Aramaic word · H3861

לָהֵן

lahen

except

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

Appears 7 times in 7 verses of the Aramaic of the Old Testament. ·

What it means

1) therefore

2) except, but

2a) except (with negative)

2b) however, but

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

Where it appears

Ezra · 1

  1. Ezra 5:12 לָהֵ֗ן but

    But since our fathers angered the God of heaven, He delivered them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Chaldean who destroyed this temple and carried away the people to Babylon.

Daniel · 6

  1. Daniel 2:11 לָהֵ֣ן except

    What the king requests is so difficult that no one can tell it to him except the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortals.”

    Here: "Except." After a negative it opens the single exception, which turns out to be no help to anyone in the room.

  2. Daniel 2:30 לָהֵ֗ן but

    And to me this mystery has been revealed, not because I have more wisdom than any man alive, but in order that the interpretation might be made known to the king, and that you may understand the thoughts of your mind.

  3. Daniel 3:28 לָהֵ֖ן except

    Nebuchadnezzar declared, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him. They violated the king’s command and risked their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.

    Here: "Except." It marks the one exception that makes their loyalty exclusive.

  4. Daniel 6:5 לָהֵ֕ן except

    Finally these men said, “We will never find any charge against this Daniel unless we find something against him concerning the law of his God.”

    Here: “Unless, except.” It turns the sentence: the only opening they have left.

  5. Daniel 6:7 לָהֵן֙ except

    All the royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers, and governors have agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce a decree that for thirty days anyone who petitions any god or man except you, O king, will be thrown into the den of lions.

    Here: 'Except': the one exception that turns the ban into flattery of the king.

  6. Daniel 6:12 לָהֵן֙ except

    So they approached the king and asked about his royal decree: “Did you not sign a decree that for thirty days any man who petitions any god or man except you, O king, will be thrown into the den of lions?” The king replied, “According to the law of the Medes and Persians the order stands, and it cannot be repealed.”

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