### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Aramaic word **mᵉchâʼ**, represented by `{{H4223}}`, conveys actions of violent force and authoritative restriction. It appears **4 times** across **4 unique verses** in the Bible, with a base definition of to strike in pieces, arrest, impale, hang, smite, or stay. Its meanings range from a physical blow to a decreed punishment or a divine halt.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In its biblical usage, `{{H4223}}` appears in two distinct contexts: prophecy and law. In the book of Daniel, it describes the catastrophic impact of the stone, representing God's kingdom, as it **smote** the great image in Nebuchadnezzar's dream ([[Daniel 2:34]], [[Daniel 2:35]]). The word is also used to express God's absolute sovereignty, declaring that no one can **stay** His hand or question His actions [[Daniel 4:35]]. In Ezra, the term takes on a legal and punitive sense, where a royal decree warns that anyone who alters it will be **hanged** on timber from their own house [[Ezra 6:11]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related Aramaic words provide context for the actions and consequences associated with `{{H4223}}`:
* `{{H1855}}` **dᵉqaq** (to break to pieces): This word is used in direct conjunction with `{{H4223}}` to describe the result of the stone's impact, which **smote** the image and **brake** it to pieces [[Daniel 2:34]].
* `{{H5256}}` **nᵉçach** (pull down): In the decree from Ezra, this action precedes the punishment. Timber is to be **pulled down** from a house before the offender is **hanged** (`{{H4223}}`) on it [[Ezra 6:11]].
* `{{H5648}}` **ʻăbad** (to do, make): This word highlights God's unstoppable will, as He **doeth** what He pleases, and no one can **stay** (`{{H4223}}`) His hand [[Daniel 4:35]].
* `{{H8133}}` **shᵉnâʼ** (to alter): The act of altering or changing a decree is the specific crime that results in the punishment of being **hanged** (`{{H4223}}`) [[Ezra 6:11]].
* `{{H5376}}` **nᵉsâʼ** (to lift, carry away): After the image was **smote** (`{{H4223}}`) and broken, the wind **carried** the pieces away [[Daniel 2:35]].
* `{{H4391}}` **mᵉlâʼ** (to fill): The stone that **smote** (`{{H4223}}`) the image eventually became a mountain and **filled** the whole earth [[Daniel 2:35]].
### Theological Significance
The theological and authoritative weight of `{{H4223}}` is significant despite its rare appearance.
* **Divine Judgment:** The "smiting" of the image in Daniel's prophecy symbolizes God's ultimate and destructive judgment against all earthly kingdoms that stand in opposition to His own eternal kingdom ([[Daniel 2:34]], [[Daniel 2:35]]).
* **Unquestionable Sovereignty:** Its use in [[Daniel 4:35]] powerfully affirms God's omnipotence. The inability of any being to "stay" His hand establishes His absolute authority over all of creation.
* **Enforcement of Authority:** In a human context, the word signifies the severe consequences of defying law. Being "hanged" is the ultimate penalty for altering a king's command, reinforcing the inviolability of the decree [[Ezra 6:11]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H4223}}` is a potent Aramaic term that encapsulates concepts of impact, judgment, and control. Whether used to describe the divine act of "smiting" worldly empires, the final punishment of being "hanged," or the inability of creation to "stay" the Creator's hand, it consistently points to an expression of absolute and decisive power.
TRV