Aramaic word · H1763

דְּחַל

vedachalin

to fear

In its basic form: to fear, to be afraid, to stand in awe of. In the causative (pael) form used here: to make someone afraid, to terrify. The adjective form can mean "terrifying" (2:31; 7:7, 19).

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

Appears 6 times in 6 verses of the Aramaic of the Old Testament. ·

What it means

1) to fear

1a) (P'al)

1a1) to fear

1a2) terrible (pass participle)

1b) (Pael) to cause to be afraid, make afraid

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 Daniel 4:5

Range of meaning

In its basic form: to fear, to be afraid, to stand in awe of. In the causative (pael) form used here: to make someone afraid, to terrify. The adjective form can mean "terrifying" (2:31; 7:7, 19).

Against the English

BSB and KJV render it accurately ("frightened," "made me afraid").

Used elsewhere in the period

In Daniel the root forms a thread through the Aramaic chapters. The statue (2:31) and the fourth beast (7:7, 19) are "terrifying." All peoples "trembled and feared" before Nebuchadnezzar (5:19). Darius decrees that all should "tremble and fear" before the God of Daniel (6:26).

From the study of Daniel 7:7

Range of meaning

dəḥîl is the passive participle of 'to fear': feared, dreadful, something to be afraid of. ʾêmtān (only here) is related to Hebrew ʾêmâ, 'terror, dread', and means terrifying.

Against the English

KJV 'dreadful and terrible'. BSB 'terrifying—dreadful'. WEB 'awesome'. KJV's 'terrible' meant 'inspiring terror', but now usually means 'very bad'. WEB's 'awesome' is technically right ('inspiring awe or dread') but in current English sounds like praise.

How it drifted

In English, 'terrible' and 'awesome' have both weakened from 'inspiring terror or awe' into general words for 'bad' and 'great'.

Used elsewhere in the period

dəḥîl describes the statue's appearance in 2:31. The verb dəḥal describes people trembling before Nebuchadnezzar (5:19) and the decree that all must 'tremble and fear before the God of Daniel' (6:26). Hebrew ʾêmâ: 'dread and great darkness' fell on Abram (Gen 15:12); 'terror and dread' fall on Israel's enemies (Exod 15:16).

Similar words

Where it appears

Daniel · 6

  1. Daniel 2:31 דְּחִֽיל׃ [was] terrible

    As you, O king, were watching, a great statue appeared. A great and dazzling statue stood before you, and its form was awesome.

  2. Daniel 4:5 וִֽידַחֲלִנַּ֑נִי and it made afraid me

    I had a dream, and it frightened me; while I was in my bed, the images and visions in my mind alarmed me.

    Here: "And it made me afraid." This is the causative form of the ordinary Aramaic verb for fear. The dream is the subject: it acts on the king. The same root is used in 5:19 for the nations who "feared" Nebuchadnezzar, so here the man everyone feared is himself frightened.

  3. Daniel 5:19 וְדָחֲלִ֖ין and fearing

    Because of the greatness that He bestowed on him, the people of every nation and language trembled in fear before him. He killed whom he wished and kept alive whom he wished; he exalted whom he wished and humbled whom he wished.

  4. Daniel 6:26 וְדָ֣חֲלִ֔ין and fearing

    I hereby decree that in every part of my kingdom, men are to tremble in fear before the God of Daniel: For He is the living God, and He endures forever; His kingdom will never be destroyed, and His dominion will never end.

    Here: Fear in the sense of submission and reverence owed to a sovereign: real dread joined to deference.

  5. Daniel 7:7 דְּחִילָה֩ [was] fearful

    After this, as I watched in my vision in the night, suddenly a fourth beast appeared, and it was terrifying—dreadful and extremely strong—with large iron teeth. It devoured and crushed; then it trampled underfoot whatever was left. It was different from all the beasts before it, and it had ten horns.

    Here: Literally 'feared', meaning something people dread. The same word describes the frightening appearance of the great statue in 2:31.

  6. Daniel 7:19 דְּחִילָ֣ה [it was] terrible

    Then I wanted to know the true meaning of the fourth beast, which was different from all the others—extremely terrifying—devouring and crushing with iron teeth and bronze claws, then trampling underfoot whatever was left.

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