The Hebrew verb din (H1777) means to judge, to govern, or to contend in legal dispute. It encompasses the full range of judicial activity — pronouncing verdict, executing sentence, and defending the weak in court. The noun form din (H1779) means judgment or legal case. God Himself is described as the ultimate dayyan (judge) who pleads the cause of the oppressed.
The concept of din is central to the Old Testament vision of justice. God is not merely powerful but righteous — He judges the earth with equity (Psalm 9:8). The prophets cried out for din — genuine justice for the widow, the orphan, and the poor who had no advocate in earthly courts. Genesis 30:6 records Rachel naming her son Dan ('he judged') because God had judged her case and given her a son. Psalm 72 portrays the ideal king as one who exercises din on behalf of the afflicted. Ultimately, all din converges in the final judgment of God, before whom every case will be resolved with perfect righteousness.