Lexical Summary shephar: seemed good, pleasing Original Word: שְׁפַר Strong's Exhaustive Concordance be acceptable, please, think good (Aramaic) corresponding to shaphar; to be beautiful -- be acceptable, please, + think good. see HEBREW shaphar NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to shaphar Definition to be fair or seemly NASB Translation pleasing (1), seemed good (2). Brown-Driver-Briggs שְׁפַר verb be fair, seemly (ᵑ7 Syriac; compare Biblical Hebrew (rare and mostly late); Palmyrene שפר ל merit well of, SAC117; Cappad. Aramaic שפירא LzbEph. 160); — Pe`al Perfect3masculine singular ׳שׁ, with קֳדָם person it seemed good to Daniel 3:32; Daniel 6:2; Imperfect3masculine singular יִשְׁמַּר עַל Daniel 4:24 let my counsel be acceptable to thee. Topical Lexicon Definition and Semantics שְׁפַר (shĕpar) conveys the idea of what is fair, beautiful, or pleasing. In the Aramaic narrative of Daniel it functions idiomatically as “it seemed good” or “it pleased,” describing the way a proposed action aligns with the judgment of a human authority. The word carries aesthetic overtones (“beautiful, fair”) but is used in Daniel to express moral or administrative appropriateness. Occurrences in Scripture 1. Daniel 4:2 – Nebuchadnezzar’s preface: “It has seemed good to me to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has performed for me.” Historical Setting All three uses fall within the Aramaic portion of Daniel (Daniel 2:4–7:28), a section addressed to and concerning Gentile monarchs. The Babylonian and Medo-Persian courts valued official decrees and recorded proclamations. Employing שְׁפַר signals that a matter has obtained royal favor and thus carries legal force. Nebuchadnezzar’s public edict (Daniel 4:2), Daniel’s respectful counsel (Daniel 4:27), and Darius’s governmental restructuring (Daniel 6:1) each reflect the diplomatic language of Near-Eastern courts in the sixth to fifth centuries BC. Theological Significance 1. Divine Sovereignty over Kings. Though שְׁפַר voices the will of earthly rulers, each context underscores God’s ultimate control. Nebuchadnezzar’s proclamation exalts “the Most High God,” Daniel’s counsel calls the king to repentance, and Darius’s reorganization sets the stage for Daniel’s deliverance from the lions. Proverbs 21:1 finds concrete expression here: “The heart of a king is in the hand of the LORD.” Practical and Ministry Implications • Counsel with Conviction and Courtesy. Daniel offers advice that may save Nebuchadnezzar from judgment, modeling how believers can speak truth to power. Faithful counsel should aim to be שְׁפַר—genuinely beneficial and presented winsomely (Colossians 4:6). Intertextual Relationships Aramaic שְׁפַר parallels Hebrew טוֹב (tov, “good”) and יָפֶה (yafé, “beautiful”), as well as the Septuagint’s καλόν. In Acts 15:28, the Jerusalem council affirms, “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us,” echoing the same idiom. The pattern shows a continuity in biblical decision-making: human deliberation stands under divine direction. Christological and Gospel Implications Nebuchadnezzar’s public praise foreshadows New Testament proclamations of Christ’s mighty works. What “seemed good” to Nebuchadnezzar is fulfilled ultimately in the Father’s declaration over the Son: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). The gospel reveals the supreme שְׁפַר—God’s gracious plan, pleasing to Himself and beneficial to humanity. Forms and Transliterations יִשְׁפַּ֣ר ישפר שְׁפַ֥ר שְׁפַר֙ שפר šə·p̄ar šəp̄ar sheFar yiš·par yishPar yišparLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Daniel 4:2 HEB: (עִלָּאָ֑ה ק) שְׁפַ֥ר קָֽדָמַ֖י לְהַחֲוָיָֽה׃ NAS: It has seemed good to me to declare KJV: I thought it good to shew INT: God high has seemed thought to shew Daniel 4:27 Daniel 6:1 3 Occurrences |
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