Lexical Summary dera: Path, way, journey Original Word: דְּרַע Strong's Exhaustive Concordance arm (Aramaic) corresponding to zrowa'; an arm -- arm. see HEBREW zrowa' NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to zeroa Definition an arm NASB Translation arms (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [דְּרָע] noun [feminine] arm (so ᵑ7 Syriac); — plural suffix דְּרָע֫וֺהִי Daniel 2:32. Topical Lexicon Occurrence and Context Strong’s Hebrew 1872 דְּרַע appears once, in Daniel 2:32, describing the statue in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream: “Its head was pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze”. Here the “arms” are joined to the “chest,” forming a single symbolic element within the prophetic image. Symbolism within Daniel 2 The silver chest and two arms signify the empire that would follow Babylon. Daniel later identifies this realm as “another kingdom, inferior to yours” (Daniel 2:39), historically fulfilled in the Medo-Persian Empire. The duality of the arms mirrors the twofold nature of that kingdom—Media and Persia—functioning together yet distinct, just as two human arms work in concert from one torso. The imagery affirms that God ordains the rise and fall of earthly powers, “He removes kings and establishes them” (Daniel 2:21). Biblical Imagery of the Arm Throughout Scripture an arm often symbolizes strength, authority, and action (Exodus 15:16; Isaiah 52:10). In Daniel 2, however, the focus is on political structure rather than sheer might. The plural “arms” complements the single “chest,” revealing divine foresight of a coalition empire unified around common governance but split between two leading peoples. Historical Background: Medo-Persia Cyrus the Great united the Medes and Persians, bringing Babylon under his control in 539 B.C. The administrative practice of assigning satraps and maintaining local customs created a cohesive yet flexible empire (Esther 1:1). Daniel’s vision, recorded decades earlier, foretold this union with precise imagery: two arms attached to one body, silver denoting wealth and organized governance superior in reach to Babylon yet inferior in splendor. Theological Significance 1. Divine Sovereignty: The transition from gold to silver demonstrates the Lord’s control over successive kingdoms and the linear progression toward His everlasting kingdom (Daniel 2:44). Christological Foreshadowing While Daniel’s statue ends with a stone “cut out, but not by human hands” (Daniel 2:34), the silver arms highlight the interim stage prior to Messiah’s kingdom. Just as the Medo-Persian coalition prepared the way for the return of Judean exiles (Ezra 1:1-3), so God used world empires to set the historical stage for the first advent of Jesus Christ and, ultimately, His second coming when all earthly kingdoms will yield to His rule (Revelation 11:15). Practical Ministry Lessons • Trust God’s timetable: He governs political shifts to accomplish redemptive purposes. Related Scriptures Daniel 2:21; Daniel 5:28; Ezra 1:1-3; Isaiah 52:10; Romans 12:4-5; Revelation 11:15 Forms and Transliterations וּדְרָע֖וֹהִי ודרעוהי ū·ḏə·rā·‘ō·w·hî ūḏərā‘ōwhî uderaohiLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Daniel 2:32 HEB: טָ֔ב חֲד֥וֹהִי וּדְרָע֖וֹהִי דִּ֣י כְסַ֑ף NAS: its breast and its arms of silver, KJV: his breast and his arms of silver, INT: fine breast arms forasmuch of silver 1 Occurrence |
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