### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Aramaic word **lêylᵉyâʼ**, represented by `{{H3916}}`, is the term for **night**. It appears a total of **5 times** across **5 unique verses**, with all occurrences found in the book of Daniel. Its usage consistently marks a time of significant, often supernatural, events.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the book of Daniel, `{{H3916}}` is almost exclusively used to frame the context for divine revelation. It is the time when Daniel receives "night visions" [[Daniel 7:13]] or sees his "vision by night" [[Daniel 7:2]]. In one instance, a profound secret is revealed to Daniel "in a night vision" [[Daniel 2:19]]. The word also sets the scene for a moment of historical judgment, marking the specific time when "Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans" was slain [[Daniel 5:30]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words provide context for the events that take place during the **night**:
* `{{H2376}}` **chêzêv** (a sight; look, vision): This word is frequently paired with `{{H3916}}` to describe the prophetic experiences Daniel has. Four of the five uses of **night** occur in the phrase "night visions" or "vision by night" ([[Daniel 2:19]], [[Daniel 7:7]]).
* `{{H7308}}` **rûwach** (mind, spirit, wind): In Daniel's vision by **night**, he sees the four **winds** of the heaven striving upon the sea, initiating a major prophetic sequence [[Daniel 7:2]].
* `{{H8065}}` **shâmayin** (heaven): The **night** is when visions concerning **heaven** are given. Daniel sees one like the Son of man coming with the clouds of **heaven** in his **night** visions [[Daniel 7:13]], and after a secret is revealed in a **night** vision, he blesses the God of **heaven** [[Daniel 2:19]].
### Theological Significance
The use of `{{H3916}}` carries significant thematic weight within the biblical narrative of Daniel:
* **Time of Divine Revelation:** The **night** is consistently portrayed as the appointed time for God to unveil secrets and future events. Daniel's most profound visions about future kingdoms and the Son of man occur during the **night** [[Daniel 7:13]].
* **Context for Prophecy:** The term establishes the setting for critical prophecies. The visions of the four beasts and the Ancient of days are all explicitly set within the context of **night** visions ([[Daniel 7:7]], [[Daniel 7:13]]).
* **Moment of Judgment:** Beyond revelation, the **night** also functions as a time for divine judgment to be enacted, as seen in the sudden death of King Belshazzar [[Daniel 5:30]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H3916}}` is more than just a chronological marker. While its direct meaning is simply **night**, its exclusive use in Daniel transforms it into a framework for pivotal moments of prophecy and judgment. It consistently signals a period where the veil between the earthly and the heavenly is thin, allowing for divine communication and intervention to unfold.
TRV