How is the word
dumb used in some Bible translations?

also known as: mute, speechless

also known as: mute, speechless

Hebrew: דָּמַם —transliteration: damam —meaning: to be dumb, to be silent, to be silenced, to be astonished, to stop or be stopped —occurrences: 30

There are 3 types of uses of the Hebrew word damam in Scripture. The King James version translates this word as “dumb” in 28 verses, and the NKJV in 5 verses (Isa. 35:6 NKJV; Isa. 56:10 NKJV; Mark 9:25 NKJV; 1 Cor. 12:2 NKJV; 2 Peter 2:16 NKJV). The NASB and Legacy Standard Bible (LSB) translators never use the word dumb.

• Dumb (muteness), meaning physically unable to speak due normally to physical or psychological causes.

  During His ministry on Earth, Christ repeatedly restored people’s ability to speak.

  …they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil. And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel. —Matt. 9:32-33 KJV excerpt

  God can also take away people’s ability to speak.

  And Yahweh said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes him mute or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I, Yahweh? —Exodus 4:11 LSB

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• People who were speechless because they did not know what to say (Prov. 31:8). They were at a loss for words—astounded or in fear.

  Terror and dread fall upon them;
  By the greatness of Your arm they are still [damam] as stone… —Exodus 15:16 excerpt

• People unwilling to speak

  I have become mute, I do not open my mouth,
  Because it is You who have done it. —Psa. 39:9

  Holding one’s peace:

  …So Aaron kept silent. —Lev. 10:3 excerpt

• Dumb donkey

  …a dumb donkey speaking with a man’s voice… —2 Peter 2:16 LSB; 2 Peter 2:16 KJV

  Here the word “dumb” means mute, an animal naturally unable to speak, a normally speechless donkey.

The word “dumb” is never used in the Bible to mean someone who is moronic (stupid, foolish, unintelligent).