The Aramaic word shittîyn, represented by H8361, corresponds to the number sixty, often translated as threescore. It appears 4 times across 3 unique verses in the Bible. This term is used exclusively in the books of Ezra and Daniel to specify large measurements of size and age.
In the biblical narrative, H8361 is used to establish scale and significance in royal contexts. In the book of Daniel, it describes the immense height of the golden image H6755 that Nebuchadnezzar H5020 the king H4430 set up, making its height H7314 threescore cubits H521 Daniel 3:1. It is also used to record the age of Darius H1868 the Median H4077, who was about threescore and two years H8140 old H1247 when he took the kingdom H4437 Daniel 5:31. Similarly, in Ezra, a decree H2942 from Cyrus H3567 specifies that the house H1005 of God H426 at Jerusalem H3390 should be built with a height H7314 of threescore cubits H521 and a breadth H6613 of threescore cubits H521 Ezra 6:3.
Several related words clarify the context in which H8361 is used:
- H521 'ammâh (cubit): This unit of measure, defined as a cubit, is used alongside threescore to describe the dimensions of both Nebuchadnezzar's image and the rebuilt house of God (Daniel 3:1, Ezra 6:3).
- H8140 shᵉnâh (year): This word for a year provides the unit for Darius the Median's age when he took the kingdom, which was threescore and two years old Daniel 5:31.
- H8353 shêth (six): This word for six is explicitly compared to H8361 in its base definition. It appears in contrast to threescore in the dimensions of the golden image, which was sixty cubits high but only six cubits wide Daniel 3:1.
The number H8361 carries significant narrative weight in its few appearances, highlighting moments of royal decrees and historical transitions.
- Monument to Hubris: The threescore cubit height of Nebuchadnezzar's golden image H6755 emphasizes its imposing scale, a symbol of the king's power and demand for worship in the province H4083 of Babylon H895 Daniel 3:1.
- Blueprint for Restoration: The dimensions of the new house H1005 of God H426 are set at threescore cubits for both height and breadth in the decree H2942 of Cyrus H3567, signifying a grand and royally sanctioned restoration of worship in Jerusalem H3390 Ezra 6:3.
- Marker of Prophetic Fulfillment: The age of Darius H1868 at threescore and two years old precisely dates the moment he took H6902 the kingdom H4437, marking the historic transfer of power from the Babylonians to the Medes Daniel 5:31.
In summary, H8361 functions as more than a simple numerical value. It is a specific Aramaic term used to denote the significant number sixty. Its application in scripture conveys a sense of grand scale, whether in the idolatrous pride of a Babylonian king or the divinely-ordered restoration of God's temple. By marking both monumental dimensions and the age of a new ruler, shittîyn helps to frame pivotal events within the history of Israel during the exile.
TRV