Lexical Summary beesh: Ashamed, shameful Original Word: בְּאֵשׁ Strong's Exhaustive Concordance displease (Aramaic) corresponding to ba'ash -- displease. see HEBREW ba'ash NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to baash Definition to be evil, bad NASB Translation distressed (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs בְּאֵשׁ verb be evil, bad (so ᵑ7; Syriac  ; Old Aramaic באש Lzb238 SAC27 Cooke191; compare Biblical Hebrew); — Pe`al Perfect3masculine singular impersonal עֲלוֺהִי ׳ב Daniel 6:15 i.e. it was evil (displeasing) to him (compare Biblical Hebrew [רעע] 1). Topical Lexicon Hebrew term and semantic nuance בְּאֵשׁ conveys a sudden, penetrating anguish or vexation that burns within the heart. The imagery is of an internal “flare-up” of emotion rather than a passing annoyance, portraying the kind of searing distress that forces a decisive response. Biblical occurrence Daniel 6:14 records the sole appearance: “When the king heard this, he was deeply distressed; he set his mind on rescuing Daniel, and he labored until sunset to deliver him” (Berean Standard Bible). The narrative takes place in the Aramaic section of Daniel (Daniel 2–7), during the reign of Darius the Mede over the conquered Babylonian Empire. Literary and theological context 1. Crisis of an irrevocable decree: The king’s anguish erupts the moment he realizes the legal trap he has unwittingly sprung on his most faithful administrator. The verb marks the pivot from confident royal authority to helplessness before an unalterable law (Daniel 6:8, 12). Historical insights In Medo-Persian jurisprudence a signed edict bore the force of divine law (cf. Esther 1:19; Esther 8:8). Darius’ intense grief reveals how even autocrats could be trapped by their own system. The word underlines that genuine moral conscience existed among pagan rulers, testifying to the universal imprint of God’s law on the human heart (Romans 2:14–15). Doctrinal significance • Human responsibility: The king’s distress sprang from self-reproach (“with himself,” Daniel 6:14, KJV), teaching that remorse over sin and folly is right and necessary. Ministry applications 1. Conviction that leads to action: Like Darius, leaders today must allow godly grief to move them toward justice, even when their own decisions caused the crisis. Intertextual parallels • Pharaoh’s night of turmoil preceding the Exodus (Exodus 12:30). Each scene features rulers in inner torment, highlighting God’s ability to stir the hearts of kings (Proverbs 21:1). Summary בְּאֵשׁ captures the moment when prideful authority meets moral reality and is pierced with burning regret. Its single appearance in Daniel 6:14 serves as a vivid thread in the tapestry of Scripture, showing that every human heart is accessible to God’s convicting fire and that such distress, when rightly directed, can become the catalyst for deliverance and the display of divine glory. Forms and Transliterations בְּאֵ֣שׁ באש bə’êš bə·’êš beEshLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Daniel 6:14 HEB: שְׁמַ֗ע שַׂגִּיא֙ בְּאֵ֣שׁ עֲל֔וֹהִי וְעַ֧ל NAS: he was deeply distressed and set KJV: was sore displeased with himself, and set INT: heard was deeply distressed on about |
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