Bible Word Study
קְבַל
qᵉbal · to acquire
קְבַל
to acquire
Definition
The Aramaic verb קְבַל (qᵉbal) primarily means 'to receive' or 'to take' something that is given or offered. In Daniel 2:6, it describes receiving a reward from the king. In Daniel 7:18, it carries the sense of 'taking possession of' a kingdom, implying the reception of authority and dominion. This verb consistently involves the act of accepting or acquiring something from an external source, often with a sense of formal or promised transfer.
Biblical Usage
This word is used exclusively in the Aramaic portions of the book of Daniel. Its usage is consistent, depicting the formal reception of something from a superior. In Daniel 2:6, the wise men are promised they will 'receive' gifts from Nebuchadnezzar. In Daniel 5:31 (numbered as 6:1 in some versions), Darius the Mede 'received' the kingdom. In Daniel 7:18, the saints of the Most High are prophesied to 'receive' the kingdom, emphasizing a divine grant of rulership.
Etymology
קְבַל (qᵉbal) is the Aramaic cognate of the Hebrew verb קָבַל (qābal, H6901), which also means 'to receive.' It belongs to a common Semitic root. In Biblical Aramaic, this verb specifically took on the nuanced meaning of receiving something formally, such as a gift, payment, or kingdom, which is reflected in its three uses in Daniel.
Semantic Range
This word is theologically significant as it is used in Daniel 7:18 to describe the ultimate transfer of kingdom authority from God to His saints. It underscores the theme of divine sovereignty—the kingdom is not taken by force but is 'received' as a gracious grant from the Most High. Understanding this term enriches the reading of Daniel's prophecies by highlighting that true power and dominion are gifts from God, not human achievements. In the ancient Near Eastern context, especially within royal courts as depicted in Daniel, 'receiving' something from a king was a formal act. It implied a legal or official transfer, whether of gifts, payment, or political authority. The use of this term for receiving a kingdom (Daniel 5:31, 7:18) reflects the cultural understanding of kingship as something granted by a higher power (either a suzerain king or a deity), not merely seized. קָבַל (qābal, H6901) — The direct Hebrew equivalent, also meaning 'to receive.' It is used in later Hebrew and Mishnaic texts but does not appear in the Hebrew Bible with this specific meaning.
Word Details
How this works
Definitions are from the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (BDB, 1906, public domain). Concordance and morphology data are from the OSHB (Open Scriptures Hebrew Bible).
Full methodology & sources →References
- Abbott-Smith, G. (1921) A Manual Greek Lexicon of the New Testament. Edinburgh: T&T Clark. [Public Domain]
- Brown, F., Driver, S.R. and Briggs, C.A. (1906) A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Oxford: Clarendon Press. [Public Domain]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Tyndale Brief lexicon of Extended Strongs for Greek (TBESG). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Tyndale House, Cambridge (n.d.) Translators Formatted full LSJ (TFLSJ). STEPBible. Available at: https://www.stepbible.org. [CC BY 4.0]
- Thayer, J.H. (1889) A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament. [Public Domain]
- Gesenius, W. (1846) Gesenius' Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament. [Public Domain]
- Dodson, J. (2010) Greek Lexicon. Biblical Humanities. [CC0]