Lexical Summary zeroa': Arm, strength, power Original Word: זֵרֹעַ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance pulse Or zerason {zay-raw-ohn'}; from zara'; something sown (only in the plural), i.e. A vegetable (as food) -- pulse. see HEBREW zara' Brown-Driver-Briggs [זִרִֹעַ] noun [masculine] vegetable (compare foregoing; on this and following compare BevDan 62, and n. 2) — only plural מִןהַֿזֵּרֹעִים Daniel 1:12. [זֵָֽרְעֹן] noun [masculine] id., only plural זֵָֽרְעֹנִים Daniel 1:16. Topical Lexicon Meaning and Scope The term denotes seed-grown food—vegetables, legumes and other produce that spring directly from sown seed. It emphasizes fare that is simple, natural and unprocessed, standing in deliberate contrast to rich royal cuisine that often included meat sacrificed to idols. Occurrences in Scripture 1. Daniel 1:12 – “Please test your servants for ten days. Let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink.” Historical and Cultural Context Babylonian courts were famed for lavish banquets featuring meat and wine offered to the gods of the empire. For faithful Israelites, such fare posed two problems: ceremonial defilement through idolatrous sacrifice (Exodus 34:15) and violation of dietary distinctions (Leviticus 11). Vegetables, on the other hand, carried no pagan associations, required no bloodletting and aligned with Genesis 1:29, where God first designates seed-bearing plants as food for mankind. In the ancient Near East, lentils, beans, chickpeas and cucumbers were common staples, inexpensive yet protein-rich, sustaining laborers and the poor. Theological and Ministerial Significance 1. Separation without Isolation Daniel and his friends accepted Babylonian education and civil service (Daniel 1:4) yet drew a moral line at food that would compromise covenant fidelity. Their choice models how believers may serve within secular systems without surrendering holiness (John 17:15–18). 2. Dependence on God, Not Rations Physical vigor after ten days (Daniel 1:15) and exceptional wisdom after three years (Daniel 1:20) testify that health and insight come from the Lord, not from royal delicacies. The episode anticipates Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness: “Man shall not live on bread alone” (Matthew 4:4). 3. Witness to the Nations The Babylonians recognized that abstaining Jews were “fatter in flesh” (Daniel 1:15). Obedience became a silent sermon, turning dietary scruples into evangelistic influence. Peter will later urge, “Live such good lives among the Gentiles that… they may see your good deeds and glorify God” (1 Peter 2:12). 4. Foreshadowing of the Messianic Servant Choosing the lowly portion prefigures the Servant who “had no beauty that we should desire Him” (Isaiah 53:2) yet was exalted above kings (Isaiah 52:15). The humble meal of vegetables anticipates the humility of Christ, who took “the very nature of a servant” (Philippians 2:7), and whose broken body is remembered in the simple elements of the Lord’s Supper. Practical Applications for Ministry Today • Spiritual disciplines such as fasting or intentional dietary simplification remind believers to seek strength from God and to resist cultural pressures toward excess. Key Cross-References Genesis 1:29; Exodus 34:15; Leviticus 11:44–45; Psalm 141:4; Proverbs 23:1–3; Matthew 4:4; Romans 14:17; 1 Peter 2:11–12. Summary Though occurring only twice, the term captures a decisive moment when four Hebrew youths chose faithfulness over conformity. Their reliance on simple seed-grown food became a catalyst for divine favor and royal recognition, illustrating that God honors those who honor Him (1 Samuel 2:30). Forms and Transliterations הַזֵּרֹעִ֛ים הזרעים זֵרְעֹנִֽים׃ זרענים׃ haz·zê·rō·‘îm hazzêrō‘îm hazzeroIm zê·rə·‘ō·nîm zêrə‘ōnîm zereoNimLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Daniel 1:12 HEB: לָ֜נוּ מִן־ הַזֵּרֹעִ֛ים וְנֹאכְלָ֖ה וּמַ֥יִם NAS: some vegetables to eat KJV: and let them give us pulse to eat, INT: us be given some vegetables to eat and water Daniel 1:16 2 Occurrences |
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