Lexical Summary Maday: Mede Original Word: מָדַי Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Median (Aramaic) corresponding to Maday -- Median. see HEBREW Maday NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to Maday Definition an inhab. of Media NASB Translation Mede (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs מדיא Kt, מָדָאָה Qr (K§ 61, 6) name, of a people Mede; — Daniel 6:1. [מְדִינָה] see דין. [מְדָר] see דוד. Topical Lexicon Historical and Geographic Setting Mādai designates the Median people and their land east of the Tigris River, north-west of ancient Elam, and south of the Caspian Sea. Mountainous terrain and fertile valleys enabled a network of fortified settlements that later merged with the Persians to form the Medo-Persian Empire. Classical writers (Herodotus, Xenophon) confirm a society organized in six tribal groupings, renowned for cavalry and archery—features reflected in their swift appearance in prophetic texts. Appearance in Daniel 5:31 The single attestation of Strong’s 4077 occurs in the Aramaic narrative: “And Darius the Mede received the kingdom at the age of sixty-two” (Daniel 5:31). The term identifies Darius as a Median rather than a Persian, underscoring the dual composition of the conquering power that replaced Babylon in 539 BC. In the following chapter Daniel continues to serve under this Median administration, attesting to the historical transition God ordained for His people’s preservation. Genealogical Roots Media’s ethnic origin traces back to Madai, son of Japheth (Genesis 10:2), linking the Aramaic מָדַי to earlier Hebrew references. This Japhethite lineage situates the Medes within the Table of Nations, demonstrating how God’s providence encompasses all ethnic groups in the unfolding redemptive narrative. Fulfilment of Prophecy Isaiah 13:17 foretold, “I will stir up the Medes against them,” and Jeremiah 51:11 spoke of the LORD arousing “the spirit of the kings of the Medes” against Babylon. Daniel 5:31 records the historical realization of those prophecies the very night Belshazzar fell. The sudden transfer of power verifies the trustworthiness of prior revelation and illustrates that divine judgment often arrives through geopolitical events rather than overt miracle. Role within the Medo-Persian Empire Though Persia soon eclipsed Media politically, the Median component remained integral. Laws were still described as “the law of the Medes and Persians” (Esther 1:19), and Cyrus himself was called “king of Persia” while acknowledging his Median heritage through familial ties. The use of מָדַי in Daniel deliberately preserves this duality, signaling the second kingdom of Nebuchadnezzar’s statue (Daniel 2:32) and the bear of Daniel’s vision (Daniel 7:5). Both metaphors emphasize strength in unity yet inferiority to Babylon’s gold head, highlighting the transient nature of earthly power. Ministry Lessons and Theological Themes 1. God directs international affairs for covenant purposes. The rise of Media prepared the way for Cyrus’s decree that returned Judah to its land (Ezra 1:1-4). Later Biblical Echoes The Day of Pentecost lists “residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene, visitors from Rome (both Jews and proselytes), Cretans and Arabs” (Acts 2:9-11); though Medes are not named, their ancestral lands lay within this arc. Thus descendants of מָדַי likely heard the Gospel in Jerusalem, fulfilling God’s promise to bless “all the families of the earth” (Genesis 12:3). Summary מָדַי, though appearing only once in the Aramaic of Daniel, anchors a web of historical, prophetic, and theological threads that converge in God’s sovereign orchestration of empires. From Japheth’s lineage to the doorstep of New Testament mission, the Medes exemplify how the Lord raises nations to accomplish His redemptive plan. Forms and Transliterations מָֽדָאָ֔ה מדאה mā·ḏā·’āh māḏā’āh madaAhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Daniel 5:31 HEB: [מָדָיָא כ] (מָֽדָאָ֔ה ק) קַבֵּ֖ל NAS: So Darius the Mede received KJV: And Darius the Median took INT: Darius Median received the kingdom 1 Occurrence |
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