(Aramaic) or אֶלֶף; (Aramaic), corresponding to אֶלֶף; {hence (the ox's head being the first letter of the alphabet, and this eventually used as a numeral) a thousand}; thousand.
### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Aramaic word **ʼălaph**, represented by `{{H506}}`, is a numeral meaning **thousand**. It appears 4 times across 2 unique verses in the Bible, exclusively in the book of Daniel. This term is used to quantify both large human assemblies and immense celestial hosts.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In its biblical appearances, `{{H506}}` is used to denote large quantities in both earthly and divine contexts. In the court of King Belshazzar, it specifies the number of guests at a royal feast, where he "made a great feast to a **thousand** of his lords" [[Daniel 5:1]]. In a starkly different setting, the term is used in Daniel's vision of the divine throne room to describe an immense heavenly host, where "**thousand** thousands ministered unto him" [[Daniel 7:10]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words provide context for the immense numbers described by **ʼălaph**:
* `{{H7261}}` **rabrᵉbân** (lord, prince): This word identifies the individuals being counted in Belshazzar's feast, specifying that the king hosted "a thousand of his **lords**" [[Daniel 5:1]].
* `{{H7240}}` **ribbôw** ([idiom] ten thousand times ten thousand): Used immediately after `{{H506}}` in Daniel's vision, this term amplifies the scale of the heavenly assembly, stating "thousand thousands ministered unto him, and **ten thousand** times **ten thousand** stood before him" [[Daniel 7:10]].
* `{{H5135}}` **nûwr** (fiery, fire): This word describes the divine environment where the "thousand thousands" serve, noting that a "**fiery** stream issued and came forth" before the throne [[Daniel 7:10]].
### Theological Significance
The narrative weight of `{{H506}}` is demonstrated in its specific contexts:
* **Quantifying Earthly Grandeur:** In the context of Belshazzar's feast, the number serves to establish the scale of the king's power and opulence, gathering a **thousand** of his lords [[Daniel 5:1]]. This large, but finite, number represents the height of human authority.
* **Illustrating Heavenly Immensity:** By contrast, the repetition of "thousand thousands" in Daniel's vision is not a literal count but a literary device to convey the uncountable and overwhelming magnitude of the angelic beings who serve before God's throne [[Daniel 7:10]].
* **Setting the Scene for Judgment:** Both instances of `{{H506}}` occur immediately before a moment of divine judgment. Belshazzar's feast for a thousand ends with God's verdict on his kingdom [[Daniel 5:1]], and the vision of the heavenly thousands precedes the moment when "the judgment was set, and the books were opened" [[Daniel 7:10]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H506}}` **ʼălaph** is an Aramaic numeral that, in its few appearances, carries significant narrative weight. It is used to measure both the impressive scale of a human king's court and the infinitely vaster assembly of heaven. Whether defining the limits of earthly power or the limitless nature of the divine retinue, **ʼălaph** serves as a key descriptor in pivotal scenes of judgment within the book of Daniel.
TRV