2445. chakkim
Lexical Summary
chakkim: Wise, skillful

Original Word: חַכִּים
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: chakkiym
Pronunciation: khak-keem'
Phonetic Spelling: (khak-keem')
KJV: wise
NASB: wise men
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) from a root corresponding to H2449 (חָכַם - wise)]

1. wise, i.e. a Magian

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
wise

(Aramaic) from a root corresponding to chakam; wise, i.e. A Magian -- wise.

see HEBREW chakam

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
(Aramaic) from a root corresponding to chakam
Definition
a wise man
NASB Translation
wise men (14).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
[חַכִּים]14 noun masculine wise man (see Biblical Hebrew חכם); — plural absolute חַכִּימִין Daniel 2:21; elsewhere of the class possessed of occult learning in Babylonian V:27, emphatic מַיָא- Daniel 2:13; Daniel 5:15; construct מֵי- Daniel 2:12. Daniel 12:14 7t. Daniel.

Topical Lexicon
Definition and Scope

The term designates the court “wise men” of Babylon who were consulted for dream interpretation, omens, and public policy. The word appears only in the Aramaic sections of Daniel and never outside that book, underscoring its tight association with the Babylonian and Medo-Persian courts.

Cultural Setting in Babylon

Babylonian advisers combined astronomy, divination, incantations, and statecraft. Their learning represented the summit of human scholarship in the ancient Near East, yet their knowledge rested on pagan revelation. The repeated failure of these specialists in Daniel highlights the limits of human intellect severed from the fear of the Lord (Proverbs 1:7).

Narrative Distribution in Daniel

1. Crisis over Nebuchadnezzar’s forgotten dream (Daniel 2:12-27) – the “wise men” face execution when they cannot recall or interpret the dream.
2. Exaltation of Daniel (Daniel 2:48) – the prophet is appointed “chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon,” illustrating the supremacy of God-given wisdom.
3. Nebuchadnezzar’s second dream (Daniel 4:6, 18) – court sages again prove inadequate until Daniel speaks.
4. Belshazzar’s handwriting on the wall (Daniel 5:7-15) – the third and final exposure of their incompetence before the Most High.

Divine Wisdom Versus Human Expertise

Daniel 2:21 declares, “He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning.” The verse reorients the narrative: whatever insight the Babylonian guild possessed had always been on loan from the true God and could be withdrawn at His will. Daniel 2:27 drives the point home: “No wise man, enchanter, magician, or diviner can explain to the king the mystery he has asked about.” True revelation is sourced in heaven, not in libraries, omens, or secret arts.

Theological Implications

1. God’s sovereignty over rulers and scholars alike is absolute.
2. Authentic wisdom is inseparable from righteousness. Daniel’s moral integrity (“prudence and discretion,” Daniel 2:14) accompanies his revelatory gift.
3. Revelation is progressive: the Lord uses Daniel to unveil the succession of world empires, a foundation for later prophetic expectation.

Prophetic and Messianic Echoes

Daniel’s ascendancy over the wise men prefigures the Messiah, “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3). Just as Daniel is promoted after revealing the king’s mystery, Jesus is exalted after disclosing the mystery of the kingdom. The weakness of Babylon’s sages anticipates the triumph of Christ over “the wisdom of this world” (1 Corinthians 1:20-24).

Practical Ministry Lessons

• Dependence on God in crisis: Daniel seeks corporate prayer (Daniel 2:18), reminding believers to engage the faith community when confronted by the world’s impossible demands.
• Engagement without compromise: Daniel works within a pagan institution yet remains untainted, a model for Christians serving in secular environments.
• Apologetic confidence: repeated impotence of the wise men encourages believers to trust Scripture’s sufficiency when secular philosophies falter.

Historical Significance for Israel in Exile

For deported Jews, Daniel’s victories over Babylonian wisdom signaled that covenant faith remained effective far from Jerusalem. The faithful could flourish, influence policy, and bear witness even under foreign domination.

Summary

The occurrences of חַכִּים spotlight an intellectual elite repeatedly eclipsed by a godly exile empowered by divine revelation. The pattern reinforces the biblical conviction that “the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” (Psalm 111:10) and anticipates the ultimate revelation of wisdom in Jesus Christ.

