רְגַז
violent anger
Definition
רְגַז (rᵉgaz) refers to a state of intense, often violent anger or rage. In its sole biblical occurrence in Daniel 3:13, it describes the furious emotional state of King Nebuchadnezzar when he learns that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego have refused to worship his golden image. The word conveys not just irritation but a deep, agitated wrath that prompts severe action. As an Aramaic loanword used in the biblical text, it carries the same forceful connotation as its Hebrew root.
Biblical Usage
This word appears only once in the Old Testament, in the Aramaic portion of the book of Daniel. It is used in a royal, judicial context to describe the king's reaction to perceived disobedience and defiance of his decree. The usage in Daniel 3:13 directly sets the stage for the confrontation and the fiery furnace punishment, highlighting the grave danger the three Hebrew men faced from the monarch's unchecked rage.
Etymology
רְגַז is an Aramaic noun derived from the verbal root רְגַז (H7265), meaning 'to be agitated,' 'to tremble,' or 'to be angry.' This root conveys a sense of quaking or shaking, whether from fear or fury. The noun form used in Daniel thus captures the inner turmoil and violent agitation characteristic of intense anger. It is a cognate with the Hebrew verb רָגַז (ragaz, H7264), which carries similar meanings of trembling and agitation.
Semantic Range
This word, though used only once, is theologically significant as it portrays the rage of human authority against faithful obedience to God. Nebuchadnezzar's רְגַז stands in stark contrast to the calm faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who trust God despite the king's wrath. It underscores the theme of earthly powers opposing divine command and highlights the courage required to remain faithful under the threat of violent persecution. Understanding this intense emotion deepens our appreciation for the resolve of these men and God's ultimate deliverance.
In the ancient Near Eastern context, a monarch's rage was a fearsome and deadly force, often resulting in immediate execution. Nebuchadnezzar's absolute power meant his anger was not a private emotion but a public decree with life-or-death consequences. The use of this strong Aramaic term would have immediately conveyed to the original audience the extreme peril of the situation, far beyond mere displeasure.
אַף (aph, H639) — often 'nose' or 'face,' but frequently denotes anger as a burning of the nostrils; a very common term for wrath. חֵמָה (chemah, H2534) — heat, fury, often used for God's burning anger or intense human wrath. קֶצֶף (qetseph, H7110) — wrath, rage, often sudden outbursts of anger.
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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