Lexical Summary gedad: To cut, to gash, to make incisions Original Word: גְּדַד Strong's Exhaustive Concordance hew down (Aramaic) corresponding to gadad; to cut down -- hew down. see HEBREW gadad NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to gadad Definition to hew down NASB Translation chop down (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs [גְּדַד] verb hew down (ᵑ7J; Syriac (rare); Biblical Hebrew cut); — Pe`al Imperative masculine plural גֹּ֫דּוּ אִילָנָא (K§ 46, Beisp, a) Daniel 4:11; Daniel 4:20. Topical Lexicon Literary Setting in Daniel Both occurrences of גְּדַד appear in Daniel 4:14 and Daniel 4:23, the Aramaic narrative recounting King Nebuchadnezzar’s vision of a colossal tree felled at the decree of a heavenly “watcher.” The root underscores an abrupt, decisive act: “Cut down the tree and trim off its branches, strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit” (Daniel 4:14). The repetition in verse 23 intensifies the certainty of the judgment. Historical Background Daniel 4 was likely penned in the sixth century B.C. during the Babylonian exile. Nebuchadnezzar, the unrivaled monarch of the Neo-Babylonian Empire, embodies human sovereignty at its zenith. The command to “cut down” his symbolic tree conveys that no earthly empire, however grand, stands beyond the reach of God’s rule. The verb גְּדַד therefore serves as a linguistic marker of the historical reality that Judah’s exile did not negate the covenant God’s authority; He remained free to humble even the world’s most powerful ruler. Theological Themes 1. Divine Sovereignty. The watcher’s decree is “by the decision of the holy ones” (Daniel 4:17), but the execution—expressed with גְּדַד—originates from heaven. The word highlights the immediacy and non-negotiable nature of God’s judgments. Intertextual Motifs The act of felling a tree is a frequent prophetic metaphor for divine judgment (Isaiah 10:33-34; Ezekiel 31:10-14). גְּדַד in Daniel parallels these motifs, linking Babylon’s fate to earlier warnings against Assyria and Egypt. The word thus threads Daniel into the broader prophetic tapestry that proclaims God’s consistent dealings with proud nations. Ministry Significance • Preaching and Teaching: גְּדַד reminds congregations that God intervenes decisively against arrogance—personally, corporately, and nationally. Sermons may leverage Nebuchadnezzar’s account to call hearers to humility before discipline becomes necessary. Christological Perspective Nebuchadnezzar’s humbling anticipates the greater revelation of the Kingdom of God inaugurated in Jesus Christ. Where גְּדַד portrays the dismantling of a proud earthly kingdom, the cross depicts the voluntary “cutting down” of the True Vine (John 15:1-3; Isaiah 53:8), who rose to establish an everlasting dominion. Thus Daniel’s narrative prepares hearts to recognize that genuine sovereignty belongs to the Son of Man (Daniel 7:13-14). Practical Applications 1. Examine personal and corporate pride; repent before pruning comes. Summary גְּדַד functions as more than a verb of arborial destruction; it encapsulates a theology of decisive, purposeful judgment that exalts God’s sovereignty, humbles human pride, and opens a path to restoration. From exile-era Babylon to contemporary contexts, its message endures: “those who walk in pride He is able to humble” (Daniel 4:37). Forms and Transliterations גֹּ֤דּוּ גֹּ֨דּוּ גדו gōd·dū Goddu gōddūLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Daniel 4:14 HEB: וְכֵ֣ן אָמַ֗ר גֹּ֤דּוּ אִֽילָנָא֙ וְקַצִּ֣צוּ NAS: as follows: Chop down the tree KJV: thus, Hew down the tree, INT: follows and spoke Chop the tree and cut Daniel 4:23 2 Occurrences |
    |