בְּנַס
to be enraged
Definition
The Hebrew verb בְּנַס (bᵉnaç) means 'to be enraged' or 'to be angry.' It specifically conveys a state of intense, provoked anger, often in a context of royal or authoritative displeasure. In its sole biblical occurrence in Daniel 2:12, it describes King Nebuchadnezzar's furious reaction to his wise men's inability to interpret his dream. The word captures not just mild irritation but a wrath that leads to a severe decree, in this case, a death sentence for all the wise men of Babylon.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in the Aramaic portion of the book of Daniel. It appears in the narrative context of a royal court crisis, where the king's anger is a direct catalyst for the plot. The usage in Daniel 2:12 ('For this cause the king was angry and very furious') shows the word functioning to escalate the narrative tension, highlighting the absolute power and volatile temper of a pagan monarch, which sets the stage for God's intervention through Daniel.
Etymology
בְּנַס (bᵉnaç) is an Aramaic word, not a classical Hebrew one, reflecting the language of the Babylonian court in the book of Daniel. Its exact derivation is uncertain, but it is cognate with other Semitic roots for anger and vexation. Its presence in the biblical text is a linguistic marker of the exilic setting, showing how the Hebrew scriptures incorporated terms from the surrounding imperial culture.
Semantic Range
While the word itself is not a primary theological term, its use in Daniel 2:12 is theologically significant. It contrasts human rage, which is destructive and arbitrary, with the sovereign wisdom and revelation of the God of Daniel. The king's 'enragement' sets in motion a chain of events that ultimately leads to the proclamation of God's eternal kingdom (Daniel 2:44). It serves as a narrative reminder that human anger often precedes divine demonstration.
In the ancient Near Eastern context, a king's anger was not a private emotion but a matter of state, carrying immediate and often lethal consequences. The use of this Aramaic term in Daniel 2:12 authentically reflects the court language and the absolute authority of the Babylonian monarch, where his personal displeasure could mandate execution for an entire class of advisors. This contrasts with modern, more individualized understandings of anger.
אָנַף (ʼānaph, H639) — A more common Hebrew verb for anger, often used of both God and humans, focusing on the flaring of nostrils. כָּעַס (kāʻaç, H3707) — To be vexed, provoked, or grieved; can imply a deeper, more troubled anger. חָרָה (ḥārâ, H2734) — To burn or be kindled with anger; emphasizes the heat and intensity of wrath.
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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