Lexical Summary nashin: Women Original Word: נָשִׁין Strong's Exhaustive Concordance women (Aramaic) irregular plural feminine of 'enash -- women. see HEBREW 'enash NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to pl. of ishshah Definition wives NASB Translation wives (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs [נְשִׁין] noun feminine plural wives (so Zinjirli (Cooke62.8) construct נשי, ᵑ7 נְשִׁין, Syriac  , Hebrew נָשִׁים, Arabic  on singular see Biblical Hebrew אִשָּׁה, and add Aramaic of Nineveh construct אשת (CISi.15), and Egyptian Aramaic אנתה S-CPap. D10+); — plural suffix נְשֵֹׁיהוֺן Daniel 6:25. Topical Lexicon Occurrence and Context The term נָשִׁין appears once in Scripture, in Daniel 6:24, within the Aramaic section of the book. After the miraculous deliverance of Daniel, King Darius orders the accusers—“they and their children and their wives” (Daniel 6:24)—to be cast into the lions’ den, where judgment falls before they reach the floor. The use of נָשִׁין highlights the inclusion of the conspirators’ wives in the royal decree, underscoring the gravity of the offense and the sweeping nature of ancient Near-Eastern justice. Covenantal and Legal Background The Mosaic Law is explicit that “Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children for their fathers; each is to die for his own sin” (Deuteronomy 24:16). Daniel 6:24, however, records a Persian decree rather than a Hebrew legal act. Persian monarchs claimed absolute authority, and their edicts (cf. Esther 8:8) could not be revoked. In that imperial setting, the king’s mandate overrides the more individualized justice prescribed to Israel, reminding readers that Daniel and his companions are still exiles under foreign rule. Themes of Corporate Responsibility The inclusion of wives and children mirrors other Old Testament accounts in which an entire household suffers because of the head’s sin, such as Achan in Joshua 7:24–25 and, later in Persian history, Haman’s ten sons in Esther 9:13. These narratives illustrate a principle of solidarity: a household often shares in the blessing or cursing tied to its leader. In Daniel 6 the wives are named not to diminish their personhood but to stress the totality of the judgment that befalls the conspirators. Contrast with Covenant Grace Against this backdrop, the contrast with divine grace becomes sharp. While human empires dispense sweeping punishment, the Lord ultimately calls each person to account individually (Ezekiel 18:20). The scene anticipates the New Covenant promise that judgment can be averted through substitutionary atonement—fulfilled in Jesus Christ, who “bore our sins in His body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24). The finality of the lions’ den thus points forward to the cross, where judgment and mercy meet. Related Old Testament Parallels • Joshua 22:20 – Achan’s sin brings wrath “on all the congregation of Israel.” These passages, together with Daniel 6:24, reveal a pattern: wrongdoing by leaders carries communal consequences, stirring the reader to pursue righteous leadership. New Testament Corollaries The New Testament upholds individual accountability while acknowledging the influence of family lines. Timothy’s faith is traced to Lois and Eunice (2 Timothy 1:5), and households are baptized together (Acts 16:31–34), showing the positive side of corporate identity. Yet salvation remains personal: “Each of us will give an account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12). Lessons for Contemporary Ministry 1. Leadership Integrity: Daniel 6 warns that secret plotting can destroy entire families. Pastors and heads of households must walk blamelessly, recognizing the ripple effects of sin. Theological Reflection נָשִׁין, though rare, serves as a narrative hinge in Daniel 6. The wives’ presence in the text magnifies both the terror of judgment and the wonder of divine rescue. Scripture’s cohesive message emerges: God is just, but He delights to save those who trust Him. Daniel’s lions’ den anticipates Calvary, where another innocent man bore the sentence meant for others—this time not in temporal deliverance from beasts, but in eternal redemption from sin and death. Forms and Transliterations וּנְשֵׁיה֑וֹן ונשיהון ū·nə·šê·hō·wn ūnəšêhōwn unesheiHonLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Daniel 6:24 HEB: אִנּ֖וּן בְּנֵיה֣וֹן וּנְשֵׁיה֑וֹן וְלָֽא־ מְט֞וֹ NAS: them, their children and their wives into the lions' KJV: their children, and their wives; and the lions INT: them their children and their wives ever reached 1 Occurrence |
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