Lexical Summary lela: night Original Word: לֵילְיָא Strong's Exhaustive Concordance night (Aramaic) corresponding to La'el -- night. see HEBREW La'el NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to layil Definition night NASB Translation night (5). Topical Lexicon Occurrences in Daniel The Aramaic noun לֵילְיָא appears five times, all in the Book of Daniel (Daniel 2:19; 5:30; 7:2; 7:7; 7:13). Each setting is pivotal, marking moments of revelation, judgment, or eschatological preview. The Night as a Setting for Divine Revelation In Daniel 2:19 “the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night”. When human wisdom had failed the Babylonian sages, God disclosed Nebuchadnezzar’s dream during the hours of darkness. The verse testifies that night is no barrier to the God who “knows what lies in darkness” (Daniel 2:22). It underscores the continuity of God’s revelatory pattern—Abraham’s star-lit covenant (Genesis 15:5-18), Jacob’s nocturnal ladder (Genesis 28:10-15), and Joseph’s dream cycle (Genesis 37:5-10). A Night of Judgment and Regime Change Daniel 5:30 records that “That very night Belshazzar king of the Chaldeans was slain”. The same span that witnessed the hand writing on the wall culminated in the fall of Babylon. The phrase shows how swiftly divine verdicts move from pronouncement to execution, reminding readers that “when they are saying, ‘Peace and security,’ destruction will come upon them suddenly” (1 Thessalonians 5:3). Night Imagery in Apocalyptic Vision Three appearances occur in Daniel 7, each tied to night visions: • Daniel 7:2 – “I was watching in my vision at night, and behold, the four winds of heaven were churning up the great sea.” The setting accentuates the otherworldly nature of the visions. Darkness serves as the backdrop against which God unveils unfolding world empires and the ultimate dominion of the Messiah. The climactic appearance of “One like a Son of Man” anticipates the New Testament identification of Jesus Christ (Matthew 26:64; Revelation 1:13). Theological Threads 1. Revelation proceeds on God’s timetable. The night scenes teach that divine disclosure is sovereign, not subject to earthly schedules. Ministry Application • Prayer and worship need not wait for daylight. Daniel’s night-time praise (Daniel 2:20-23) encourages believers to seek God during seasons of obscurity. Summary לֵילְיָא in Daniel portrays night not merely as a time of physical darkness but as a stage for God’s sovereign activity—revealing mysteries, toppling kingdoms, and unveiling the future reign of Messiah. The motif invites every generation to trust the God who works “both day and night” for His redemptive purposes. Forms and Transliterations בְּלֵ֣ילְיָ֔א בליליא לֵֽילְיָ֑א לֵֽילְיָ֔א לֵֽילְיָ֗א לֵילְיָ֖א ליליא bə·lê·lə·yā beLeileYa bəlêləyā lê·lə·yā leilYa lêləyāLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Daniel 2:19 HEB: בְּחֶזְוָ֥א דִֽי־ לֵילְיָ֖א רָזָ֣ה גֲלִ֑י NAS: to Daniel in a night vision. KJV: unto Daniel in a night vision. INT: vision in A night the mystery was revealed Daniel 5:30 Daniel 7:2 Daniel 7:7 Daniel 7:13 5 Occurrences |