קְרָב
Definition
The Hebrew noun קְרָב (qᵉrâb) refers to a battle, war, or conflict. In its single biblical occurrence in Daniel 7:21, it describes the intense, ongoing warfare waged by the 'little horn' against the saints. The word conveys the concept of a close, engaged, and hostile struggle. As an Aramaic loanword used in the Hebrew Bible, it carries the same martial sense as its Hebrew counterpart, emphasizing direct confrontation.
Biblical Usage
This word is used only once in the Old Testament, in the Aramaic portion of the book of Daniel. It appears in Daniel 7:21 within a prophetic vision, specifically describing the aggressive actions of a persecuting power: 'I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them.' Its usage is entirely within the context of apocalyptic conflict between oppressive kingdoms and God's people.
Etymology
קְרָב (qᵉrâb) is an Aramaic word that corresponds directly to the Hebrew noun קְרָב (qerab, H7128). Both words derive from the root קרב (qrb), meaning 'to draw near' or 'to approach.' The semantic development moved from the physical act of drawing near to the specific context of drawing near for battle, hence 'war' or 'close combat.'
Semantic Range
Though used only once, this word is theologically significant as it appears in a key apocalyptic vision (Daniel 7) concerning the conflict between earthly kingdoms and God's eternal kingdom. It underscores the reality of spiritual warfare and persecution faced by God's people throughout history. Understanding this term enriches the reading of Daniel by highlighting the intense, adversarial nature of the struggle, which is ultimately resolved by divine judgment and the establishment of God's everlasting dominion.
In its ancient Near Eastern context, 'war' was understood as a direct, often divinely sanctioned, contest between nations and their patron gods. The depiction in Daniel 7 fits within this worldview but subverts it by showing that the true victory belongs solely to the 'Ancient of Days' and His saints, not to the seemingly powerful earthly empires.
מִלְחָמָה (milchamah, H4421) — The most common Hebrew word for war, denoting a larger-scale campaign or battle. קְרָב (qerab, H7128) — The direct Hebrew counterpart, emphasizing close, hand-to-hand combat or engagement.
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.
Full methodology & sources →