Lexical Summary chema: anger, wrath Original Word: חֱמָא Strong's Exhaustive Concordance fury (Aramaic) or chamah (Aramaic) {kham-aw'}; corresponding to chemah; anger -- fury. see HEBREW chemah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to chemah Definition a rage NASB Translation anger (1), wrath (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs חְֶמָא noun feminine rage; — absolute Daniel 3:19, ׳חֲ Daniel 3:13. Topical Lexicon Semantic Range and Symbolism חֱמָא portrays heat that bursts into visible action—an anger so intense that it is compared to a physical fire. In the Ancient Near-Eastern setting, wrath was often depicted as seething heat; this Aramaic noun faithfully retains that imagery. The word therefore points not merely to an inward feeling but to a wrath that dictates immediate, decisive deeds. Occurrences in Scripture Daniel 3:13 and Daniel 3:19 each depict Nebuchadnezzar’s explosive response to perceived defiance. The context—idolatrous state worship versus covenant fidelity—highlights how human rage collides with divine sovereignty. Historical Setting Sixth-century Babylon was a superpower that enforced loyalty through public ceremonies and harsh penalties. Ancient Near-Eastern kings claimed semi-divine status; any refusal to bow threatened the ideological fabric of empire. Nebuchadnezzar’s חֱמָא fits the royal pattern: wrath confirms authority, intimidates opposition, and showcases a ruler’s supposed godlike control over life and death. Canonical Echoes 1. Human wrath versus divine wrath: while human חֱמָא is capricious and self-serving (Proverbs 29:22; James 1:20), God’s wrath is righteous, purposeful, and ultimately redemptive (Romans 1:18; Revelation 14:10). Theological and Ministry Insights • The narrative warns against confusing positional power with moral rightness. Unchecked anger often arises when authority is challenged. Christological Foreshadowing Nebuchadnezzar’s rage points forward to the mobs and rulers who raged against Jesus Christ (Luke 4:28-29; John 15:25). Yet just as the three Hebrews emerged unharmed, the Resurrection demonstrates that the world’s fiercest wrath cannot extinguish God’s redemptive plan. Application for the Contemporary Church 1. Stand firm: corporate or governmental rage against biblical convictions should not produce fear but steadfast loyalty to God. Summary חֱמָא captures the combustible wrath of fallen humanity. Its brief appearance in Daniel 3 magnifies both the peril of self-exalting anger and the supremacy of God, who turns even tyrannical rage into a showcase for His deliverance and glory. Forms and Transliterations וַחֲמָ֔ה וחמה חֱמָ֗א חמא cheMa ḥĕ·mā ḥĕmā vachaMah wa·ḥă·māh waḥămāhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Daniel 3:13 HEB: נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר֙ בִּרְגַ֣ז וַחֲמָ֔ה אֲמַר֙ לְהַיְתָיָ֔ה NAS: in rage and anger gave orders KJV: in [his] rage and fury commanded INT: Nebuchadnezzar rage and anger gave to bring Daniel 3:19 2 Occurrences |
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