Aramaic word · H1297

בְּרַם

beram

nevertheless

An adversative particle, 'however, nevertheless, but indeed', found only in Biblical Aramaic (Ezra 5:13; Dan 2:28; 4:15/12, 23/20; 5:17). It marks a decisive contrast with what has just been said.

A Biblical Aramaic word, from the parts of the Old Testament written in Aramaic. Why Aramaic?

Appears 5 times in 5 verses of the Aramaic of the Old Testament. ·

What it means

only, nevertheless, but

Abridged from Brown, Driver and Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (1906), via STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0).

In depth

From the study of Ezra 5:13

Range of meaning

An adversative particle, 'however, nevertheless, but indeed', found only in Biblical Aramaic (Ezra 5:13; Dan 2:28; 4:15/12, 23/20; 5:17). It marks a decisive contrast with what has just been said.

Against the English

KJV, WEB and YLT have 'But', placing it first as the Aramaic does. BSB moves it to 'however' mid-sentence, which is smooth but softens the sharp pivot at the start.

Used elsewhere in the period

In Daniel 2:28 it introduces the turn from human helplessness to 'However, there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries'. It is a Persian-era Aramaic word that later fell out of use.

Where it appears

Ezra · 1

  1. Ezra 5:13 בְּרַם֙ nevertheless

    In the first year of his reign, however, Cyrus king of Babylon issued a decree to rebuild this house of God.

    Here: A strong 'but' that turns the story around. Verse 12 ended with the temple destroyed and the people deported; this word opens the reversal: that was not the end of the matter.

Daniel · 4

  1. Daniel 2:28 בְּרַ֡ם nevertheless

    But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the latter days. Your dream and the visions that came into your mind as you lay on your bed were these:

    Here: A strong 'but' that turns against verse 27: no human expert can tell the king his dream, *however* someone can. It sets up the whole contrast of the chapter.

  2. Daniel 4:15 בְּרַ֨ם nevertheless

    But leave the stump with its roots in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze around it, in the tender grass of the field. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven and graze with the beasts on the grass of the earth.

    Here: A strong 'but' that turns the decree. After the orders of verse 14 to cut, strip and scatter, this word sets a limit on the destruction: not everything is to be wiped out.

  3. Daniel 4:23 בְּרַ֨ם nevertheless

    And you, O king, saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying: ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump with its roots in the ground, with a band of iron and bronze around it, in the tender grass of the field. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and graze with the beasts of the field till seven times pass him by.’

    Here: A strong 'but, however' that turns the sentence. The destruction has a limit.

  4. Daniel 5:17 בְּרַ֗ם nevertheless

    In response, Daniel said to the king, “You may keep your gifts for yourself and give your rewards to someone else. Nevertheless, I will read the inscription for the king and interpret it for him.

Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.