Lexical Summary tqoph: Cycle, Circuit, Season Original Word: תְּקֹף Strong's Exhaustive Concordance might, strength (Aramaic) corresponding to toqeph; power -- might, strength. see HEBREW toqeph Brown-Driver-Briggs תְּקָף noun [masculine] might; — construct חִסְנִי ׳בִּת Daniel 4:27, of king. [תְּקֹף] noun [masculine] id; — emphatic תָּקְמָּא Daniel 2:37. Topical Lexicon Definition and Nuanceתְּקֹף speaks of irresistible, sovereign vigor that enables dominion. It is not ordinary human stamina but a force that confers the right and ability to rule. In Scripture it is always portrayed as something God either grants or removes, never an intrinsic human possession. Scriptural Occurrences • Daniel 2:37 – “The God of heaven has given you dominion and power and strength and glory.” In the first text, תְּקֹף is explicitly conferred by God; in the second, Nebuchadnezzar boasts as though it were self-generated, setting the stage for his humbling in the verses that follow. Historical Context Both occurrences belong to the Aramaic court narratives of Daniel, set in the Neo-Babylonian Empire of the sixth century BC. Nebuchadnezzar II stood at the height of imperial expansion. The term highlights the grandeur of Babylonian hegemony yet simultaneously frames it within divine providence: the Most High “gives kingdoms to whom He will” (Daniel 4:32). Theological Insights 1. Divine Source of Authority – Human rulers may wield immense might, but that might is derivative (Daniel 2:21; Romans 13:1). Practical Applications • Leadership – Those entrusted with power in church, family, or government must remember its divine loan status, fostering humility and stewardship. Related Concepts Strength (Isaiah 40:29), Dominion (Psalm 145:13), Sovereignty (Daniel 4:35), Glory (Jeremiah 9:23-24). Summary תְּקֹף encapsulates the potent force behind rulership, used twice to display both the gift and the peril of power. Its brief scriptural footprint underscores a timeless lesson: true might is granted by God, meant for His glory, and accountable to His throne. Forms and Transliterations בִּתְקַ֥ף בתקף וְתָקְפָּ֥א ותקפא biṯ·qap̄ bitKaf biṯqap̄ vetakePa wə·ṯā·qə·pā wəṯāqəpāLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Daniel 2:37 HEB: מַלְכוּתָ֥א חִסְנָ֛א וְתָקְפָּ֥א וִֽיקָרָ֖א יְהַב־ NAS: the power, the strength and the glory; KJV: power, and strength, and glory. INT: the kingdom the power the strength and the glory has given Daniel 4:30 2 Occurrences |
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