Lexical Summary chashab: To think, plan, esteem, calculate, invent, make a judgment Original Word: חֲשַׁב Strong's Exhaustive Concordance repute (Aramaic) corresponding to chashab; to regard -- repute. see HEBREW chashab NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to chashab Definition to think, account NASB Translation accounted (1). Topical Lexicon Keyword and Scope חֲשַׁב appears once (Daniel 4:35) and conveys the idea of being “regarded,” “reckoned,” or “counted.” The term functions to underscore how God evaluates human power, setting the measure for all earthly life. Biblical Setting: Daniel 4:35 “ ‘All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing; He does as He pleases with the host of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can restrain His hand or say to Him, “What have You done?” ’ ” (Berean Standard Bible). Spoken by a chastened Nebuchadnezzar, the verb highlights the contrast between God’s absolute sovereignty and humanity’s utter dependence. The Babylonian king, once boasting in his own greatness (Daniel 4:30), now confesses that even the mightiest empire is only what God “regards” it to be. Theological Emphases 1. Divine Sovereignty: חֲשַׁב frames God as the One who establishes the true valuation of nations and rulers (Psalm 113:4-6; Isaiah 40:17). Old Testament Parallels Isaiah 40:17 — “All the nations are as nothing before Him; He regards them as absolutely nothing and empty.” Psalm 39:5 — “Surely every man stands as a vapor.” These parallels show that what Daniel states in Aramaic matches the established Hebrew witness: God alone sets true worth. New Testament Resonance 1 Corinthians 1:28; James 4:14; 1 Peter 1:24 reiterate that earthly glory fades and that the Lord’s valuation is final. The Aramaic declaration thereby anticipates the apostolic proclamation that “God chose the lowly and despised things… to nullify the things that are.” Historical and Cultural Notes Nebuchadnezzar ruled the greatest empire of his day, yet a single divine verdict reduced him to animal-like existence (Daniel 4:33). Ancient Near Eastern kings claimed divine sanction, but this narrative subverts that worldview: kings are weighed by heaven, not the reverse. Ministry Significance • Preaching: Daniel 4:35 supplies a potent text on pride, repentance, and God’s supremacy. Practical Applications 1. Personal Evaluation: Measure success by God’s standards (Micah 6:8), not human applause. Homiletical Outline I. The Majesty of God (Daniel 4:34-35a) II. The Meagerness of Humanity (4:35b) III. The Mystery of His Will (4:35c) IV. The Mandate to Respond (4:36-37) Summary חֲשַׁב, though occurring once, powerfully declares that every valuation is ultimately God’s. Daniel 4:35 stands as a timeless reminder: earth’s inhabitants are what the Lord “regards” them to be, and therefore true wisdom is to humble oneself under the mighty hand of God (1 Peter 5:6). Forms and Transliterations חֲשִׁיבִ֔ין חשיבין chashiVin ḥă·šî·ḇîn ḥăšîḇînLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Daniel 4:35 HEB: אַרְעָא֙ כְּלָ֣ה חֲשִׁיבִ֔ין וּֽכְמִצְבְּיֵ֗הּ עָבֵד֙ NAS: of the earth are accounted as nothing, KJV: of the earth [are] reputed as nothing: INT: of the earth nothing are accounted to his will does 1 Occurrence |
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