כָּרָא

כָּרָא

to grieve

Definition

The Aramaic verb כָּרָא (Kârâʼ) means to grieve, be distressed, or be troubled in spirit. It appears only once in the Bible, in Daniel 7:15, where the prophet Daniel describes his emotional state after receiving a troubling vision. The word conveys a deep, internal anguish or anxiety, specifically in response to a divine revelation that is difficult to comprehend. This grief is not a fleeting sadness but a profound disturbance of the soul caused by an encounter with the mysterious purposes of God.

Biblical Usage

This word is used only in Daniel 7:15, within the Aramaic portions of the book of Daniel. It describes Daniel's personal, emotional reaction to the apocalyptic vision of the four beasts and the Ancient of Days. The context is one of prophetic revelation, where the seer is overwhelmed and troubled by the symbolic imagery and its implications for future kingdoms and God's ultimate judgment.

Etymology

כָּרָא (Kârâʼ) is an Aramaic verb. Scholars suggest it probably corresponds to the Hebrew root כָּרָה (H3738), which means to dig or engrave, and by figurative extension, to plot or devise. The connection to grief (כָּרָא) likely comes from this sense of piercing or penetrating, metaphorically describing how distress pierces or wounds the heart. This illustrates how physical actions (digging, piercing) in Semitic languages often give rise to words for internal emotional states.

Semantic Range

This word is theologically significant as it captures the authentic human response to divine mystery and prophetic revelation. Daniel's grief (כָּרָא) in Daniel 7:15 models a posture of holy perplexity and earnest seeking before God's sovereign plans, which are sometimes terrifying or inscrutable. Understanding this term enriches reading by highlighting that even great prophets experienced deep distress when confronted with God's purposes, encouraging believers to bring their own confusion and sorrow before God in faithful inquiry. In the ancient Near Eastern context, dreams and visions were considered significant channels of divine communication. A prophet's emotional distress, as expressed by כָּרָא, was a recognized and authentic part of the revelatory experience. It signified the weight and gravity of the message received, distinguishing true divine encounters from trivial dreams. This cultural understanding validates the intensity of Daniel's reaction as a proper response to a genuine communication from God. עָצַב (ʿāṣaḇ, H6087) — A more common Hebrew verb for grieving, often implying emotional pain or vexation. יָגָה (yāḡâ, H3013) — To grieve, suffer, or be afflicted, with a focus on the experience of sorrow.

Word Details