### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Aramaic word **rûwm**, represented by `{{H7314}}`, literally translates to **altitude** or **height**. It is a specific term that appears **5 times** across **5 unique verses** in the Bible. Its usage is concentrated in the books of Daniel and Ezra, where it is employed to describe the vertical dimension of significant structures, both physical and symbolic.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In its biblical contexts, `{{H7314}}` is consistently used to convey a sense of great scale. It defines the dimensions of Nebuchadnezzar's golden image, whose **height** was threescore cubits [[Daniel 3:1]]. Similarly, it is used in the decree of Cyrus concerning the house of God in Jerusalem, specifying that its **height** should be threescore cubits [[Ezra 6:3]]. The term is most prominent in Nebuchadnezzar's dream of a great tree, where its **height** was described as great [[Daniel 4:10]] and as having "reached unto heaven" [[Daniel 4:11]], a detail repeated in the interpretation of the vision [[Daniel 4:20]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related Aramaic words provide context for the concept of height and scale:
* `{{H7690}}` **saggîyʼ** (great): This adjective is used to qualify the impressive nature of the tree in Nebuchadnezzar's vision, noting that its **height** "was great" [[Daniel 4:10]].
* `{{H8631}}` **tᵉqêph** (to become ... strong): This word appears alongside `{{H7314}}` to describe the tree that "grew, and was strong, and the height thereof reached unto heaven" [[Daniel 4:11]], linking vertical size with might.
* `{{H4291}}` **mᵉṭâʼ** (to ... reach): This verb describes the action of the height, signifying its immense scale by stating that it "reached unto heaven" ([[Daniel 4:11]], [[Daniel 4:20]]).
* `{{H8065}}` **shâmayin** (heaven): This word serves as the destination or ultimate measure of the tree's immense stature, indicating a height that extended to the divine realm ([[Daniel 4:11]], [[Daniel 4:20]]).
### Theological Significance
The significance of `{{H7314}}` is tied to its representation of power and ambition.
* **Symbol of Imperial Power:** The word is used to describe the immense structures of kings. The **height** of Nebuchadnezzar's golden image [[Daniel 3:1]] and the "great" **height** of the tree in his dream [[Daniel 4:10]] both represent royal majesty and dominion.
* **A Measure of Ambition:** In the dream of the tree, its **height** "reached unto heaven" [[Daniel 4:11]], symbolizing a power that grows to a divine scale. This imagery is directly tied to the king's own greatness which is described as having grown and reached unto heaven [[Daniel 4:22]].
* **Architectural and Divine Dimension:** `{{H7314}}` is also used in a literal, architectural sense for the house of God, where its specified **height** [[Ezra 6:3]] is part of a royal decree for rebuilding, grounding the term in both earthly construction and projects of divine significance.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H7314}}` is a precise term for **height** used to convey impressive scale. Though appearing infrequently, its use in Daniel and Ezra is significant, applying to both literal, man-made structures like the temple and an idol, and to the symbolic representation of a king's power in a prophetic dream. It effectively illustrates how physical dimension can be used to communicate concepts of might, ambition, and the boundary between the earthly and the divine.
TRV