Bible Word Study
רְגַל
rᵉgal · null
רְגַל
Definition
The Aramaic noun רְגַל (rᵉgal) means 'foot' or 'lower part,' referring literally to the human foot or the base of an object. In Daniel's visions, it specifically denotes the feet of the colossal statue in Nebuchadnezzar's dream (Daniel 2:33-34, 41-42), representing the fragile, divided kingdom of iron mixed with clay. It also describes the feet of the terrifying beasts in Daniel's apocalyptic visions (Daniel 7:4, 7, 19), emphasizing their crushing power and the instability of earthly empires.
Biblical Usage
This word is used exclusively in the Aramaic portions of the book of Daniel. Its usage is consistently literal, describing the physical feet of the statue and the visionary beasts. In Daniel 2, the feet are the focal point of the statue's weakness, being struck by the stone. In Daniel 7, the feet are mentioned as part of the terrifying anatomy of the beasts, symbolizing their destructive might and movement.
Etymology
רְגַל is the Aramaic cognate of the Hebrew noun רֶגֶל (regel, H7272), both meaning 'foot.' It derives from a common Semitic root (R-G-L) associated with walking or trampling. The Aramaic form is used in the biblical texts written in that language, showing the linguistic shift while retaining the core meaning of its Hebrew counterpart.
Semantic Range
In Daniel, 'foot' is a key symbol of instability and judgment. The feet of the statue (Daniel 2) represent the final, weak stage of human kingdoms, which God's eternal kingdom will shatter. The feet of the beasts (Daniel 7) symbolize the oppressive power of empires, which are ultimately subject to divine authority and will be destroyed. Understanding this term highlights the biblical theme of God's sovereignty over all human power structures. In the ancient Near East, the foot could symbolize subjugation (as in placing a foot on a conquered enemy) or the lowest, most vulnerable part of a structure. Daniel's audience would have understood the mixed iron and clay feet of the statue as representing a fundamentally weak and fractured political alliance, doomed to collapse. רֶגֶל (regel, H7272) — The standard Hebrew word for 'foot,' used throughout the Old Testament. כַּף (kaph, H3709) — Can mean 'palm,' 'sole,' or 'hand,' sometimes specifying the flat of the foot. פַּעַם (paʿam, H6471) — Can mean 'step,' 'footstep,' or 'time,' focusing on the action of the foot.
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]