### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Aramaic word **soklᵉthânûw**, represented by `{{H7924}}`, denotes **intelligence** or **understanding**. It appears 3 times across 3 unique verses in the Bible, exclusively within the book of Daniel. This term signifies a profound level of insight, specifically the divinely granted ability to comprehend and resolve complex or supernatural matters.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In its biblical context, `{{H7924}}` is consistently used to describe the exceptional, God-given faculty possessed by Daniel. It is presented as a quality that sets him apart from all other wise men in Babylon. The queen tells King Belshazzar that in the days of his father, "light and **understanding** and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him" [[Daniel 5:11]]. This same combination of "light and **understanding** and excellent wisdom" is confirmed to be present in Daniel by the king himself [[Daniel 5:14]]. This specific understanding is shown to have practical results, enabling the "interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts" [[Daniel 5:12]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related Aramaic words provide a fuller context for the type of intelligence `{{H7924}}` represents:
* `{{H7308}}` **rûwach** (wind;...spirit...): This word describes the source of Daniel's abilities. His understanding is attributed to an "excellent **spirit**" [[Daniel 5:12]] or the "**spirit** of the holy gods" [[Daniel 5:11]] that is within him.
* `{{H2452}}` **chokmâh** (wisdom): This term for **wisdom** is frequently paired with **soklᵉthânûw** to describe a capacity that is god-like [[Daniel 5:11]]. It is a gift given by God to the wise [[Daniel 2:21]].
* `{{H5094}}` **nᵉhîyr** (light): Used alongside understanding and wisdom, **light** metaphorically signifies the illumination and clarity that Daniel possessed, a quality that dwells with God who reveals secret things ([[Daniel 2:22]], [[Daniel 5:11]]).
* `{{H4486}}` **mandaʻ** (knowledge, reason, understanding): This word for **knowledge** or reason is used with `{{H7924}}` to emphasize the comprehensive nature of Daniel's insight [[Daniel 5:12]]. It is the same faculty that God restored to Nebuchadnezzar [[Daniel 4:36]].
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of `{{H7924}}` is centered on the nature of divinely imparted wisdom.
* **A Gift from God:** The narrative makes it clear that Daniel's **understanding** is not a product of human learning but a direct result of the "spirit of the gods" that is in him [[Daniel 5:14]]. It is a supernatural endowment for a divine purpose.
* **Revelation over Divination:** Daniel's ability to interpret and understand stands in stark contrast to the failure of the king's astrologers `{{H826}}` and soothsayers `{{H1505}}` [[Daniel 5:11]]. This highlights the superiority of God's revelation over worldly or occult forms of wisdom.
* **Purposeful Insight:** This special **understanding** is not an abstract quality but a functional gift. It allows Daniel to interpret divine messages, such as dreams `{{H2493}}` and mysterious writings, thereby making God's will and judgment known to earthly rulers [[Daniel 5:12]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H7924}}` **soklᵉthânûw** is a highly specific term for a divinely-granted **understanding**. Its exclusive use in Daniel 5 underscores a key theme of the book: God equips His servants with the necessary spiritual and intellectual gifts to reveal His truth in the midst of powerful, pagan empires. It demonstrates that true insight into divine mysteries comes not from human effort but from God alone.
TRV