Word Study for H5894 (עִיר) | Strong's Concordance

ʻîyr /eer/ Ask about this word

Root(Aramaic) from a root corresponding to עוּר

Meaninga watcher, i.e. an angel (as guardian)

KJV usagewatcher.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of ʻîyr — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Aramaic word ʻîyr, represented by H5894, refers to a watcher, specifically an angel acting as a guardian. It appears 3 times across 3 unique verses, all within the book of Daniel. The term describes heavenly beings who observe and carry out divine decrees on earth.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H5894 appears exclusively in Daniel chapter 4, within King Nebuchadnezzar's vision and its interpretation. A watcher is described as a "holy one" coming down from "heaven" (Daniel 4:13, Daniel 4:23). These beings are responsible for issuing a divine judgment, as the matter is decided "by the decree of the watchers" Daniel 4:17. Their purpose is to demonstrate God's ultimate authority over human rulers.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related Aramaic words clarify the nature and function of the watcher:

H6922 qaddîysh (holy (One), saint): This term is used in direct conjunction with watcher in the text, describing a watcher and an "holy one" coming down from heaven Daniel 4:13. The decree is from the watchers and the word from the "holy ones" Daniel 4:17, linking their sacred nature to their authoritative role.
H1510 gᵉzêrâh (decree): This word defines the action of the watchers. The judgment on Nebuchadnezzar is a "matter... by the decree of the watchers" Daniel 4:17, showing they are agents of a formal, divine ruling.
H8065 shâmayin (heaven): This word establishes the origin of the watchers. They are beings who "came down from heaven" (Daniel 4:13, Daniel 4:23), underscoring their status as divine messengers.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H5894 is significant within its context.

Agents of Divine Will: The watchers are presented as active agents who execute God's plans. They come down from heaven and issue a "decree" and a "demand" to carry out a specific judgment (Daniel 4:17, Daniel 4:23).
Guardians of Divine Sovereignty: The stated intent of their action is "that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men" Daniel 4:17. The watchers serve to enforce and reveal God's supreme authority over all earthly powers.
Heavenly Messengers: Described as coming "from heaven" and paired with the term "holy one" H6922, these watchers function as angelic messengers who bridge the gap between the divine realm and human affairs to deliver judgment Daniel 4:13.

Summary

In summary, H5894 is a specific and rare term confined to the visions of Daniel. It denotes angelic beings, watchers, who are not passive observers but active participants in enacting divine will. They function as holy messengers from heaven, whose decrees demonstrate the absolute sovereignty of the most High God over the kingdoms of men.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 3 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

עִיר
עִירִין

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

3 verses, all in Daniel — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.