אֲלַף
Definition
The Aramaic noun אֲלַף (ʼălaph) means 'thousand' and is used exclusively in the Aramaic portions of the book of Daniel. It functions identically to its Hebrew counterpart (אֶלֶף, H505), denoting the number one thousand. In its two occurrences, it is used in large, symbolic counts. In Daniel 5:1, it describes the 'thousand' lords at Belshazzar's feast, emphasizing the vast scale of the king's gathering. In Daniel 7:10, it appears in a divine courtroom vision where 'thousand thousands' ministered to the Ancient of Days, portraying an innumerable, heavenly host.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only twice, both times in the Aramaic sections of Daniel. It appears in narrative (Daniel 5:1) to quantify a large, earthly assembly and in apocalyptic vision (Daniel 7:10) to express an incalculable, heavenly multitude. The pattern shows its use for emphasizing magnitude, whether in a historical or a prophetic, symbolic context.
Etymology
אֲלַף is the direct Aramaic cognate of the Hebrew noun אֶלֶף (H505), both meaning 'thousand.' It derives from a common Semitic root ('-l-p) associated with the number. In some contexts, the related root can imply 'learning' or 'taming' (as in an ox, a 'thousand'), but in its numeral use in Biblical Aramaic, it functions simply as the cardinal number.
Semantic Range
While the word itself is a numeral, its use in Daniel 7:10 carries significant theological weight. The phrase 'thousand thousands' serving God portrays the infinite majesty, sovereignty, and glory of the divine court. It underscores the limitless resources and attendants at God's command, contrasting the finite power of earthly kingdoms and enriching the reader's understanding of God's transcendent authority as depicted in apocalyptic literature.
In the ancient Near East, large round numbers like 'a thousand' were often used rhetorically to convey a vast, impressive, or uncountable multitude rather than a precise census figure. This cultural understanding of numerical hyperbole is key to interpreting both its use for Belshazzar's guests and the angelic host in the vision.
אֶלֶף (ʼeleph, H505) — The direct Hebrew equivalent, used hundreds of times throughout the Old Testament with the same meaning of 'thousand.'
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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