Forms and Transliterations
וְחַכִּֽימַיָּ֖א וחכימיא חַכִּֽימַיָּא֙ חַכִּימִ֣ין חַכִּימֵ֣י חַכִּימֵ֥י חכימי חכימיא חכימין לְחַכִּימִ֔ין לְחַכִּימֵ֖י לְחַכִּימֵ֣י לְחַכִּימֵ֤י לחכימי לחכימין chakkimaiYa chakkiMei chakkiMin ḥak·kî·may·yā ḥak·kî·mê ḥak·kî·mîn ḥakkîmayyā ḥakkîmê ḥakkîmîn lə·ḥak·kî·mê lə·ḥak·kî·mîn lechakkiMei lechakkiMin ləḥakkîmê ləḥakkîmîn vechakkimaiYa wə·ḥak·kî·may·yā wəḥakkîmayyā
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Daniel 2:12
HEB: לְה֣וֹבָדָ֔ה לְכֹ֖ל חַכִּימֵ֥י בָבֶֽל׃
NAS: all the wise men of Babylon.
KJV: all the wise [men] of Babylon.
INT: to destroy all the wise of Babylon

Daniel 2:13
HEB: וְדָתָ֣א נֶפְקַ֔ת וְחַכִּֽימַיָּ֖א מִֽתְקַטְּלִ֑ין וּבְע֛וֹ
NAS: went forth that the wise men should be slain;
KJV: went forth that the wise [men] should be slain;
INT: the decree went the wise should be slain looked

Daniel 2:14
HEB: נְפַ֣ק לְקַטָּלָ֔ה לְחַכִּימֵ֖י בָּבֶֽל׃
NAS: to slay the wise men of Babylon;
KJV: to slay the wise [men] of Babylon:
INT: had gone to slay the wise of Babylon

Daniel 2:18
HEB: עִם־ שְׁאָ֖ר חַכִּימֵ֥י בָבֶֽל׃
NAS: with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.
KJV: the rest of the wise [men] of Babylon.
INT: with the rest of the wise of Babylon

Daniel 2:21
HEB: יָהֵ֤ב חָכְמְתָא֙ לְחַכִּימִ֔ין וּמַנְדְּעָ֖א לְיָדְעֵ֥י
NAS: wisdom to wise men And knowledge
KJV: wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge
INT: gives wisdom to wise and knowledge know

Daniel 2:24
HEB: מַלְכָּ֔א לְהוֹבָדָ֖ה לְחַכִּימֵ֣י בָבֶ֑ל אֲזַ֣ל ׀
NAS: to destroy the wise men
KJV: to destroy the wise [men] of Babylon:
INT: the king to destroy the wise of Babylon went

Daniel 2:24
HEB: אֲמַר־ לֵ֗הּ לְחַכִּימֵ֤י בָבֶל֙ אַל־
NAS: the wise men of Babylon;
KJV: not the wise [men] of Babylon:
INT: follows and spoke men of Babylon not

Daniel 2:27
HEB: שָׁאֵ֔ל לָ֧א חַכִּימִ֣ין אָֽשְׁפִ֗ין חַרְטֻמִּין֙
NAS: neither wise men, conjurers,
KJV: cannot the wise [men], the astrologers,
INT: has inquired neither wise conjurers magicians

Daniel 2:48
HEB: עַ֖ל כָּל־ חַכִּימֵ֥י בָבֶֽל׃
NAS: over all the wise men of Babylon.
KJV: over all the wise [men] of Babylon.
INT: over all the wise of Babylon

Daniel 4:6
HEB: קָֽדָמַ֔י לְכֹ֖ל חַכִּימֵ֣י בָבֶ֑ל דִּֽי־
NAS: all the wise men of Babylon,
KJV: in all the wise [men] of Babylon
INT: my presence all the wise of Babylon forasmuch

Daniel 4:18
HEB: דִּ֣י ׀ כָּל־ חַכִּימֵ֣י מַלְכוּתִ֗י לָֽא־
NAS: as none of the wise men of my kingdom
KJV: all the wise [men] of my kingdom
INT: forasmuch all of the wise of my kingdom are not

Daniel 5:7
HEB: מַלְכָּ֜א וְאָמַ֣ר ׀ לְחַכִּימֵ֣י בָבֶ֗ל דִּ֣י
NAS: and said to the wise men of Babylon,
KJV: and said to the wise [men] of Babylon,
INT: the king and said to the wise of Babylon who

Daniel 5:8
HEB: ק) כֹּ֖ל חַכִּימֵ֣י מַלְכָּ֑א וְלָֽא־
NAS: the king's wise men came
KJV: the king's wise [men]: but they could
INT: bring in all wise the king's not

Daniel 5:15
HEB: הֻעַ֣לּוּ קָֽדָמַ֗י חַכִּֽימַיָּא֙ אָֽשְׁפַיָּ֔א דִּֽי־
NAS: Just now the wise men [and] the conjurers
KJV: And now the wise [men], the astrologers,
INT: were brought before the wise the conjurers forasmuch

14 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 2445
14 Occurrences


ḥak·kî·may·yā — 1 Occ.
ḥak·kî·mê — 6 Occ.
ḥak·kî·mîn — 1 Occ.
lə·ḥak·kî·mê — 4 Occ.
lə·ḥak·kî·mîn — 1 Occ.
wə·ḥak·kî·may·yā — 1 Occ.

2444
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