The Aramaic word nôgahh, represented by H5053, corresponds to the term for dawn or morning. This word is exceptionally rare, appearing only 1 time in a single verse within the entire biblical text. Its sole usage marks a pivotal moment of revelation and urgency.
The single appearance of H5053 is found in the account of Daniel in the lion's den. Following a decree that forced Daniel into a den of lions, the king, who was deeply distressed, acts at the first light of day. The scripture states that the king "arose very early in the morning H5053, and went in haste unto the den of lions" Daniel 6:19. This use of nôgahh precisely times the king's anxious journey to discover Daniel's fate after a night of peril.
Several related words from the same passage illuminate the context of this specific "morning":
- H8238 shᵉpharphar (the dawn; [idiom] very early in the morning): This word is used in conjunction with H5053 in its only appearance, emphasizing the extreme earliness of the king's action at the first light of dawn Daniel 6:19.
- H6966 qûwm ({to rise...}; appoint, establish, make, raise up self, (a-) rise (up), (make to) stand, set (up)): This describes the king's physical action in the morning; he arose to immediately address the situation with Daniel Daniel 6:19. The word is also used for God's power to set up kings Daniel 2:21.
- H927 bᵉhal (to terrify, hasten; in haste, trouble): This word conveys the king's emotional state as he went in haste to the den Daniel 6:19. It highlights the urgency and anxiety that characterized this particular morning.
The theological significance of H5053, though drawn from a single instance, is tied to the theme of God's deliverance.
- A Marker for Deliverance: The morning is the specific time when the outcome of God's intervention is revealed. After a night of danger, the dawn brings the discovery that God had sent an angel to shut the lions' mouths, preserving Daniel's life Daniel 6:22.
- The End of Anxious Waiting: The arrival of the morning signifies a turning point. It follows a night where the king fasted and could not sleep Daniel 6:18, and its arrival prompts the immediate action that leads to the story's resolution.
- Prompting Human Witness to Divine Power: The king's urgent journey in the morning Daniel 6:19 positions him to be the primary witness to God's miraculous rescue of Daniel, ultimately leading him to praise the God of Daniel.
In summary, H5053 nôgahh is a precise Aramaic term for morning or dawn. Its singular use in the book of Daniel is highly impactful, pinpointing the critical moment of transition from a night of distress to a morning of discovery. It underscores the urgency and hope attached to the dawn, when God's miraculous deliverance of Daniel from the lions was finally brought to light.
TRV