Aramaic word · H7001

קְטַר

vekitrin

joint

Knots, ties, from the root q-ṭ-r, 'to tie, bind'. Here it means the joints of the body. In 5:12 and 5:16 it is used figuratively for hard problems or riddles, and possibly for binding spells.

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

1) knot, joint, problem

1a) joints (of the hip)

1b) difficulties, doubts (fig)

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 5:6

Range of meaning

Knots, ties, from the root q-ṭ-r, 'to tie, bind'. Here it means the joints of the body. In 5:12 and 5:16 it is used figuratively for hard problems or riddles, and possibly for binding spells.

Against the English

KJV/WEB/YLT 'joints', NASB 'hip joints', ESV 'limbs'. BSB and NIV drop the noun and simply say his hips or legs 'gave way'. Every English version loses the literal 'knots', and so loses the link with verses 12 and 16.

How it drifted

This is not a change in meaning over time. It is a translation loss. 'Joints' is a reasonable sense, but the repeated word disappears, and with it the deliberate pun.

Used elsewhere in the period

Biblical Aramaic: only Dan 5:6, 12, 16. In 5:12 the queen says Daniel has a spirit for 'explaining riddles and loosing knots' (mᵉšārē' qiṭrîn). In 5:16 the king says to Daniel, 'you can… loose knots' (qiṭrîn lᵉmišrē'). The root means 'tie, knot' across Aramaic dialects. Later Aramaic magic bowls use 'binding' and 'knot' language for spells, and some scholars hear that overtone in 5:12, 16.

From the study of Daniel 5:12

Range of meaning

Qəṭar: knot, tie, joint (the place where things are bound together); figuratively, a knotty problem. Šərāʾ: to loosen, untie, release; also to lodge or dwell (unbinding the pack animals).

Against the English

KJV/WEB 'dissolving of doubts'. In 1611 'doubt' could mean 'a difficult point, a problem to be resolved', but today 'doubts' suggests inner uncertainty, often religious doubt. ESV 'solve problems', NIV/NLT/BSB 'solve difficult problems' and YLT 'loosing of knots' give the sense. Only YLT keeps the picture.

How it drifted

English 'doubt' lost its older sense of 'difficulty, hard question' and became mainly psychological.

Used elsewhere in the period

In this same chapter, v.6: when Belshazzar sees the hand, 'the knots (qiṭrê) of his loins were loosened (mištārayin)', meaning his hip joints gave way. Verse 16 repeats the phrase about Daniel. In Mesopotamian anti-witchcraft texts (the Maqlû series), witches 'tie knots' to bind victims and the exorcist 'releases' them (pašāru). Much later Aramaic incantation bowls and other sources also link knots with binding spells.

Where it appears

Daniel · 3

  1. Daniel 5:6 וְקִטְרֵ֤י and [the] joints of

    his face grew pale and his thoughts so alarmed him that his hips gave way and his knees knocked together.

    Here: 'And the knots of.' Literally 'knots', used here for the joints that hold the body together. The same word comes back in verses 12 and 16, where Daniel is famous for 'loosing knots', that is, solving hard problems. The narrator is setting up a pun.

  2. Daniel 5:12 קִטְרִ֗ין knots

    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: 'Knots'. This is the same noun as the 'joints' of the king's loins in v.6. It covers tangled, unsolvable problems and may also hint at binding spells (see debates).

  3. Daniel 5:16 וְקִטְרִ֣ין and knots

    But I have heard about you, that you are able to give interpretations and solve difficult problems. Therefore, if you can read this inscription and give me its interpretation, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck, and you will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.”

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