דִּכֵּן
this
Definition
The Aramaic pronoun דִּכֵּן (dikkên) is a demonstrative pronoun meaning 'this' or 'that,' used to point out a specific object or person in a narrative. It functions similarly to the English 'this one' or 'that one,' serving to identify and emphasize a particular referent within the text. In the Book of Daniel, it is used exclusively to refer to key symbolic figures in Nebuchadnezzar's dream and Daniel's own visions, such as the statue (Daniel 2:31) and the boastful horn (Daniel 7:20-21). Its usage consistently highlights a specific, often ominous, element within a prophetic revelation.
Biblical Usage
This word appears only three times in the Old Testament, all within the Aramaic portions of the Book of Daniel. It is used in visionary contexts to definitively point to a specific symbolic entity that is the subject of the prophecy. In Daniel 2:31, it introduces the great statue in Nebuchadnezzar's dream: 'You saw, O king, and behold, a great image. This great image...' (ESV). In Daniel 7:20-21, it twice points to the 'horn' that was speaking arrogantly and making war against the saints, focusing the reader's attention on this antagonist.
Etymology
דִּכֵּן (dikkên) is an Aramaic word, a lengthened or emphatic form of the basic demonstrative pronoun דֵּךְ (dêk, H1791), which also means 'this' or 'that.' This formation adds emphasis or specificity. It is a cognate of the Hebrew demonstrative זֶה (zeh, H2088), though used in the Aramaic sections of Scripture. The development from דֵּךְ to דִּכֵּן follows a common Aramaic pattern for creating a more definitive or weighty demonstrative form.
Semantic Range
While a pronoun, דִּכֵּן holds theological significance in its specific context. In Daniel's apocalyptic visions, it is the word God uses to pinpoint the central symbols of human kingdoms and their opposition to God's eternal reign. By understanding that this word emphatically means 'this one,' readers see how the prophecy deliberately focuses on specific elements—like the statue representing successive empires or the little horn representing a persecuting ruler—that are set in contrast to God's coming kingdom. It underscores the precision and intentionality of divine revelation.
As an Aramaic term, דִּכֵּן reflects the linguistic shift during the Babylonian exile, when Aramaic became a common language of diplomacy and literature. Its use in Daniel aligns with the book's historical setting and its address to both Jewish exiles and the imperial court. The emphatic form may carry a rhetorical force familiar in Aramaic legal or descriptive discourse, used to make an unambiguous identification, which is fitting for interpreting dreams and visions where clarity is paramount.
דֵּךְ (dêk, H1791) — The base Aramaic demonstrative pronoun from which דִּכֵּן is derived, meaning 'this' or 'that.' זֶה (zeh, H2088) — The primary Hebrew demonstrative pronoun ('this'), a functional equivalent in Hebrew passages. הוּא (hû', H1931) — The third-person masculine pronoun ('he,' 'it'), which can also be used demonstratively ('that one') in some contexts, but is less specific.
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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