Lexical Summary dob: bear Original Word: דֹּב Strong's Exhaustive Concordance bear (Aramaic) corresponding to dob -- bear. see HEBREW dob NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to dob Definition a bear NASB Translation bear (1). Topical Lexicon Overview דֹּב (Strong’s Hebrew 1678) designates a bear and occurs once, in Daniel 7:5, within the Aramaic portion of the book. Although the term is singular in its attestation, its placement in Daniel’s prophetic vision lends it outsized theological and historical importance. Prophetic Context in Daniel 7 Daniel 7 records a night vision of four beasts rising from a turbulent sea, each symbolizing a successive Gentile empire. The second beast, “which resembled a bear” (Daniel 7:5), follows the winged lion of verse 4 and precedes the four-winged leopard of verse 6. Symbolic Significance of the Bear Imagery • Strength and Ferocity: A bear is powerful, slow-moving but relentless. The call, “Get up, and devour much flesh!” (Daniel 7:5) accents its aggressive nature. Historical Identification Conservative scholarship recognizes the bear as the Medo-Persian Empire: 1. Raised on One Side – Persia eventually dominated Media. Theological Themes Sovereignty of God: The beast does not act autonomously; it receives orders. The expansion of an earthly kingdom is ultimately governed by heaven’s decree (Daniel 4:17; Daniel 5:21). Temporal Nature of Human Power: The bear is only one link in a chain that ends with the eternal dominion of “One like a Son of Man” (Daniel 7:13-14). Judgment and Accountability: “Devour much flesh” foreshadows the moral reckoning awaiting every empire (Isaiah 13:11). Comparative Biblical Usage of Bear Imagery While דֹּב in Daniel 7:5 is Aramaic, the Hebrew cognate appears elsewhere to describe: These passages reinforce the qualities projected onto the Danielic beast—rage, danger, and tyranny. Ministry Applications 1. Reading History Providentially: Modern believers, like Daniel, interpret world events through the lens of divine sovereignty, recognizing that no power rises apart from God’s purpose (Romans 13:1). Christological Horizon Daniel’s vision moves inexorably toward the coronation of the Son of Man. The ferocious bear, along with the other beasts, is stripped of dominion, emphasizing that Messiah alone receives “authority, glory, and sovereign power” (Daniel 7:14). The entry of Jesus Christ into human history fulfills the prophetic expectation that God Himself will end the cycle of beastly empires. Related Topics • Four Beasts of Daniel 7 Forms and Transliterations לְדֹ֗ב לדב lə·ḏōḇ leDo ləḏōḇLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Daniel 7:5 HEB: תִנְיָנָ֜ה דָּמְיָ֣ה לְדֹ֗ב וְלִשְׂטַר־ חַד֙ NAS: one, resembling a bear. And it was raised KJV: like to a bear, and it raised up INT: A second resembling A bear side one |
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