Aramaic word · H8271

שְׁרָא

shere'

to loose

The Aramaic root šrʾ means 'to loosen, untie, release'. It can also mean 'to lodge, dwell', literally 'to unloose' baggage at a stopping place (Dan 2:22, light 'dwells' with God). Daniel also uses it for joints going slack in terror (5:6) and for 'untying knots', meaning solving riddles (5:12, 16).

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

Appears 6 times in 6 verses of the Aramaic of the Old Testament. ·

What it means

1) to loosen, abide, begin

1a) (P'al)

1a1) to loosen

1a2) to abide (from loosing girths for camp)

1b) (Pael) to begin, open

1c) (Ithpael) to be loosened

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 3:25

Range of meaning

The Aramaic root šrʾ means 'to loosen, untie, release'. It can also mean 'to lodge, dwell', literally 'to unloose' baggage at a stopping place (Dan 2:22, light 'dwells' with God). Daniel also uses it for joints going slack in terror (5:6) and for 'untying knots', meaning solving riddles (5:12, 16).

Against the English

KJV/WEB/YLT 'loose' and BSB/NIV 'unbound' are both accurate. 'Loose' can sound to modern ears like 'roaming free', which is not wrong, but the main point is 'untied'.

Used elsewhere in the period

Elsewhere in Daniel: 2:22; 5:6, 12, 16. Ezra 5:2 uses the Pael for 'began', literally 'loosened (into action)'.

From the study of Daniel 5:6

Range of meaning

To loose, untie, release. Also to dwell, lodge, settle, from the picture of unloading pack animals (2:22, 'light dwells with him'). The Hithpael form here is passive: 'be loosed, come apart'.

Against the English

KJV 'were loosed', NASB 'went slack', BSB 'gave way', NLT 'gave way beneath him'. All give the sense of collapse. Only the KJV-family 'loosed' keeps the verb that echoes 5:12 and 5:16.

Used elsewhere in the period

In Daniel it is used for loosening (5:6, 12, 16), for releasing from bonds (3:25, the men in the furnace 'loose', walking about), and for dwelling (2:22). It is the ordinary verb for untying in Aramaic.

From the study of Ezra 5:2

Range of meaning

Basic stem: to loosen or untie; passive, "loosed, unbound" (Daniel 3:25, the men walking "unbound" in the fire); to dwell or lodge (Daniel 2:22, light "dwells" with God). Intensive stem: to untie (Daniel 5:12, 16, "untying knots," meaning solving riddles); to begin (only here in Biblical Aramaic).

Against the English

Every major English version has "began" or something close, and that is correct. The literal sense "loosen" sits behind the word but is not a second meaning here. Translating it "they unleashed the building" would read too much into it.

Used elsewhere in the period

In later Jewish Aramaic, such as the Targums (Aramaic translations of the Hebrew Bible), and in Syriac, the intensive form of this verb is the ordinary word for "begin" (HALOT, Biblical Aramaic section; Payne Smith). Ezra 5:2 is the earliest biblical example of a usage that later became standard.

Where it appears

Ezra · 1

  1. Ezra 5:2 וְשָׁרִ֣יו and they began

    Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel and Jeshua son of Jozadak rose up and began to rebuild the house of God in Jerusalem. And the prophets of God were with them, helping them.

    Here: "And they began." The root's basic meaning is "loosen, untie," but in this stronger verb form it means "begin," as it regularly does in later Aramaic. Paired with "arose" it describes a real start, not a vague intention.

Daniel · 5

  1. Daniel 2:22 שְׁרֵֽא׃ [is] dwelling

    He reveals the deep and hidden things; He knows what lies in darkness, and light dwells with Him.

    Here: A passive participle from a root meaning 'loosen, untie'. It grew to mean 'settle, lodge', perhaps from unloading pack animals to camp. Here it means 'is lodged' or 'abides': light has settled permanently with God.

  2. Daniel 3:25 שְׁרַ֙יִן֙ loosed

    “Look!” he exclaimed. “I see four men, unbound and unharmed, walking around in the fire—and the fourth looks like a son of the gods!”

    Here: A passive participle: 'loosed'. It answers 'bound' in vv. 21 and 23. The fire that killed the executioners (v. 22) has only undone the prisoners' ropes.

  3. Daniel 5:6 מִשְׁתָּרַ֔יִן [were] loosened

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

    Here: 'Were coming loose / being untied.' A participle, so it pictures the ongoing process of his body giving way. It is the same verb used for Daniel 'loosing knots' in 5:12 and 5:16.

  4. Daniel 5:12 וּמְשָׁרֵ֣א and loosening of

    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: 'And loosening, untying'. This is the same verb used in v.6 when the king's hip joints 'came loose' in terror. It sets up a bitter wordplay.

  5. Daniel 5:16 לְמִשְׁרֵ֑א to loosen

    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.