Lexical Summary shenah: sleep Original Word: שְׁנָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance sleep (Aramaic) corresponding to shehah -- sleep. see HEBREW shehah NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to shenah Definition sleep NASB Translation sleep (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs I. [שְׁנָה] noun feminine sleep (ᵑ7 Syriac); — suffix שִׁנְּתֵהּ (K§ 12 d)) Daniel 6:19. — II.[[שְׁנָה] see [שְׁנָא]. Topical Lexicon Definition and Concept שְׁנָה denotes ordinary, nightly sleep—physical rest granted by God for refreshment. Scripture often treats sleep as a barometer of inner peace (Psalm 4:8) or anxiety (Ecclesiastes 2:23). Its presence signals God’s sustaining care; its absence points to troubled conscience or divine intervention. Biblical Occurrence Daniel 6:18: “Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting. No entertainment was brought before him, and sleep fled from him.” (Berean Standard Bible) Historical Background Daniel, now an aged statesman under Darius, has been condemned to the lions’ den for praying to the LORD despite an edict prohibiting petitions to any god or man but the king. While Daniel rests amid the lions (implicitly trusting God), the king in his luxurious palace cannot sleep. Persian night-long festivals were customary for royalty; the deliberate refusal of diversions underscores Darius’ distress and conviction over his unjust decree. The sleepless night heightens the narrative tension and prepares for the dawn deliverance that magnifies God’s sovereign protection of His faithful servant. Theological Significance 1. Gift and Withholding of Rest Intertextual Echoes and Thematic Parallels – Psalm 4:8: “I will lie down and sleep in peace, for You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.” – Proverbs 3:24: “When you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you rest, your sleep will be sweet.” – Ecclesiastes 5:12 contrasts the sweet sleep of the laborer with the restless opulence of the rich, mirroring the palace scene in Daniel 6. These passages collectively affirm that secure sleep is tied to righteousness and reliance on God rather than external security. Practical Application in Ministry • Pastoral Care: Counsel those plagued by anxiety to examine conscience, embrace confession, and rest in God’s promises (1 Peter 5:7). Conclusion שְׁנָה appears but once, yet its solitary use underscores a universal truth: real rest is God’s gift, withheld or bestowed according to His redemptive purposes. The insomnia of an anxious monarch accentuates the serenity of a faithful servant, directing readers to trust the One who “never slumbers nor sleeps” (Psalm 121:4) and who keeps His people secure in every age. Forms and Transliterations וְשִׁנְתֵּ֖הּ ושנתה veshinTeh wə·šin·têh wəšintêhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Daniel 6:18 HEB: הַנְעֵ֣ל קָֽדָמ֑וֹהִי וְשִׁנְתֵּ֖הּ נַדַּ֥ת עֲלֽוֹהִי׃ NAS: before him; and his sleep fled KJV: before him: and his sleep went INT: was brought before and his sleep fled him 1 Occurrence |
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