Word Study for H8648 (תְּרֵין)

tᵉrêyn /ter-ane'/ Ask about this word

Meaning(Aramaic) feminine תַּרְתֵּין; corresponding to שְׁנַיִם; two

KJV usagesecond, two.

Idioms & phrasesphrase twelve

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of tᵉrêyn — 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 tᵉrêyn, represented by H8648, is a numeral corresponding to the Hebrew word for two. It appears 4 times across 4 unique verses in the Bible. Its usage includes the cardinal number two, the ordinal number second, and as part of the compound number twelve.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H8648 is used to provide specific numerical detail in key historical accounts. It can denote a specific point in time, such as when work on the house of God ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius Ezra 4:24. It is also used to state a person's age, as when Darius the Median took the kingdom at about threescore and two years old Daniel 5:31. In other contexts, it combines with the word for ten to form the number twelve, marking a period of twelve months Daniel 4:29 or a quantity of twelve he goats for a sin offering Ezra 6:17.

Related Words & Concepts

Several other Aramaic numerals appear in context with H8648, helping to construct detailed accounts:

H6236 ʻăsar (ten): This word is used in combination with H8648 to form the number twelve, as seen in the offering for all Israel Ezra 6:17 and the measurement of time in Daniel Daniel 4:29.
H8361 shittîyn (sixty): This numeral is used with H8648 to state a precise age, as in "threescore and two" Daniel 5:31.
H3969 mᵉʼâh (hundred): This word for hundred appears in the same list of offerings as H8648, detailing the large quantities of sacrifices, such as a hundred bullocks Ezra 6:17.
H703 ʼarbaʻ (four): This numeral for four is also used in the list of sacrificial offerings alongside H8648, specifying four hundred lambs Ezra 6:17.

Theological Significance

The significance of H8648 lies in the precision and symbolism it lends to the text.

Symbolic Representation: The number twelve, formed with H8648 and H6236, is used for the "twelve he goats" in an offering for all Israel, a quantity specified to be "according to the number of the tribes of Israel" Ezra 6:17.
Historical Anchoring: Its use provides concrete details that ground the narrative in history, such as specifying the "second year" of a king's reign Ezra 4:24 or the exact age of a new ruler Daniel 5:31.
Marking Time: The word helps define specific timeframes for events, such as the "twelve months" that passed before Nebuchadnezzar walked in his palace Daniel 4:29.

Summary

In summary, H8648 is a fundamental Aramaic numeral whose importance is seen in its application. While its core meaning is simply two or second, it plays a crucial role in establishing quantities for sacred offerings, defining key historical timelines, and providing details that underscore the accuracy of the biblical record in Ezra and Daniel.

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 an adjective across 4 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — 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.

תְּרֵי
תַרְתֵּין

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

Appears in 4 verses across 2 of the 39 books. Most frequent in Ezra and Daniel (2 verses each); never once in the other 37.

Ezra

Daniel

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.