תְּבַר
to be fragile (figuratively)
Definition
The Aramaic verb תְּבַר (tᵉbar) means 'to be fragile' or 'to be broken' in a figurative sense. It describes something that is inherently weak, brittle, or easily shattered, often used to characterize the instability or composite nature of a kingdom or power. Its sole biblical occurrence is in Daniel 2:42, where it describes the 'toes of the feet' in Nebuchadnezzar's dream statue as being partly 'of iron and partly of clay,' so the kingdom shall be 'partly strong, and partly broken' (or fragile). This usage emphasizes a fundamental internal weakness that leads to collapse.
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 interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream (Daniel 2:42) to describe the fragile, mixed nature of a future kingdom symbolized by iron mixed with clay. The context is prophetic and political, diagnosing the inherent instability of a regime built on incompatible elements.
Etymology
תְּבַר is an Aramaic verb, corresponding to the Hebrew verb שָׁבַר (shavar, H7665), which means 'to break, shatter, or crush.' While the Hebrew root is common and often physical, the Aramaic תְּבַר in its biblical usage takes on a more specific figurative sense of being fragile or brittle, highlighting a state of weakness.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it is used in a key prophetic vision about the succession of earthly kingdoms and God's ultimate sovereignty. In Daniel 2, the fragility (תְּבַר) of the mixed-iron-and-clay kingdom contrasts with the enduring, unbreakable kingdom that God will establish (Daniel 2:44). It teaches that human power structures, especially those built on compromise and internal division, are inherently weak and destined to fail, pointing to the need for God's eternal kingdom.
In the ancient Near Eastern context of Daniel, statues and idols made of mixed or inferior materials were understood as less valuable and less durable. The imagery of iron mixed with clay would immediately communicate structural weakness and unsoundness to the original audience. The dream interpretation uses this cultural understanding of materials to convey a political prophecy about an unstable empire.
שָׁבַר (shavar, H7665) — The common Hebrew root meaning 'to break, shatter'; typically refers to physical breaking.
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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