Lexical Summary chivvar: White Original Word: חִוָּר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance white (Aramaic) from a root corresponding to chavar; white -- white. see HEBREW chavar NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to chavar Definition white NASB Translation white (1). Topical Lexicon Canonical Occurrence The single biblical use of חִוָּר (Strong’s 2358) appears in Daniel 7:9, within the Aramaic section of Daniel. Daniel beholds “the Ancient of Days” whose “clothing was white as snow” (Berean Standard Bible). The term heightens the sensory impact of the scene, stressing the brilliant, unblemished radiance that surrounds God’s throne in the heavenly court. Imagery and Symbolism of Whiteness in Scripture 1. Purity and Forgiveness Whiteness often illustrates the removal of sin: “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18). The Ancient of Days and Divine Purity Daniel’s vision rounds out Old Testament portraits of God’s majesty (compare Exodus 24:10–11; Ezekiel 1:26–28). The use of chiwwar underscores God’s intrinsic holiness. His whiteness is not acquired or bestowed; it is essential to His being. The seer’s focus on clothing “white as snow” communicates absolute sinlessness, establishing the moral benchmark against which the ensuing judgments of the chapter are measured. Prophetic and Eschatological Resonance Daniel 7 forms a cornerstone for later apocalyptic imagery. The luminous whiteness of the Ancient of Days anticipates eschatological scenes where holiness confronts chaos and evil (Revelation 20:11–15). The vision assures exiled saints that history moves toward a climactic vindication governed by a supremely righteous Judge. Intertextual Echoes in the New Testament • Revelation draws directly from Daniel: the Son of Man’s hair is “white like wool, as white as snow” (Revelation 1:14), merging the Ancient of Days and the Messianic Son of Man into a unified portrayal of deity. Historical Background Daniel’s proclamation came during the Babylonian and early Persian periods, when Israel’s identity and hope were under assault. In a milieu saturated with imperial iconography, Daniel’s white-clad Ancient of Days repudiates pagan claims to sovereignty and reassures the faithful remnant that ultimate authority resides with the holy God of Israel. Pastoral and Devotional Implications • Assurance of God’s Holiness Believers can trust divine judgments because they proceed from absolute purity. Conclusion חִוָּר, though occurring only once, illuminates a rich biblical theology of whiteness—invoking God’s flawless purity, anchoring prophetic hope, and calling every generation to faithful, holy living in anticipation of the day when the redeemed will shine “like the brightness of the expanse of heaven” (Daniel 12:3). Forms and Transliterations חִוָּ֗ר חור chivVar ḥiw·wār ḥiwwārLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Daniel 7:9 HEB: לְבוּשֵׁ֣הּ ׀ כִּתְלַ֣ג חִוָּ֗ר וּשְׂעַ֤ר רֵאשֵׁהּ֙ NAS: His vesture [was] like white snow KJV: whose garment [was] white as snow, INT: his vesture snow white and the hair of his head 1 Occurrence |
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