Lexical Summary tera: Gate, entrance Original Word: תְּרַע Strong's Exhaustive Concordance gate mouth (Aramaic) corresponding to sha'ar; a door; by implication, a palace -- gate mouth. see HEBREW sha'ar NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to shaar Definition gate, door NASB Translation court (1), door (1). Topical Lexicon Meaning and Symbolismתְּרַע denotes a physical gateway or doorway, yet in Scripture a gate is never merely architectural. It marks the point of access to power, justice, refuge, and revelation. At a gate elders deliberate (Ruth 4:1), kings dispense verdicts (2 Samuel 19:8), and worshipers enter courts of praise (Psalm 100:4). The term therefore carries the layered sense of place, authority, and encounter with either a human potentate or the living God. Occurrences in Daniel 1. Daniel 2:49 situates Daniel “at the king’s gate”, the administrative threshold of Nebuchadnezzar’s court. Having interpreted the dream, Daniel is placed where petitions meet royal decree. The location underscores both the favor granted to God’s servant and the immediacy of Daniel’s witness before pagan authority. 2. Daniel 3:26 narrates Nebuchadnezzar approaching “the door of the burning fiery furnace” to summon Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. The same noun marks the boundary between certain death and miraculous deliverance. The sovereign’s command is spoken at the very point where God’s power has overruled his previous edict. Historical Context of Babylonian Gates Babylon’s grandeur was announced by imposing portals—massive wooden leaves overlaid with bronze, mounted on stone hinges, and flanked by reliefs of lions or bulls. The Ishtar Gate, contemporaneous with Daniel, opened to the Processional Way, leading to palatial complexes and temples. To stand at such a gate meant proximity to imperial authority, heightened security, and ceremonial display. Daniel’s post therefore involved constant exposure to diplomatic traffic and governance; the furnace door likewise reflected the empire’s technological prowess in metallurgy yet became a stage for demonstrating a higher Lordship. Theological Reflections • Sovereignty of God: Human gates symbolize control, yet in both passages God decisively overrules. Daniel advises policy from inside Babylon’s gate; the three Hebrews exit a furnace gate untouched. Earthly thresholds cannot bar divine purpose. • Witness in Exile: The faithful serve within cultural power structures without compromise. Daniel does not retreat from the gate; the men in the furnace do not refuse the king’s summons. Their steadfastness turns the gate into a platform for testimony. • Judgment and Mercy: A gate can signify either condemnation or acceptance. Nebuchadnezzar meant the furnace door for execution; God transformed it into a passageway of life. The pattern anticipates the ultimate judgment where Christ Himself becomes the Door (John 10:9). Practical Ministry Insights 1. Placement: Believers often find themselves “at the gate” of secular institutions—schools, governments, marketplaces. Like Daniel, they may exercise influence precisely because they are present where decisions are shaped. 2. Courage at the Threshold: Gates can be intimidating; the furnace door certainly was. Ministry frequently requires standing firm at the point where cultural pressure is hottest, confident that God’s presence transcends any boundary. 3. Intercessory Function: Daniel’s station enabled him to intercede for his companions. Those positioned at strategic gateways today—whether physical, digital, or relational—have unique opportunities to advocate for others before worldly powers. Broader Biblical Connections • Gates of righteousness open for the worshiper (Psalm 118:19). The pattern moves from literal structures to cosmic realities, yet the underlying truth endures: every gate ultimately answers to God’s authority. Christological Foreshadowing Daniel’s narrative prefigures the gospel in which access to the true King is granted not through human architecture but through the Person of Jesus Christ. “I am the Gate; whoever enters through Me will be saved” (John 10:9). The New Testament fulfillment gives permanent, fearless entrance to the presence of God, surpassing the provisional gates of Babylon. Summary Strong’s Hebrew 8651 portrays more than a doorway; it frames decisive moments where divine providence meets earthly power. Whether facilitating Daniel’s righteous governance or heralding miraculous deliverance from a fiery furnace, the gate becomes a witness to God’s unwavering rule and a call for His people to serve faithfully at every threshold He assigns. Forms and Transliterations בִּתְרַ֥ע בתרע לִתְרַע֮ לתרע biṯ·ra‘ bitRa biṯra‘ liṯ·ra‘ litRa liṯra‘Links Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Daniel 2:49 HEB: נְג֑וֹ וְדָנִיֵּ֖אל בִּתְרַ֥ע מַלְכָּֽא׃ פ NAS: [was] at the king's court. KJV: but Daniel [sat] in the gate of the king. INT: and Abed-nego Daniel court the king's Daniel 3:26 2 Occurrences |
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