Category Archives: Theology

Participial Description of Divine Sovereignty

וְ֠הוּא מְהַשְׁנֵ֤א עִדָּנַיָּא֙ וְזִמְנַיָּ֔א מְהַעְדֵּ֥ה מַלְכִ֖ין וּמְהָקֵ֣ים מַלְכִ֑ין יָהֵ֤ב חָכְמְתָא֙ לְחַכִּימִ֔ין וּמַנְדְּעָ֖א לְיָדְעֵ֥י בִינָֽה׃
(Daniel 2:21) And He changes times and seasons; He removes kings and sets up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who know understanding. This verse is dominated by participial forms — מְהַשְׁנֵא (“changing”), מְהַעְדֵּה (“removing”), מְהָקֵים (“raising up”) — which function… Read the rest
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The Jussive Force of לֶהֱוֵ֨א in Daniel 2:20

עָנֵ֤ה דָֽנִיֵּאל֙ וְאָמַ֔ר לֶהֱוֵ֨א שְׁמֵ֤הּ דִּֽי־אֱלָהָא֙ מְבָרַ֔ךְ מִן־עָלְמָ֖א וְעַ֣ד־עָלְמָ֑א דִּ֧י חָכְמְתָ֛א וּגְבוּרְתָ֖א דִּ֥י לֵֽהּ־הִֽיא׃
(Daniel 2:20) Daniel answered and said, “Let the name of God be blessed from eternity to eternity, for wisdom and might are His.” The verb לֶהֱוֵ֨א (“let it be”) is a striking example of the peʿal imperfect in a jussive sense. Rather than a simple future… Read the rest
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The Peʿal Imperfect in a Purpose Clause: Analyzing יְהֹבְדוּן

וְרַחֲמִ֗ין לְמִבְעֵא֙ מִן־קֳדָם֙ אֱלָ֣הּ שְׁמַיָּ֔א עַל־רָזָ֖ה דְּנָ֑ה דִּ֣י לָ֤א יְהֹֽבְדוּן֙ דָּנִיֵּ֣אל וְחַבְרֹ֔והִי עִם־שְׁאָ֖ר חַכִּימֵ֥י בָבֶֽל׃
(Daniel 2:18) And to seek mercies from before the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. This verse is a clear example of how Biblical Aramaic uses the… Read the rest
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Death Decreed: Aramaic Grammar of Persecution in Daniel 2:13

וְדָתָ֣א נֶפְקַ֔ת וְחַכִּֽימַיָּ֖א מִֽתְקַטְּלִ֑ין וּבְעֹ֛ו דָּנִיֵּ֥אל וְחַבְרֹ֖והִי לְהִתְקְטָלָֽה׃
(Daniel 2:13) And the decree went out, and the wise men were being killed, and they sought Daniyyel and his companions to be killed. Context and Structure This verse continues the intensifying narrative after the king’s eruption in Daniel 2:12. We now move from royal fury to administrative execution. This verse highlights… Read the rest
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The Existential Particle אִית Revisited: Theology and Ontology in Daniel 2:11

וּמִלְּתָ֨א דִֽי־מַלְכָּ֤ה שָׁאֵל֙ יַקִּירָ֔ה וְאָחֳרָן֙ לָ֣א אִיתַ֔י דִּ֥י יְחַוִּנַּ֖הּ קֳדָ֣ם מַלְכָּ֑א לָהֵ֣ן אֱלָהִ֔ין דִּ֚י מְדָ֣רְהֹ֔ון עִם־בִּשְׂרָ֖א לָ֥א אִיתֹֽוהִי׃
(Daniel 2:11) And the thing that the king demands is difficult, and there is no other who can declare it before the king—except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.” A Double Negation with Divine Implication Daniel 2:11 continues the Chaldeans’… Read the rest
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