Lexical Summary zeiq: Spark, flame Original Word: זְעִק Strong's Exhaustive Concordance cry (Aramaic) corresponding to za'aq; to make an outcry -- cry. see HEBREW za'aq NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to zaaq Definition to cry, call NASB Translation cried (1). Topical Lexicon Root and Semantic Range זְעִק conveys an impassioned, almost guttural cry that springs from deep distress. While its verbal root זָעַק (“to cry out for help”) is common, this noun form appears only once in Scripture, sharpening its focus on a single, unforgettable moment of anguish. Canonical Occurrence Daniel 6:20 records the sole use: “When he came near the den, he called out to Daniel in a voice of anguish”. The word paints Darius’s raw emotion as he fears that Daniel has been devoured. Narrative Context Daniel has been sealed in the lions’ den because of an unalterable Persian edict (Daniel 6:15–18). The king, coerced by his own nobles, spends a sleepless night fasting and fretting. At dawn he rushes to the den; זְעִק captures the instant his composure shatters. This is the voice of a ruler whose authority has been eclipsed by a law he regrets, a man caught between political failure and spiritual hope. Theological Significance 1. Human helplessness meets divine sovereignty. Intertextual Connections Though זְעִק itself is rare, its root family brackets decisive moments of deliverance: Israel’s slavery (Exodus 3:7), Gideon’s appeals (Judges 6:7), and the Psalms’ laments (Psalm 107:19). Daniel 6 crowns that pattern—God silences lions as easily as He parted the Sea or stilled storms. Historical Insights In Persian culture, kings were viewed as near-infallible. The verb “cried out” applied to Darius emphasizes the humbling of imperial hubris before the God of Israel. Moreover, the absence of Babylonian intermediaries (magicians, enchanters) highlights a growing recognition of Yahweh within the Medo-Persian court. Christological Echoes An anguished ruler hurrying at daybreak to a place presumed to hold death, only to discover miraculous deliverance, anticipates the women at the empty tomb (Mark 16:1–6). Daniel’s emergence “unharmed” (Daniel 6:23) foreshadows resurrection victory and reinforces the biblical confidence that God closes the mouths of every adversary, even death itself (1 Corinthians 15:54). Ministry and Pastoral Applications • Authentic prayer is often birthed in crisis; God welcomes distressed cries (Psalm 50:15). Summary זְעִק distills the essence of urgent, heartbroken appeal. Its solitary appearance magnifies its resonance: a heathen king’s desperate cry becomes the backdrop for one of Scripture’s clearest demonstrations that God hears, saves, and reigns. Forms and Transliterations זְעִ֑ק זעק zə‘iq zə·‘iq zeIkLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Daniel 6:20 HEB: בְּקָ֥ל עֲצִ֖יב זְעִ֑ק עָנֵ֨ה מַלְכָּ֜א NAS: to Daniel, he cried out with a troubled KJV: to the den, he cried with a lamentable INT: voice A troubled cried spoke the king |
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