Lexical Summary alam: To conceal, hide, be hidden Original Word: עָלַם Strong's Exhaustive Concordance forever lasting, old (Aramaic) corresponding to owlam; remote time, i.e. The future or past indefinitely; often adverb, forever -- for ((n-))ever (lasting), old. see HEBREW owlam NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to olam Definition perpetuity, antiquity NASB Translation all ages (1), all ages to come (1), everlasting (4), forever (9), forever and ever (1), never* (1), past (2), perpetrated (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs עָלַם noun [masculine] perpetuity, antiquity (see Biblical Hebrew III> עלם, עוֺלָם); — ׳ע absolute Daniel 3:33 +, construct Daniel 7:18; emphatic עָֽלְמָא Daniel 2:20 +; plural עָֽלְמִין Daniel 2:4 +, emphatic עָֽלְמַיָּא Daniel 2:44; Daniel 7:18; — perpetuity in the future: ׳מַלְכוּת ע Daniel 3:33; Daniel 7:27, compare Daniel 4:31; Daniel 7:14; ׳ע as adverb for ever Daniel 4:31; עַדעָֽֿלְמָא וְעַדעָֿלַם עָֽלְמַיָּא Daniel 7:18; plural ׳לְע for ever Daniel 2:4,44,44; Daniel 3:9; Daniel 5:10; Daniel 6:7; Daniel 6:22; Daniel 6:27; antiquity, מִןיֿוֺמָת עָֽלְמָא Ezra 4:15,19; of limitless time both past and future: ׳וְעַדעֿ ׳מִןעֿ Daniel 2:20. Topical Lexicon Semantic Scope and Literary Setting Although its form is Aramaic, עָלַם functions in Ezra and Daniel the same way Hebrew עוֹלָם does elsewhere, describing unlimited duration in either direction—time past long gone or time stretching without end. The twenty occurrences cluster in the imperial correspondence of Ezra 4 and in the Aramaic narratives and visions of Daniel 2–7. In every context the word accentuates permanence, whether of a problem that has plagued kings “from ancient times” (Ezra 4) or, far more significantly, of the living God, His rule, and the saints who will share it (Daniel). Political and Historical Usage in Ezra Persian officials use עָלַם to paint Jerusalem as a perennial source of rebellion: By appealing to a record of continuous insurrection, the accusers hope to halt the rebuilding of both city and temple. Here the word underlines a human perspective—‘we have always had this trouble’—and sets the stage for the later divine reply in Daniel that only God’s kingdom is truly everlasting. Court Etiquette: “O King, Live Forever!” Fourteen of the twenty occurrences appear in the Aramaic formula of court greeting (Daniel 2:4; 3:9; 5:10; 6:6, 21). The hyperbolic wish, “O king, may you live forever,” flatters mortal monarchs whose reigns will, in fact, end. Scripture allows the phrase to stand while simultaneously subverting it: every narrative in which it occurs demonstrates the fragility of human power before the God who actually lives forever. Doxology and Worship Daniel’s own praise contrasts sharply with the courtly formula. The repetition of עָלַם in these doxologies drives home the changelessness of God’s character and authority. He alone merits the adverb “forever”; kings receive it only in polite fiction. The Everlasting Kingdom Daniel’s prophetic material develops the concept further: Here עָלַם anchors the major theological theme of Daniel: the transition from transient earthly rulers to the permanent reign of God and of His Anointed. The word appears at each turning point—dream, decree, vision—binding the book into a unified testimony about ultimate sovereignty. Theological Significance 1. Divine Immutability. Every occurrence that speaks directly of God or His kingdom positions Him above time and beyond threat. Ministry Application • Worship. Let corporate worship adopt Daniel’s phrasing: blessing the name of God “forever and ever” redirects attention from temporal worries to eternal realities. Summary עָלַם in Ezra and Daniel is more than a time-marker; it is a theological beacon. Whether exposing the emptiness of political flattery or declaring the unbreakable covenant hope of an everlasting kingdom, the word fixes the reader’s gaze on the God who was, who is, and who is to come. Forms and Transliterations לְעָ֣לְמִ֔ין לְעָלְמִ֣ין לְעָלְמִ֥ין לְעָלְמִין֙ לְעָלְמַיָּֽא׃ לעלמיא׃ לעלמין עָ֣לְמָ֔א עָֽלְמָ֔א עָלְמַיָּֽא׃ עָלְמָ֑א עָלְמָ֖א עָלַ֔ם עָלַ֥ם עָלַם֙ עלם עלמא עלמיא׃ ‘ā·lam ‘ā·lə·mā ‘ā·lə·may·yā ‘ālam ‘āləmā ‘āləmayyā aLam alMa almaiYa lə‘āləmayyā lə‘āləmîn lə·‘ā·lə·may·yā lə·‘ā·lə·mîn leAleMin lealmaiYa lealMinLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezra 4:15 HEB: מִן־ יוֹמָ֖ת עָלְמָ֑א עַ֨ל־ דְּנָ֔ה NAS: within it in past days; KJV: within the same of old time: for INT: of days past for which Ezra 4:19 Daniel 2:4 Daniel 2:20 Daniel 2:20 Daniel 2:44 Daniel 2:44 Daniel 3:9 Daniel 4:3 Daniel 4:34 Daniel 4:34 Daniel 5:10 Daniel 6:6 Daniel 6:21 Daniel 6:26 Daniel 7:14 Daniel 7:18 Daniel 7:18 Daniel 7:18 Daniel 7:27 20 Occurrences |
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