6640. tsebu

Lexical Summary

tsebu: Dyed, colored

Original Word: צְבוּ
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: tsbuw
Pronunciation: tse-BOO
Phonetic Spelling: (tseb-oo')
KJV: purpose
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) from H663 (אֲפֵק אֲפִיק - Aphek)4]

1. (properly) will
2. (concretely) an affair (as a matter of determination)

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance

purpose

(Aramaic) from tsba'; properly, will; concretely, an affair (as a matter of determination) -- purpose.

see HEBREW tsba'

NAS Exhaustive Concordance

Word Origin
(Aramaic) from tseba
Definition
thing, anything
NASB Translation
nothing* (1).

Brown-Driver-Briggs

צְבוּ noun feminine thing, anything (originally purpose) (Palmyrene צבו Lzb³⁵⁷ SAC¹⁰⁰ Cooke²⁶⁶, Syriac , all thing; compare Late Hebrew חֵפֶץ thing, from הָפֵץ delight in, crave); — Daniel 6:18.

Topical Lexicon

Definition and Scope

צְבוּ appears once in Scripture, functioning as an Aramaic noun that denotes a settled purpose, fixed decision, or unalterable intent.

Canonical Occurrence

Daniel 6:17: “Then a stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the signet rings of his nobles, so that nothing might be changed regarding Daniel.”

Historical and Cultural Context

1. Legal Finality in Medo-Persia
• Royal edicts were considered irrevocable (Esther 1:19; 8:8).
• Sealing with personal signets authenticated a decree and ensured that no official could rescind it without violating the king’s authority.
• Cylinder seals or signet rings impressed in clay symbolized permanence; the same cultural practice is reflected in Job 38:14 and Jeremiah 32:10–14.

2. Protocol of Execution Sites
• Covering an entrance with a stone was standard for securing prisoners or burial chambers (Joshua 10:18; Matthew 27:60).
• The double sealing (“his own signet ring and…his nobles”) underscores the absolute binding nature of the decision.

Theological Significance

1. Human Resolve versus Divine Sovereignty
• While the royal “purpose” was unchangeable, God’s higher will overruled it (Daniel 6:22).
• The narrative illustrates Proverbs 19:21: “Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail.”

2. Integrity of God’s Servant
• Daniel’s deliverance vindicates steadfast obedience under hostile statutes (cf. Acts 5:29).
• The unalterable decree heightens the miracle, showcasing that no legal barrier can prevent God from vindicating His faithful ones.

Typological and Christological Echoes

1. Sealed Stone Motif
• Daniel 6:17 anticipates Matthew 27:65–66, where another stone is sealed to deter any “change.”
• Just as God overturned the irrevocable decree in Daniel, Christ’s resurrection shattered the seal of Rome, demonstrating superior authority (Romans 1:4).

2. Irrevocable Decrees and Redemptive Certainty
• The gospel promises are described with similar finality (Hebrews 6:17–18).
• God’s “purpose” established in Christ is more secure than any earthly edict (Ephesians 1:11).

Practical Ministry Implications

1. Confidence amid Immovable Obstacles
• Believers facing institutional hostility can trust that divine purpose surpasses iron-clad human policies.
• Prayer remains an uncompromised priority, as modeled by Daniel (Daniel 6:10).

2. Integrity under Legal Pressure
• Daniel’s example guides Christians in navigating laws that conflict with obedience to God without resorting to rebellion or compromise.

3. Preaching and Teaching
• The account serves as a powerful illustration for sermons on God’s sovereignty, faith under pressure, and resurrection hope.

Related Biblical Themes and Cross References

• Irrevocable Laws: Esther 3:12; Esther 8:8
• God’s Unchangeable Counsel: Isaiah 46:10; Hebrews 6:17
• Sealing Imagery: Job 38:14; 2 Corinthians 1:22; Revelation 7:3
• Divine Deliverance: Psalm 34:19; Acts 12:6–11

Summary

צְבוּ in Daniel 6:17 encapsulates the notion of an iron-clad human decision. Set against this backdrop, God’s intervention magnifies His supremacy over earthly authority, foreshadows the breaking of another sealed stone at Christ’s resurrection, and offers enduring encouragement to believers who confront seemingly unchangeable decrees today.

Forms and Transliterations

צְב֖וּ צבו ṣə·ḇū ṣəḇū tzeVu

Englishman's Concordance

Daniel 6:17
HEB: לָא־ תִשְׁנֵ֥א צְב֖וּ בְּדָנִיֵּֽאל׃
KJV: of his lords; that the purpose might not
INT: not would be changed the purpose to Daniel

1 Occurrence

Strong's Hebrew 6640
1 Occurrence

ṣə·ḇū — 1 Occ.