A primitive root with the primary meaning of fatness — being fat, prosperous, or abundantly satisfied. Used verbally to describe: (1) becoming fat/prosperous; (2) making fat or enriching; (3) the priestly act of removing the fatty ashes from the altar. The adjective form means fat, rich, or fertile.
In biblical theology, dāshen spans the physical and the spiritual dimensions of abundance. The fat portions of sacrifices were dedicated to God (Lev. 3:16 — 'the fat belongs to the Lord'), making fatness a sign of consecration and offering. The prosperous soul is dāshen — richly nourished. Proverbs 11:25 declares that the generous soul will be made fat (dāshen), connecting liberality with divine enrichment. Isaiah 55:2 invites: 'Come, eat what is good, and let your soul delight in the richest of fare' — the spiritual dāshen. The altar ashes, also called deshen, were the residue of divine encounter — what remained after the fire had consumed the sacrifice. Removing them was a holy, priestly task (Lev. 1:16). Spiritually, God removes the 'ash' of our burned-out lives and replaces them with beauty, oil, and garments of praise (Isa. 61:3).