Aramaic word · H3493

יַתִּיר

yatir

preeminent

Surpassing, exceeding, beyond the normal amount or degree. As an adverb (feminine yattîrâ) it means 'exceedingly'. It is related to the Hebrew root ytr ('to remain over, exceed'; yeter, 'excess, preeminence'). It measures amount or intensity and says nothing about moral quality.

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

Appears 8 times in 8 verses of the Aramaic of the Old Testament. ·

What it means

adj

1) pre-eminent, surpassing, extreme, extraordinary

adv

2) exceedingly, extremely

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 5:12

Range of meaning

Surpassing, exceeding, beyond the normal amount or degree. As an adverb (feminine yattîrâ) it means 'exceedingly'. It is related to the Hebrew root ytr ('to remain over, exceed'; yeter, 'excess, preeminence'). It measures amount or intensity and says nothing about moral quality.

Against the English

KJV and ESV say 'excellent'. In 1611 'excellent' still meant 'excelling, surpassing others' (from Latin excellere, 'to rise above'). Today it mostly means 'very good, high-quality'. BSB 'extraordinary' and NASB 'extraordinary' keep the original sense better. NIV avoids the word with 'a keen mind'.

How it drifted

English 'excellent' has narrowed from 'exceeding others' to a general word of praise. Since then a popular idea of a 'spirit of excellence' (high standards, a good attitude, work ethic) has formed around the KJV phrase.

Used elsewhere in the period

Within Biblical Aramaic, Daniel uses it for: the statue's 'extraordinary' brightness (2:31); the furnace heated 'exceedingly' (3:22); 'extraordinary greatness' added to Nebuchadnezzar (4:36 Eng); Daniel's 'surpassing wisdom' (5:14); his 'extraordinary spirit' (6:3); and the fourth beast 'exceedingly dreadful' (7:7, 19). It also appears in Imperial Aramaic documents in the sense 'more, excessive' (HALOT). Theodotion's Greek renders it perissos ('beyond the usual, abundant'), and the Vulgate has amplior ('greater, fuller').

Where it appears

Daniel · 8

  1. Daniel 2:31 יַתִּ֖יר extraordinary

    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 3:22 יַתִּ֑ירָא exceedingly

    The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the fiery flames killed the men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

  3. Daniel 4:36 יַתִּירָ֖ה surpassing

    At the same time my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne, and surpassing greatness was added to me.

  4. Daniel 5:12 יַתִּירָ֡ה extraordinary

    did this because Daniel, the one he named Belteshazzar, was found to have an extraordinary spirit, as well as knowledge, understanding, and the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems. Summon Daniel, therefore, and he will give you the interpretation.”

    Here: 'Beyond normal measure.' His spirit goes past what ordinary human experts have. The same word describes the fourth beast as 'exceedingly' dreadful in 7:19, so it measures degree, not moral goodness.

  5. Daniel 5:14 יַתִּירָ֖ה extraordinary

    I have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that you have insight, intelligence, and extraordinary wisdom.

    Here: "Beyond measure, more than normal." The same word describes Daniel's "excellent spirit" in 5:12 and 6:3. It marks his wisdom as more than human.

  6. Daniel 6:3 יַתִּירָא֙ extraordinary

    Soon, by his extraordinary spirit, Daniel distinguished himself among the administrators and satraps. So the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.

    Here: 'Surpassing, beyond the ordinary'. Elsewhere in Daniel it describes the dazzling brightness of the statue (2:31), the furnace heated 'exceedingly' (3:22) and the fourth beast as 'exceedingly' terrifying (7:19). The word describes something out of normal range, not merely 'good'.

  7. Daniel 7:7 יַתִּ֗ירָא exceedingly

    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: 'Exceedingly'. It intensifies 'strong': strength beyond the ordinary. Elsewhere in Daniel it describes extraordinary spirit or wisdom (5:12; 6:3) and the furnace heated beyond measure (3:22).

  8. Daniel 7:19 יַתִּ֗ירָה exceedingly

    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.