The Aramaic word ʼăzâʼ, represented by H228, means to kindle or, by implication, to heat. It appears 3 times across 2 unique verses, used specifically to describe the intense heating of a physical object. Its meaning is focused on the act of making something hot or the state of being hot.
The use of H228 is confined entirely to the narrative of the fiery furnace in the book of Daniel. When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego defied the king, a furious Nebuchadnezzar commanded that they heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated Daniel 3:19. The word is used twice in this single command to emphasize the extreme intensification of the temperature. The result of this command was a furnace that was "exceeding hot" H228, so much so that the flame killed the soldiers who were carrying out the king's orders Daniel 3:22.
Several related Aramaic words provide context for the use of H228 in the Daniel 3 narrative:
- H861 ʼattûwn (furnace): This is the direct object that is being made hot H228. It appears alongside H228 in both verses, highlighting the setting of this intense trial (Daniel 3:19, Daniel 3:22).
- H5135 nûwr (fire; fiery): This word describes the element within the furnace H861. The furnace was made so hot H228 that the "flame of the fire" H5135 became deadly to those nearby Daniel 3:22.
- H2685 chătsaph (hasty, be urgent): This term explains the motivation behind the intense heat. Because the king's commandment was "urgent" H2685, the furnace was made "exceeding hot" H228 Daniel 3:22.
The theological weight of H228 is seen in its dramatic context rather than a broad application.
- The Severity of the Test: The command to heat H228 the furnace to an extreme degree illustrates the intensity of the persecution faced by God's faithful servants. Nebuchadnezzar's fury is translated into a physical, life-threatening reality Daniel 3:19.
- The Power of Human Rage: The resulting state of being "exceeding hot" H228 is so powerful that it has lethal consequences for the king's own men, demonstrating the destructive nature of the king's command Daniel 3:22.
- A Backdrop for Divine Deliverance: This extreme heat serves to magnify God's power. While the heat was fatal to others, the fire H5135 had "no power" over the bodies of the three Hebrews, who were delivered unharmed from the midst of the furnace Daniel 3:27.
In summary, H228 ʼăzâʼ is a highly specific Aramaic term used exclusively in Daniel 3 to convey the concept of extreme, intensified heat. Though its usage is rare, it plays a critical role in the narrative of the fiery furnace, establishing the severity of the trial and creating the backdrop against which God's miraculous power to save is dramatically displayed.
TRV