תִּנְיָנוּת
a second time
Definition
The Aramaic noun תִּנְיָנוּת (tinyânûwth) means 'a second time' or 'again.' It denotes a repetition of an action or event, specifically a second occurrence. In its sole biblical appearance in Daniel 2:7, it is used by the Chaldeans who tell King Nebuchadnezzar, 'Tell thy servants the dream, and we will shew the interpretation.' The phrase 'tell...the dream' implies a request for him to state it a second time, as he had already related it initially (Daniel 2:3-6). The word emphasizes the demand for repetition in a high-stakes context.
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, divinatory context where the wise men of Babylon are pressured to interpret the king's dream. They ask King Nebuchadnezzar to tell the dream 'again' (Daniel 2:7), highlighting their inability to proceed without a repeated disclosure. The usage underscores a moment of desperation and failed human wisdom.
Etymology
Derived from the Aramaic root תִּנְיָן (tinyân, H8578), meaning 'second' or 'a second one.' It is related to the Hebrew numeral שֵׁנִי (shēnî, H8145) for 'second.' The formation adds a nominal suffix (-ûth) to create an abstract noun indicating the state or quality of being second, hence 'a second time' or repetition.
Semantic Range
Though a simple term for repetition, its use in Daniel 2 is theologically significant. It occurs in a narrative contrasting human limitation with divine revelation. The Chaldeans' request for the dream 'a second time' exposes their inability to know hidden things, setting the stage for Daniel's God-given interpretation (Daniel 2:19-23). This highlights that true wisdom and knowledge of the future come only from God, not from repeated human effort.
In the context of ancient Babylonian court divination, wise men (Chaldeans) were expected to interpret dreams and omens. Requesting the king to repeat a dream 'a second time' was a high-risk move, as it admitted their failure and could incur the king's wrath (Daniel 2:5, 12). This reflects the immense pressure and mortal danger faced by royal advisors in Mesopotamian culture when they could not fulfill their duties.
שֵׁנִית (shēnîth, H8145) — Hebrew adverb meaning 'again' or 'a second time,' used more frequently (e.g., Genesis 22:15). פַּעַם (paʿam, H6471) — Hebrew noun meaning 'time' or 'occurrence,' often used with numbers to indicate repetition (e.g., 'a second time' as פַּעַם שֵׁנִית in Exodus 8:32).
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 →