Lexical Summary chelem: Dream Original Word: חֵלֶם Strong's Exhaustive Concordance dream (Aramaic) from a root corresponding to chalam; a dream -- dream. see HEBREW chalam NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to chalom Definition a dream NASB Translation dream (21), dreams (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs חֵלֶם22 noun masculineDaniel 4:2 dream (ᵑ7 Syriac; see Biblical Hebrew חֲלוֺם, √ II. חלם); — absolute ׳ח Daniel 4:2; Daniel 7:1; emphatic חֶלְמָא Daniel 2:4 +; suffix חֶלְמִי Daniel 4:6, מָךְ- Daniel 2:28; plural חֶלְמִין Daniel 5:12; — dream, as vehicle of revelation Daniel 2:4 10t., Daniel 4:3 6t., Daniel 5:12; to prophet Daniel 7:1. Topical Lexicon Occurrences and Literary Setting The noun appears twenty-two times, all in the Aramaic sections of Daniel (Daniel 2:4–7:1). It punctuates four narrative units: Nebuchadnezzar’s forgotten dream (Daniel 2), his second dream of the felled tree (Daniel 4), a retrospective note in Belshazzar’s court (Daniel 5:12), and Daniel’s own apocalyptic dream in the first year of Belshazzar (Daniel 7:1). The clustering of the term in these passages highlights the book’s concern with God’s sovereign communication to both pagan kings and the covenant community. Dreams as Divine Revelation Throughout Daniel, dreams are neither random psychological events nor merely symbolic literature; they are explicit disclosures from the “God in heaven who reveals mysteries” (Daniel 2:28). Their content is inaccessible to human wisdom, forcing rulers and wise men alike to acknowledge that the Most High governs history and grants understanding to whom He wills (Daniel 2:11, Daniel 2:47). Nebuchadnezzar’s Forgotten Dream (Daniel 2) • Problem (Daniel 2:1–13): The king’s insomnia and lost memory expose the impotence of Babylonian wisdom. Nebuchadnezzar’s Tree Dream (Daniel 4) “I had a dream, and it frightened me” (Daniel 4:5). The luxuriant tree symbolizing royal greatness is cut down until the king acknowledges that “the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom He wills” (Daniel 4:32). The dream warns against pride and illustrates God’s grace in both humbling and restoring a ruler. Its fulfillment authenticates the prophet’s message and reinforces covenant themes of judgment and repentance. The Contingent Memory of Belshazzar’s Court (Daniel 5:12) When the handwriting on the wall baffles Babylon’s scholars, the queen mother recalls that Daniel had “the ability to explain enigmas, solve riddles, and interpret dreams” (Daniel 5:12). The plural reference assumes the previous dream episodes as verified history, validating Daniel’s ongoing prophetic authority. Daniel’s Visionary Dream (Daniel 7:1) “In the first year of Belshazzar king of Babylon, Daniel had a dream, and visions passed through his mind as he was lying in bed” (Daniel 7:1). Here the dream medium shifts from foreign monarch to covenant prophet, marking the transition from court narrative to apocalyptic prophecy. The symbolic beasts reprise the statue’s empires, culminating in the everlasting dominion of the Son of Man, thereby linking the earlier Gentile-directed revelations to Israel’s eschatological hope. Theological Themes 1. Divine sovereignty: Dreams declare that history unfolds according to God’s predetermined plan. Christological and Prophetic Significance Daniel 2’s stone “cut out without hands” and Daniel 7’s “Son of Man” converge on the New Testament identification of Jesus Christ (Matthew 21:42-44; Mark 14:62). The dreams thus anticipate the Messiah’s advent, passion, resurrection, and universal reign. Application for Ministry • Preaching: Use the dream narratives to urge listeners toward humility before God who “changes times and seasons” (Daniel 2:21). Summary Strong’s 2493 underscores the book of Daniel’s portrayal of dreams as arenas where God’s sovereignty intersects human history, revealing His purposes, confronting pride, and promising an eternal kingdom centered in the Messiah. Forms and Transliterations וְחֶלְמָ֖א וְחֶלְמָ֗א וחלמא חֵ֣לֶם חֵ֥לֶם חֶלְמִ֧י חֶלְמִין֩ חֶלְמָ֔א חֶלְמָ֖א חֶלְמָ֛א חֶלְמָ֣א חֶלְמָ֤א חֶלְמָ֥א חֶלְמָ֨ךְ חֶלְמָא֙ חֶלְמָא֩ חלם חלמא חלמי חלמין חלמך Chelem chelMa chelMach chelMi chelMin ḥê·lem ḥel·mā ḥel·māḵ ḥel·mî ḥel·mîn ḥêlem ḥelmā ḥelmāḵ ḥelmî ḥelmîn vechelMa wə·ḥel·mā wəḥelmāLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Daniel 2:4 HEB: חֱיִ֔י אֱמַ֥ר חֶלְמָ֛א [לְעַבְדַּיִךְ כ] NAS: Tell the dream to your servants, KJV: thy servants the dream, and we will shew INT: live Tell the dream servant the interpretation Daniel 2:5 Daniel 2:6 Daniel 2:6 Daniel 2:7 Daniel 2:9 Daniel 2:9 Daniel 2:26 Daniel 2:28 Daniel 2:36 Daniel 2:45 Daniel 4:5 Daniel 4:6 Daniel 4:7 Daniel 4:8 Daniel 4:9 Daniel 4:18 Daniel 4:19 Daniel 4:19 Daniel 5:12 Daniel 7:1 Daniel 7:1 22 Occurrences |
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