Bible Word Study
שִׁתִּין
shittîyn · sixty
שִׁתִּין
sixty
Definition
The Aramaic noun שִׁתִּין (shittîyn) means 'sixty' and is used exclusively in the Aramaic portions of the Old Testament. It functions as a cardinal number, specifying a quantity of sixty. In Ezra 6:3, it refers to the height of the rebuilt temple in cubits. In Daniel 3:1, it describes the height of King Nebuchadnezzar's golden image. In Daniel 5:31, it notes the age of Darius the Mede when he began his rule. The word consistently denotes the exact numerical value of sixty in these historical and prophetic contexts.
Biblical Usage
This word appears three times, all within the Aramaic sections of the books of Ezra and Daniel. It is used in contexts of measurement and age, providing specific numerical details in royal decrees and historical narratives. In Ezra 6:3, it is part of the official dimensions for the temple. In Daniel 3:1, it specifies the imposing size of an idol. In Daniel 5:31, it gives the king's age at his accession. The usage is straightforward and numerical, without figurative meaning.
Etymology
שִׁתִּין is an Aramaic word, not Hebrew. It corresponds directly to the Hebrew cardinal number שִׁשִּׁים (shishshîym, H8346), which also means 'sixty.' It is also linguistically related to the Aramaic/Hebrew root שֵׁת (shēt, H8353), which is the word for 'six.' Thus, שִׁתִּין derives from the base number six, following the standard Semitic pattern for forming tens (e.g., six -> sixty).
Semantic Range
In its biblical usage, sixty is a round number often used for measurements (cubits) and significant ages. A height of sixty cubits (Daniel 3:1) would have been colossal, emphasizing the image's grandeur and the king's arrogance. An age of sixty (Daniel 5:31) was considered a full life and a mature age for kingship in the ancient Near East. The number itself did not carry unique symbolic weight like seven or twelve, but its use provided concrete, memorable figures in the text. שִׁשִּׁים (shishshîym, H8346) — The direct Hebrew equivalent meaning 'sixty,' used in Hebrew portions of the Old Testament.
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]