Lexical Summary nesaq: Ascent, elevation Original Word: נְסַק Strong's Exhaustive Concordance take up (Aramaic) corresponding to nacaq -- take up. see HEBREW nacaq NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) the same as seleq, q.v. Topical Lexicon Basic Sense of the VerbThe verb conveys the action of lifting, carrying, or taking someone up from a lower to a higher position. In Daniel it always involves removal from imminent death by order of a king—either Babylonian or Persian—so that the “lifting” becomes an unmistakable picture of sovereign deliverance. Occurrences in Daniel • Daniel 3:22 – Babylonian guards “carried up” (BSB: “took up”) Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to the mouth of the furnace. Divine Rescue and Covenant Faithfulness The word frames two contrasting rescues: 1. Faithful servants are lifted from danger (Daniel and the three Hebrews). In both accounts the verb highlights a reversal: those condemned by earthly powers are vindicated by God; those who plotted evil are themselves destroyed. The text therefore reinforces the covenant promise that “those who honor Me I will honor” (cf. 1 Samuel 2:30). Historical Context Daniel 3 takes place in the reign of Nebuchadnezzar II (circa 6th century BC). Daniel 6 occurs under Darius the Mede, soon after Babylon’s fall (539 BC). The exile setting magnifies the miracle: exiled Jews, humanly powerless, are lifted above the life-and-death decrees of the greatest empires of their day. The verb thus becomes a polemic against pagan absolutism and a testimony that “the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind” (Daniel 4:17). Christological and Eschatological Foreshadowing The upward motion anticipates the resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ, whom God “raised up” (Acts 2:32) and “exalted to His right hand” (Acts 5:31). Just as Daniel emerged untouched from the lions’ den at dawn, so Christ rose from the tomb at dawn on the third day (Matthew 28:1). The lifting of the righteous also prefigures the final resurrection when believers will be “caught up” (1 Thessalonians 4:17) to meet the Lord. Contrasting Outcomes: Mercy and Judgment The dual use in Daniel 6 underscores a recurring biblical pattern: the same divine act that delivers the faithful brings judgment on the wicked (cf. Exodus 14:29-30). The verb therefore carries a moral weight, reminding readers that God both exalts and casts down according to His justice. Implications for Worship and Ministry 1. Assurance of deliverance – Believers facing persecution can pray with confidence that the Lord is able to “lift” them from any trial, whether by preservation through it or by final resurrection. Summary Strong’s Hebrew 5267 presents a vivid picture of upward rescue that threads through the exile narratives and points ahead to the ultimate lifting of God’s people in Christ. Every occurrence in Daniel testifies that the Most High both saves and judges, honoring those who trust Him and overturning the plots of the wicked. Forms and Transliterations הַסִּ֙קוּ֙ הסקו וְהֻסַּ֨ק והסק לְהַנְסָקָ֣ה להנסקה has·si·qū hasSiku hassiqū lə·han·sā·qāh lehansaKah ləhansāqāh vehusSak wə·hus·saq wəhussaqLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Daniel 3:22 HEB: אִלֵּ֗ךְ דִּ֤י הַסִּ֙קוּ֙ לְשַׁדְרַ֤ךְ מֵישַׁךְ֙ KJV: men that took up Shadrach, INT: those who up Shadrach Meshach Daniel 6:23 Daniel 6:23 3 Occurrences |
    |