### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Aramaic verb chăvâʼ (`{{H2324}}`) primarily signifies "to show," "to declare," or "to make known." Its core meaning revolves around the act of revealing something that is hidden, concealed, or unknown, thereby making it manifest or comprehensible. As an Aramaic term, its usage is confined to the Aramaic portions of the Old Testament, predominantly in the book of Daniel. The base definition explicitly states its correspondence to the Hebrew verb chāwāh (`{{H2331}}`), which carries a similar semantic range of "to declare, show, make known." This strong correlation underscores a consistent theological concept across both languages: the act of divine disclosure. The semantic range of chăvâʼ therefore encompasses not merely a physical display, but more profoundly, the intellectual or spiritual revelation of truth, dreams, or interpretations.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The occurrences of chăvâʼ (`{{H2324}}`) are concentrated in the book of Daniel, specifically within the narrative of King Nebuchadnezzar's dream and its interpretation. Its repeated use in this context is highly significant:
* In [[Daniel 2:4]], the Chaldeans address the king, stating, "Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation." Here, chăvâʼ is used for the human act of declaring or revealing.
* The king's demand is clear: "If you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you shall be torn limb from limb" [[Daniel 2:5]]. This urgency is repeated in [[Daniel 2:6]], [[Daniel 2:7]], [[Daniel 2:9]], [[Daniel 2:10]], and [[Daniel 2:11]], where the wise men repeatedly confess their inability to chăvâʼ the dream without the king first disclosing it. This highlights the limitations of human wisdom in discerning divine mysteries.
* Crucially, when Daniel approaches the king, he declares, "There is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days" [[Daniel 2:28]]. Here, chăvâʼ is attributed to God, emphasizing His unique capacity as the ultimate revealer.
* Daniel then proceeds to chăvâʼ the dream and its interpretation [[Daniel 2:36]], [[Daniel 2:45]], having received the revelation directly from God.
* The word also appears in [[Daniel 4:7]] (KJV: "tell"), where the wise men again fail to chăvâʼ the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's second dream.
The consistent contextual use of chăvâʼ in Daniel centers on the revelation of hidden divine knowledge, contrasting human inability with divine omnipotence in making such knowledge known.
### Related Words & Concepts
The primary related word is its Hebrew counterpart, chāwāh (`{{H2331}}`), which shares the meaning "to declare, show, make known." This direct correspondence underscores a unified biblical concept of revelation. Other related concepts and words include:
* **Revelation/Disclosure:** gālâ (`{{H1540}}`), "to uncover, reveal, disclose," often used for divine revelation, as seen in [[Daniel 2:22]] where God "reveals deep and hidden things."
* **Knowledge/Understanding:** yādaʿ (`{{H3045}}`), "to know," which can imply making something known or coming to understand.
* **Interpretation/Explanation:** pāshar (Aramaic, related to Hebrew pāshar `{{H6587}}`), "to interpret," which is the outcome of the act of chăvâʼ in the context of dreams.
* **Divine Wisdom:** The concept of ḥokmâ (`{{H2451}}`, wisdom) as a divine attribute, contrasted with human wisdom, is central to the narrative where chăvâʼ is used.
These related terms and concepts collectively emphasize the biblical theme of God as the sole source of ultimate truth and the necessity of His gracious disclosure for humanity to comprehend His purposes.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of chăvâʼ (`{{H2324}}`) is profound, primarily stemming from its consistent use in the book of Daniel to describe the revelation of divine mysteries. It serves as a linguistic cornerstone for understanding God's sovereignty over all knowledge and His unique role as the Revealer.
1. **God as the Sole Revealer:** The repeated failure of Nebuchadnezzar's wise men to chăvâʼ the dream or its interpretation highlights the absolute limitations of human wisdom and occult practices. In stark contrast, Daniel's success in chăvâʼing the mysteries is explicitly attributed to "a God in heaven who reveals mysteries" [[Daniel 2:28]]. This underscores that true revelation originates solely from God.
2. **Divine Sovereignty over History:** The content of the revelation—Nebuchadnezzar's dream of successive kingdoms—demonstrates God's sovereign control over the course of human history. Chăvâʼ here signifies God making known His preordained plan, emphasizing His omnipotence and omniscience.
3. **Necessity of Divine Grace:** The inability of human beings to chăvâʼ deep truths without God's intervention points to humanity's dependence on divine grace for understanding ultimate reality. God's act of chăvâʼing is an act of condescending grace, enabling His servants to comprehend and declare His will.
4. **Prophetic Authority:** For Daniel, being able to chăvâʼ the dream and its interpretation established his prophetic authority, not as an inherent power, but as a channel through whom God chose to reveal His truth.
### Summary
The Aramaic verb chăvâʼ (`{{H2324}}`) means "to show," "to declare," or "to make known." Predominantly found in the book of Daniel, it is central to the narrative of Nebuchadnezzar's dream, where it describes the act of revealing hidden truths. Its usage starkly contrasts the inability of human wisdom to chăvâʼ divine mysteries with God's unique capacity as the ultimate Revealer. Theologically, chăvâʼ underscores God's absolute sovereignty over all knowledge, His control over historical events, and humanity's utter dependence on His gracious disclosure for true understanding. It is a powerful term that highlights the divine origin of revelation and the profound significance of God making Himself and His purposes known to humanity.
TRV