63:5: "my soul will be satisfied as with fat and fatness". Psalm 65:4 has a related idea: "we shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house".

From the study of Isaiah 55:2

Range of meaning

Fatness, richness, abundance (Ps 36:8 'the fatness of your house'; Ps 63:5 'as with fat and fatness'; Judg 9:9, olive oil). In the sacrificial texts it also means the fat-soaked ashes left on the altar (Lev 1:16; 4:12), which is why some lexicons give 'ashes' as a gloss.

Against the English

KJV/YLT 'fatness' is literal but sounds unappealing to modern ears. WEB 'richness', BSB/NIV 'richest of foods/fare' and ESV 'rich food' carry the right sense but lose the concrete image.

How it drifted

Today 'fat' suggests health warnings and weight problems. In ancient Israel fat was the best and richest part of the food, so much so that the fat of sacrifices belonged to God (Lev 3:16). Being 'fat' meant being prosperous and blessed.

Used elsewhere in the period

Psalms 36:8, 63:5 and Jeremiah 31:14 ('I will saturate the soul of the priests with fatness') use it for the abundance God gives. Isaiah 25:6 describes God's mountain banquet of 'rich food full of marrow'.

Similar words

Where it appears

Leviticus · 5
  1. Leviticus 1:16 הַדָּֽשֶׁן׃ the fatty ash

    And he is to remove the crop with its contents and throw it to the east side of the altar, in the place for ashes.

  2. Leviticus 4:12 הַדֶּ֔שֶׁן הַדֶּ֖שֶׁן the fatty ash

    all the rest of the bull—he must take outside the camp to a ceremonially clean place where the ashes are poured out, and there he must burn it on a wood fire on the ash heap.

  3. Leviticus 6:10 הַדֶּ֗שֶׁן the fatty ash

    And the priest shall put on his linen robe and linen undergarments, and he shall remove from the altar the ashes of the burnt offering that the fire has consumed and place them beside it.

  4. Leviticus 6:11 הַדֶּ֙שֶׁן֙ the fatty ash

    Then he must take off his garments, put on other clothes, and carry the ashes outside the camp to a ceremonially clean place.

Judges · 1
  1. Judges 9:9 דִּשְׁנִ֔י fatness my

    But the olive tree replied, ‘Should I stop giving my oil that honors both God and man, to hold sway over the trees?’

1 Kings · 2
  1. 1 Kings 13:3 הַדֶּ֥שֶׁן the fatty ash

    That day the man of God gave a sign, saying, “The LORD has spoken this sign: ‘Surely the altar will be split apart, and the ashes upon it will be poured out.’”

  2. 1 Kings 13:5 הַדֶּ֖שֶׁן the fatty ash

    And the altar was split apart, and the ashes poured out, according to the sign that the man of God had given by the word of the LORD.

Job · 1
  1. Job 36:16 דָֽשֶׁן׃ fatness

    Indeed, He drew you from the jaws of distress to a spacious and broad place, to a table full of richness.

    Here: 'Fatness': the richest, choicest food, a sign of abundance and blessing. The 'ashes' sense of the word refers to the fat-soaked ashes of the altar, and it does not apply here.

Psalms · 3
  1. Psalm 36:8 מִדֶּ֣שֶׁן from [the] fatness of

    They feast on the abundance of Your house, and You give them drink from Your river of delights.

    Here: "From the richness of": the fattiest, choicest food, the best of a festive meal. In a world where meat and fat were rare luxuries, "fatness" meant a lavish feast. The supplied gloss "ashes" refers to a different use of the same word (the fat-soaked ashes from the altar), not to the meaning here.

  2. Psalm 63:5 וָ֭דֶשֶׁן and fatness

    My soul is satisfied as with the richest of foods; with joyful lips my mouth will praise You.

    Here: 'And richness, abundance.' Paired with 'fat', it doubles the picture: the richest, fullest kind of meal. The same word is used for the 'abundance of your house' in Psalm 36:8.

  3. Psalm 65:11 דָּֽשֶׁן׃ fatness

    You crown the year with Your bounty, and Your paths overflow with plenty.

    Here: "Fatness," meaning richness and the oily abundance of a fertile land. In the temple the word also named the fat-soaked ashes of sacrifices, which is where the supplied gloss "ashes" comes from. Here it means abundance, as in Ps 36:8 and 63:5.

Isaiah · 1
  1. Isaiah 55:2 בַּדֶּ֖שֶׁן in <the> fatness

    Why spend money on that which is not bread, and your labor on that which does not satisfy? Listen carefully to Me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of foods.

    Here: 'In the fatness': rich, fatty food, the choicest part of a meal, and an image of abundance and blessing. It is the opposite of meager 'not-bread'.

Jeremiah · 2
  1. Jeremiah 31:14 דָּ֑שֶׁן fatness

    I will fill the souls of the priests abundantly, and will fill My people with My goodness,” declares the LORD.

    Here: Rich, fat fare: the best food there is. The sense here is 'fatness/abundance.' The word's link to the altar (it also names the fatty ashes of burnt offerings) fits a picture of busy, generous temple worship.

  2. Jeremiah 31:40 וְהַדֶּ֡שֶׁן and the fatty ash

    The whole valley of the dead bodies and ashes, and all the fields as far as the Kidron Valley, to the corner of the Horse Gate to the east, will be holy to the LORD. It will never again be uprooted or demolished.”

    Here: 'And the fatty ash.' This is the greasy ash left from burning animal flesh and fat. The word belongs to altars and sacrifice, not to mourning. Here it marks a place where burnt remains were dumped or where burning rites happened.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.