Aramaic word · H1922

הֲדַר

vehaderet

to honor

In the intensive (Pael) form, 'to honor, glorify', literally 'to ascribe hadar'. The noun hadar means splendor or majesty, especially royal majesty (Aramaic Daniel 4:30, 36; 5:18; in Hebrew, Psalm 96:6; 104:1).

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

Appears 3 times in 3 verses of the Aramaic of the Old Testament. ·

What it means

(Pael) to glorify (God)

Aramaic of ha.dar (הָדַר "to honor" H1921)

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 4:34

Range of meaning

In the intensive (Pael) form, 'to honor, glorify', literally 'to ascribe hadar'. The noun hadar means splendor or majesty, especially royal majesty (Aramaic Daniel 4:30, 36; 5:18; in Hebrew, Psalm 96:6; 104:1).

Against the English

English versions give 'honored' or 'glorified', which is accurate. In translation, though, the wordplay with 4:30 and 4:36 is lost.

Used elsewhere in the period

Daniel 4:30: Babylon built 'by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty (hadri)'. Daniel 4:36: 'my majesty (hadri) and splendor returned to me'. Daniel 5:18: God gave Nebuchadnezzar 'kingship, greatness, glory and majesty (hadrah)'.

Where it appears

Daniel · 3

  1. Daniel 4:34 וְהַדְּרֵ֑ת and I glorified

    But at the end of those days I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven, and my sanity was restored to me. Then I praised the Most High, and I honored and glorified Him who lives forever: “For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation.

    Here: 'And I glorified', literally 'ascribed majesty (hadar) to'. In 4:30 he built Babylon 'for the glory of my majesty (hadri)'. Now he gives that majesty to God.

  2. Daniel 4:37 וּמְהַדַּר֙ and [am] glorifying

    Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, for all His works are true and all His ways are just. And He is able to humble those who walk in pride.

    Here: 'And honoring.' The root is hadar, majesty or splendor. The king boasted of building Babylon 'for the glory of my majesty (hadri)' (4:30), and his hadar was given back to him (4:36). Now he gives hadar to God.

  3. Daniel 5:23 הַדַּֽרְתָּ׃ you have glorified

    Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. The vessels from His house were brought to you, and as you drank wine from them with your nobles, wives, and concubines, you praised your gods of silver and gold, bronze and iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand. But you have failed to glorify the God who holds in His hand your very breath and all your ways.

    Here: 'You have honored.' The verb means to give someone the majesty and honor due to them. Nebuchadnezzar did this for God (4:34, 37), and Belshazzar has withheld it. It is the last word of the charge.

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