### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Aramaic word **shâʻâh**, represented by `{{H8160}}`, designates a specific point in time, defined as a **moment** or **hour**. It appears 5 times, exclusively within 5 verses of the book of Daniel. Its usage highlights moments of sudden, critical action, whether of divine judgment or supernatural events.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the book of Daniel, `{{H8160}}` consistently marks a pivotal and immediate occurrence. It is used to describe the instant consequence for those who disobey King Nebuchadnezzar's decree, stating they will be cast into the fiery furnace "the same **hour**" ([[Daniel 3:6]], [[Daniel 3:15]]). This same immediacy is seen in God's judgment upon the king, where the prophecy was fulfilled "The same **hour**" [[Daniel 4:33]]. It also marks the moment of supernatural revelation, as when fingers appeared and wrote on the palace wall "In the same **hour**" [[Daniel 5:5]]. The word can also denote a period of profound human reaction, as when Daniel was "astonied for one **hour**" by the gravity of a dream [[Daniel 4:19]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help establish the context of immediacy and consequence surrounding `{{H8160}}`:
* `{{H7412}}` **rᵉmâh** (cast (down), impose): This word describes the action to be taken in the designated **hour**, specifically to **cast** dissenters into the furnace [[Daniel 3:6]].
* `{{H861}}` **ʼattûwn** (furnace): This is the location of the immediate punishment threatened by the king, directly linked to the "same **hour**" of disobedience [[Daniel 3:15]].
* `{{H5487}}` **çûwph** (consume, fulfill): This verb shows the immediate completion of God's judgment upon Nebuchadnezzar in the very **hour** it was pronounced [[Daniel 4:33]].
* `{{H5312}}` **nᵉphaq** (to issue): This describes the sudden appearance of the fingers that wrote on the wall, which "came **forth**" in that specific **hour** [[Daniel 5:5]].
### Theological Significance
The use of `{{H8160}}` in Daniel underscores several key themes:
* **Immediacy of Judgment:** The term emphasizes that consequences, whether human or divine, can be instant. Nebuchadnezzar's threat of punishment in "the same **hour**" [[Daniel 3:6]] is mirrored by the divine judgment that was fulfilled upon him in "The same **hour**" [[Daniel 4:33]].
* **Supernatural Manifestation:** The word is used to frame moments when the divine realm intersects with the human world. A hand supernaturally appears to write a message of judgment "In the same **hour**" [[Daniel 5:5]], signaling a turning point in the narrative.
* **Moment of Human Contemplation:** Beyond judgment, it can signify a period of intense human emotion in response to a divine message. Daniel was "astonied for one **hour**," reflecting on the troubling interpretation of the king's dream [[Daniel 4:19]].
### Summary
In summary, **shâʻâh** `{{H8160}}` is more than a simple measurement of time. Within its limited appearances in the book of Daniel, it functions as a literary device to signal a moment of definitive, often startling, action. Whether marking the instant of a king's decree, the fulfillment of divine judgment, or a prophet's stunned silence, this word captures the gravity and immediacy of pivotal events.
TRV