יַרְכָא

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Aramaic word yarkâʼ, represented by H3410, is the term for a thigh. It is an exceedingly rare word in scripture, appearing just 1 time in 1 unique verse. Its meaning is specific and anatomical, corresponding to the Hebrew word for thigh.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The single use of H3410 occurs in the book of Daniel. It is used to describe a part of the great image from King Nebuchadnezzar's dream. In this vision, the image had a head of gold, a breast and arms of silver, and a belly and thighs of brass Daniel 2:32. The word pinpoints a specific section of the statue, contributing to the detailed, top-to-bottom description of the prophetic figure.

Related Words & Concepts

Several other Aramaic words appear in the same verse, describing the other parts of the great image:

• H7217 rêʼsh (head): This word denotes the very top of the image, which was made of fine gold Daniel 2:32.
• H2306 chădîy (a breast): Following the head, this term refers to the chest of the image, which was made of silver Daniel 2:32.
• H4577 mᵉʻâh (belly): This word describes the midsection of the image, which, along with the thighs, was composed of brass Daniel 2:32.
• H1872 dᵉraʻ (an arm): Mentioned with the breast, this word refers to the arms of the silver portion of the statue Daniel 2:32.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H3410 is derived entirely from its context within the prophecy of Daniel 2.

• Symbol of a Kingdom: The thighs of brass are explicitly part of a larger section—the belly and thighs—that symbolizes a "third kingdom of brass, which shall bear rule over all the earth" Daniel 2:39.
• Component of a Prophetic Sequence: It functions as a crucial piece in a divinely revealed timeline of successive world powers, represented by the descending materials of the image from gold to silver to brass Daniel 2:32.
• Anatomical Detail in Prophecy: The use of a specific anatomical term like thighs adds to the vivid and concrete nature of the vision, grounding the abstract prophecy in a physical, understandable form Daniel 2:32.

Summary

In summary, yarkâʼ H3410 is a term with a narrow, literal definition. Its significance is not in its frequency but in its singular, pivotal role. It helps form the anatomy of the prophetic image in Daniel's vision, representing a specific world power in a sequence of kingdoms revealed by God to Nebuchadnezzar.