(Aramaic); corresponding to שָׁוָה; to resemble; make like.
Transliteration:shᵉvâh
Pronunciation:shev-aw'
Detailed Word Study
AI-Generated
Loading Study...
### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Aramaic verb shᵉvâh (שְׁוָה, `{{H7739}}`) primarily conveys the meaning "to be like," "to resemble," or "to make like/equal." As noted in its base definition, it corresponds directly to the Hebrew verb shāwāh (שָׁוָה, `{{H7737}}`), which shares a similar semantic range encompassing notions of equality, likeness, and the act of setting something parallel or comparable. In its Aramaic usage, shᵉvâh often emphasizes a state of profound similarity or a transformative action that brings something into resemblance with another. This can imply either an inherent likeness or a divinely imposed alteration, making one entity equivalent or comparable to another, often with significant implications for status or nature.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
Occurring exclusively in the Aramaic portions of the book of Daniel, shᵉvâh appears in contexts that highlight significant transformations or comparisons, often as a result of divine decree or judgment.
1. **[[Daniel 3:29]]**: In Nebuchadnezzar's decree following the miraculous deliverance of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the fiery furnace, the king declares that anyone who speaks against their God will have their house "made a dunghill" (לְמַדְבַּח יִתְשְׂוֵה, *l-madbaḥ yitshᵉveh*). Here, shᵉvâh describes a severe punitive transformation, reducing a dwelling to a state of utter desolation and worthlessness. The passive voice ("shall be made like") underscores the certainty and force of this decree, reflecting the king's absolute authority, which in this context is aligned with the vindication of God.
2. **[[Daniel 5:21]]**: Describing the humbling of Nebuchadnezzar, the text states that "his mind was made like the beasts" (לְחֵיוָן לִבֵּהּ הִתְשְׂוִי, *l-ḥêwān libbēh hitshᵉwî*). This usage of shᵉvâh depicts a profound, divinely imposed alteration of the king's very nature and understanding. His human reason and royal dignity were stripped away, reducing him to an animalistic state. This transformation was not merely external but deeply internal, affecting his "heart" or "mind," demonstrating God's sovereign power to humble the proud and reorder the natural state of humanity.
In both instances, shᵉvâh is used in a passive or reflexive sense, indicating a state brought about by an external, often divine, agency. The contexts are punitive or corrective, emphasizing God's ultimate control over human destiny and dignity.
### Related Words & Concepts
The most direct linguistic relation to shᵉvâh (`{{H7739}}`) is its Hebrew cognate shāwāh (`{{H7737}}`). This Hebrew verb carries a similar core meaning of "to be equal," "to be like," "to set," or "to place." Both words share the semantic field of comparison, equivalence, and the establishment of similarity.
Concepts closely related to the function of shᵉvâh include:
* **Likeness/Image**: While shᵉvâh is a verb describing the *act* or *state* of being like, it relates to the nouns for "likeness" or "image" (e.g., Hebrew tselem `{{H6754}}` or demuth `{{H1823}}`). However, shᵉvâh often implies a dynamic or imposed resemblance rather than a static representation.
* **Equivalence/Comparison**: The word inherently involves a comparison between two entities, highlighting their similarity or the process by which they become similar.
* **Transformation/Change of State**: Particularly in the Danielic contexts, shᵉvâh signifies a radical change from one state of being to another, often from a position of honor to one of degradation, or from human reason to animalistic instinct.
Unlike words that merely describe an appearance, shᵉvâh in Daniel conveys a deep, often divinely orchestrated, alteration of being or status to match a new, often inferior, category.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of shᵉvâh (`{{H7739}}`) in Daniel lies primarily in its portrayal of divine sovereignty and judgment.
1. **Divine Judgment and Humbling**: In [[Daniel 3:29]], the threat to "make a dunghill" of the houses of those who blaspheme God underscores the severity of divine judgment. God's power is such that He can decree and effect utter degradation upon those who oppose Him or His servants. This is a stark warning against defying the Most High God.
2. **Sovereignty over Human Pride**: The description of Nebuchadnezzar's mind being "made like the beasts" in [[Daniel 5:21]] is a profound theological statement. It illustrates God's absolute power to humble the proudest of human rulers. Nebuchadnezzar's transformation serves as a vivid demonstration that all earthly power and wisdom are ultimately derived from and subject to God. When humans exalt themselves against God, He can reduce them to the lowest state, proving that true dominion belongs solely to Him. This particular usage of shᵉvâh highlights the consequences of hubris and the necessity of acknowledging God's supreme authority.
3. **God's Transformative Power**: The instances of shᵉvâh reveal God's ability not merely to punish, but to fundamentally alter the nature or status of individuals or their possessions. This transformative power is an aspect of His justice and His capacity to bring about His will in the world, even through radical and humbling means.
### Summary
The Aramaic verb shᵉvâh (שְׁוָה, `{{H7739}}`) means "to resemble" or "to make like," corresponding to the Hebrew `{{H7737}}`. Its limited but impactful occurrences in the book of Daniel reveal its theological weight. In [[Daniel 3:29]], it describes the punitive transformation of blasphemers' homes into dunghills, signifying utter degradation. More profoundly, in [[Daniel 5:21]], it depicts the divine humbling of King Nebuchadnezzar, whose mind was "made like the beasts," illustrating God's absolute sovereignty over human pride and His power to radically alter the state of those who defy Him. Thus, shᵉvâh underscores God's capacity for transformative judgment and His ultimate control over all earthly power and dignity.
TRV