Lexical Summary medor: Habitation, dwelling place Original Word: מְדוֹר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance dwelling (Aramaic) or mdor (Aramaic) {med-ore'}; or mdar (Aramaic) {med-awr'}; from duwr; a dwelling -- dwelling. see HEBREW duwr NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) from dur Definition a dwelling place NASB Translation dwelling (1), dwelling place (3). Brown-Driver-Briggs [מְדוֺר] noun [masculine] dwelling place; — suffix מְדֹרָךְ Daniel 4:22; Daniel 4:29, מְדוֺרֵהּ Daniel 5:21. [מְדָר] noun masculine id.; — suffix מְָדרָהוֺן Daniel 2:11. Topical Lexicon Semantic Range and Conceptual Overview מְדוֹר communicates the idea of a fixed dwelling-place or habitation. In Daniel it functions both literally—describing where beings live—and theologically—exposing the chasm between human pride and the sovereign God who appoints every abode. Canonical Distribution Found exclusively in the Aramaic sections of Daniel (Daniel 2:11; 4:25; 4:32; 5:21), מְדוֹר is attached to three distinct subjects: 1. The gods (Daniel 2:11) Key Texts • Daniel 2:11 – “the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortals.” (Berean Standard Bible) Historical Setting Daniel ministered in Babylonian and early Medo-Persian courts during Judah’s exile. Royal counselors, pagan monarchs, and prophetic Jews collided in a milieu where claims of divine residence had political weight. The Babylonian worldview localized deities in temples; Daniel’s God, however, ruled every realm—and could relocate kings at will. Theological Themes 1. Sovereignty over Abodes 2. Transcendence versus Immanence 3. Anthropological Humility 4. Eschatological Foreshadowing Ministry Significance • Preaching: Use Nebuchadnezzar’s relocation to call hearers from pride to surrender, stressing that God alone secures both earthly and heavenly homes. Intertextual Echoes • Psalms 90:1 – “Lord, You have been our dwelling place through all generations.” These texts sharpen Daniel’s message: the same God inhabits eternity and the humble heart. Practical Reflection 1. Evaluate current “dwellings”—status, possessions, reputations—against the enduring security of abiding in Christ. Thus מְדוֹר, though a brief lexical note in Daniel, opens a rich vista on divine sovereignty, human humility, and the ultimate promise of eternal fellowship with God. Forms and Transliterations מְדָ֣רְה֔וֹן מְדֹרָ֗ךְ מְדֹרָ֜ךְ מְדוֹרֵ֔הּ מדורה מדרהון מדרך mə·ḏā·rə·hō·wn mə·ḏō·rāḵ mə·ḏō·w·rêh meDareHon məḏārəhōwn medoRach məḏōrāḵ medoReh məḏōwrêhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Daniel 2:11 HEB: אֱלָהִ֔ין דִּ֚י מְדָ֣רְה֔וֹן עִם־ בִּשְׂרָ֖א NAS: whose dwelling place KJV: except the gods, whose dwelling is not INT: gods whose dwelling with with flesh Daniel 4:25 Daniel 4:32 Daniel 5:21 4 Occurrences |