עָנֵ֣ה וְאָמַ֗ר לְאַרְיֹוךְ֙ שַׁלִּיטָ֣א דִֽי־מַלְכָּ֔א עַל־מָ֥ה דָתָ֛א מְהַחְצְפָ֖ה מִן־קֳדָ֣ם מַלְכָּ֑א אֱדַ֣יִן מִלְּתָ֔א הֹודַ֥ע אַרְיֹ֖וךְ לְדָנִיֵּֽאל׃
(Daniel 2:15)
He answered and said to Arioch, the official of the king, “Why is the decree so urgent from before the king?” Then Arioch made the matter known to Daniel.
In this verse, the word שַׁלִּיטָ֣א (“the official” or “the ruler”) appears in the emphatic state, one of the three nominal states in Biblical Aramaic (absolute, construct, and emphatic). The emphatic state, marked here by the -ָא ending, functions similarly to the definite article in Hebrew but has a broader range of uses, especially in official titles and fixed expressions.
The Emphatic State: Form and Function
Unlike Hebrew, which uses the prefixed article הַ for definiteness, Biblical Aramaic signals definiteness and specificity through morphological endings. The emphatic state suffix -ָא is added directly to the noun stem, often with vowel adjustments, as in:
- שַׁלִּיט (absolute) → שַׁלִּיטָא (emphatic)
- מַלְכָּא (“the king”) from מַלְךְ (king)
- כָּתְבָא (“the document”) from כְּתַב (writing)
Table: Nominal States in Biblical Aramaic
| State | Form | Function | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Absolute | שַׁלִּיט | Indefinite or citation form | an official |
| Construct | שַׁלִּיט (unchanged) | Possession, linked to following noun | official of the city |
| Emphatic | שַׁלִּיטָא | Definite, specific reference | the official |
Why the Emphatic State Matters Here
By placing שַׁלִּיט in the emphatic state, the narrator signals that Arioch is not just any ruler or commander but the specific, recognized officer serving under the king. This definiteness is reinforced by the following דִי־מַלְכָּא clause, which ties his authority directly to the king.
Historical and Comparative Perspective
The emphatic state is deeply rooted in Aramaic’s Northwest Semitic heritage. Its function parallels Akkadian’s use of case endings for definiteness and Phoenician’s use of the -ʾ suffix for marking nouns. In Imperial Aramaic documents, titles like פַּחֲוָה (“the governor”) and רֵאשׁ־גָּלְוָתָא (“the chief of the exile”) frequently appear in emphatic form when referring to known individuals in official contexts.
Definiteness with Authority
In Daniel 2:15, the emphatic שַׁלִּיטָא does more than identify Arioch — it embeds his role within the narrative’s legal and political urgency. Daniel’s question is not posed to a generic official but to the royal officer directly carrying out the king’s decree, underscoring the seriousness of the situation.
