Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Isaac Fried <if AT math.bu.edu>]

In Num. 2:2 we read

אִישׁ עַל דִּגְלוֹ בְאֹתֹת לְבֵית  
אֲבֹתָם יַחֲנוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל

"Every man of the children of Israel shall pitch by his own standard,  
with the ensign of their father's house."

The root דגל DGL is a member of the family of roots

  דגל, סגל, שגל
  צהל
  זחל, שחל, סכל, שכל
דקל, סקל, שקל, תקל
DGL, SGL, $GL
CHL
ZXL, $XL
SKL, $KL
*DQL, SQL, $QL, *TQL

all referring to a lofty state, as indicated by the letter L present  
in all of these roots.
So, I think that דֶגֶל DEGEL refers to the entire system of a  
painted sign, an אות OT,  lifted upon a tall
pole (Hebrew: תורן TOREN = T-OREN, a variant of the tree name  
אורן OREN.)

The extra-biblical דֶקֶל DEQEL, 'palm tree', is in shape a kind  
of a דֶגֶל DEGEL:
a tall trunk capped by a shock of long fronds.
In Song 5:10 we find דגוּל DAGUL in the sense of 'outstanding,  
over-towering'.
In Song 2:4 we find דִגְלוֹ DIGL-O, which I doubt means 'his  
banner'.

Isaac Fried, Boston University