נְתַן
give
Definition
The Aramaic word נְתַן (nᵉthan) means 'to give' and is used in contexts of granting, bestowing, or paying. In Ezra 4:13, it refers to the paying of tribute or taxes to a king, while in Ezra 7:20, it denotes the granting of funds from the royal treasury for temple service. In the book of Daniel, it carries a sense of divine bestowal, as God gives (נְתַן) kingdoms, authority, and even periods of judgment, such as in Daniel 4:17, 4:25, and 4:32. The word encompasses both human acts of giving and God's sovereign granting.
Biblical Usage
נְתַן appears exclusively in the Aramaic portions of the Old Testament (Ezra and Daniel), occurring six times. It is used in both administrative and theological contexts. In Ezra, it describes the practical giving or paying of material goods (Ezra 4:13, 7:20). In Daniel, it is used in prophetic visions to describe God's sovereign action in granting rule, wisdom, and decreeing periods of judgment (Daniel 2:16, 4:17, 4:25, 4:32). This shows a pattern from human transaction to divine dispensation.
Etymology
This word is the Aramaic cognate of the Hebrew verb נָתַן (nāthan, H5414), which also means 'to give.' Both share a common Semitic root (n-t-n). The Aramaic form נְתַן functions identically in meaning to its Hebrew counterpart but is used specifically in the Aramaic language sections of the biblical text, reflecting the linguistic context of the Persian period.
Semantic Range
In its usage in Daniel, נְתַן highlights the theme of God's sovereignty. It emphasizes that kingdoms, power, wisdom, and even times of judgment are granted by God's decree (Daniel 4:17, 4:25). This reinforces the doctrine that ultimate authority resides with God, who bestows and removes dominion according to His will. Understanding this Aramaic term enriches reading by connecting God's sovereign action in history directly to the language of 'giving.'
In the Aramaic-speaking context of the Persian Empire, 'giving' (נְתַן) often had legal and administrative connotations, such as formal grants from a king or payments to a government. This contrasts with a more general modern understanding of giving as a personal gift. In Daniel, this cultural concept of royal grant is elevated to describe the ultimate King's (God's) actions.
נָתַן (nāthan, H5414) — The direct Hebrew equivalent, used throughout the Hebrew OT. יָהַב (yahab, H3051) — Another Aramaic/Hebrew word for 'give,' often with a sense of placing or setting.
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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