Lexical Summary gir: Chalk, lime Original Word: גִּיר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance plaster (Aramaic) corresponding to gir; lime -- plaster. see HEBREW gir NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to gir Definition chalk, plaster NASB Translation plaster (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [גִּיר] noun [masculine] chalk, plaster (so ᵑ7; Biblical Hebrew once, p. 162); — emphatic גִּירָא Daniel 5:5. [גַּלְגַּל] see גלל. below Topical Lexicon Physical Substance and Ancient Usage The noun גִּיר refers to the gypsum or lime‐based coating spread over masonry to create a smooth, white surface. In royal and temple architecture this veneer both protected bricks from erosion and served as a backdrop for inscriptions, murals, and decorative detail. Archaeological layers from Mesopotamia confirm that palatial halls, such as those in Neo-Babylonian Babylon, were customarily finished with bright plaster, its whiteness amplifying lamplight and making any writing instantly legible. Biblical Occurrence Daniel 5:5 records the single canonical appearance: “At that moment the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and began writing on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, opposite the lampstand, and the king watched the hand as it wrote.” (Berean Standard Bible) Historical Setting • Belshazzar’s banquet unfolded in a great hall whose walls were likely faced with finely burnished gypsum. Symbolic and Theological Themes 1. Divine Revelation Made Plain The brilliance of plaster symbolizes clarity. As Deuteronomy 27:2-8 commands Israel to coat standing stones with plaster and “write on them all the words of this law,” so God used גִּיר in Babylon to publish His verdict. Revelation may come suddenly, but it is never obscure to those who reverence the Lord. 2. Judgment Written on a Wall Against the backdrop of luxury, the stark handwriting announced Belshazzar’s downfall (Daniel 5:25-28). The whiteness of the wall highlights the moral contrast between God’s holiness and human decadence. 3. From External Surface to Internal Heart Jeremiah 31:33 and 2 Corinthians 3:3 speak of God writing His law on hearts, not stone. The plastered wall serves as a preliminary figure: an external canvas awaiting a deeper, spiritual inscription. The frightening scene in Babylon underscores that when God’s word is ignored on the outside, He will still fulfill it—either in judgment or in regeneration. 4. The Illusion of Whitewashing Ezekiel 13:10-15 denounces prophets who “whitewash” a weak wall. Belshazzar’s palace epitomized such superficial security. The true issue was not the plaster’s integrity but the king’s heart. Intertextual Echoes • Deuteronomy 27: Plastered stones bearing the Torah anticipate divine writing on plaster in Babylon. Ministry and Practical Application • God still speaks with unmistakable clarity; leaders and congregations must cultivate sensitivity lest they miss His warnings amidst feast and noise. Summary גִּיר, though mentioned only once, serves as the divinely chosen canvas for one of Scripture’s most sobering revelations. Its whiteness magnifies the light of God’s word, exposing pride, confirming judgment, and urging every generation to become receptive tablets for His enduring inscription. Forms and Transliterations גִּירָ֕א גירא gî·rā giRa gîrāLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Daniel 5:5 HEB: נֶבְרַשְׁתָּ֔א עַל־ גִּירָ֕א דִּֽי־ כְתַ֥ל NAS: the lampstand on the plaster of the wall KJV: upon the plaister of the wall INT: the lampstand upon the plaster forasmuch of the wall |
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