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 … Continue reading →

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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 … Continue reading →

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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 … Continue reading →

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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 … Continue reading →

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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 … Continue reading →

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