Word Study for H8517 (תְּלַג)

tᵉlag /tel-ag'/ Ask about this word

Root(Aramaic) corresponding to שֶׁלֶג

Meaningsnow

KJV usagesnow.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of tᵉlag — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Aramaic word tᵉlag, represented by H8517, is the word for snow. It appears only 1 time in 1 unique verse in the Bible, making its single usage highly specific and significant. It serves as a powerful descriptor in a divine vision.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

The sole appearance of H8517 is found in a vision of the Ancient of days. The text describes this figure's garment as being "white as snow" Daniel 7:9. In this context, snow is used as a simile to illustrate the absolute and brilliant whiteness of the clothing, emphasizing the purity and majesty of the divine being on the throne.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related Aramaic words appear in the same verse, building upon the theme of whiteness and purity:

H2358 chivvâr (white): This word is used to directly describe the garment that is being compared to snow, stating it was "white as snow" Daniel 7:9. It establishes the primary quality that snow is meant to exemplify.
H6015 ʻămar (wool): This word appears in a parallel simile in the same passage, describing the hair of the Ancient of days as being "like the pure wool" Daniel 7:9. This reinforces the imagery of perfect whiteness and purity associated with the divine figure.

Theological Significance

The theological weight of H8517 is derived entirely from its singular, powerful context in the vision of the Ancient of days.

Symbol of Divine Purity: By comparing the garment of the Ancient of days to snow, the vision conveys a standard of absolute holiness and untainted purity Daniel 7:9.
Image of Majesty: The comparison to snow is part of a larger description of a divine being whose appearance is brilliant and awe-inspiring, contributing to an overall image of divine glory and authority.

Summary

In summary, H8517 is a concise but impactful word. While used only once, its appearance in Daniel's vision of the Ancient of days is pivotal. It functions as a key element in a description of divine majesty, using the imagery of snow to communicate a profound sense of perfect purity and holiness that characterizes the divine figure.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 1 occurrence, inflected in 1 grammatical form — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

תְלַג

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

1 verse, all in Daniel — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.