Biblica Analytica

דֹּבְרוֹת

do.ve.rah (H1702)

raft

1 verses 1 books OT 1 / NT 0
AI Word Study

# Dobrah: A Rare Hebrew Maritime Term The Hebrew word *dobrah* (דֹּבְרוֹת) denotes a raft—a simple floating platform constructed for water transport. Based on the lexical data, this term appears only once in the biblical text, making it an extremely limited attestation in Hebrew Scripture. The word's singular occurrence and specialized maritime meaning suggest it referred to a specific type of watercraft familiar to ancient Hebrew speakers but not frequently mentioned in the biblical record. The rarity of this term in biblical literature indicates that rafts, while practical for water transport, were not a central focus of the biblical narrative or Hebrew vocabulary. The single occurrence provides minimal context for understanding its precise construction, materials, or typical use cases within ancient Israelite or Near Eastern maritime practice. Without additional biblical usage or comparative lexical evidence presented here, the word remains a technical nautical term with limited illustrative examples in the surviving Hebrew scriptures. This lexical gap is noteworthy for understanding biblical priorities: the biblical authors' vocabulary emphasizes other aspects of life and theology far more frequently than maritime technology. The appearance of *dobrah* reflects practical knowledge of water transport methods but underscores how selectively biblical Hebrew developed its technical maritime vocabulary.

AI synthesis uses only provided lexicon data -- never training knowledge.

1 Kings 5:9

My servants will bring them down from Lebanon to the sea. I will make them into rafts to go by sea to the place that you specify to me, and will cause them to be broken up there, and you will receive them. You will accomplish my desire, in giving food for my household.”