Aramaic word · H7859
שְׂטַר
velistar-
side
Side. This is its only occurrence in biblical Aramaic. The sense is confirmed by Jewish Aramaic sṭar/sṭrā' ('side, direction') and Syriac.
A Biblical Aramaic word, from the parts of the Old Testament written in Aramaic. Why Aramaic?
Appears once in the Aramaic of the Old Testament. ·
What it means
side (Da 7:5)
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
- Range of meaning
Side. This is its only occurrence in biblical Aramaic. The sense is confirmed by Jewish Aramaic sṭar/sṭrā' ('side, direction') and Syriac.
- Against the English
Most versions: 'raised up on one side'. NLT turns it into an action ('rearing up on one side'). YLT's 'to the same authority' apparently links the word to Hebrew šōṭēr ('officer'), which is not supported by the Aramaic.
- Used elsewhere in the period
Theodotion's Greek renders it 'it stood on one part (μέρος)'. The Old Greek has 'it stood on one side (πλευρόν)'. The Vulgate has 'in parte stetit', 'it stood on a part'.
Where it appears
Daniel · 1
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Daniel 7:5 וְלִשְׂטַר־ and to a side
Suddenly another beast appeared, which looked like a bear. It was raised up on one of its sides, and it had three ribs in its mouth between its teeth. So it was told, ‘Get up and gorge yourself on flesh!’
Here: 'And on (literally 'to') a side'. This word occurs only here in biblical Aramaic, but its meaning 'side' is secure from later Aramaic and Syriac.
Word data: STEPBible.org (CC BY 4.0), main text only.