### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Aramaic word **tᵉraʻ**, represented by `{{H8651}}`, corresponds to the term for **a door**. It appears **2 times** across **2 unique verses** in the Bible. The definition includes "a door," "gate mouth," and by implication, "a palace," signifying a point of entry or access.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In the book of Daniel, `{{H8651}}` is used in two distinct contexts. It is translated as **mouth** when describing the opening of the burning fiery furnace, the point where Nebuchadnezzar came near to witness God's deliverance of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego [[Daniel 3:26]]. It is also used as **gate**, referring to the location where Daniel sat after being promoted, a position of significant authority and access to the king [[Daniel 2:49]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help establish the setting for `{{H8651}}`:
* `{{H861}}` **ʼattûwn** (furnace): This is the object to which `{{H8651}}` serves as an entrance. It is the "burning fiery **furnace**" from which God's servants emerge unharmed [[Daniel 3:26]].
* `{{H4430}}` **melek** (a king): The word specifies ownership and authority, as Daniel is described as sitting in the "gate of the **king**" [[Daniel 2:49]].
* `{{H1841}}` **Dânîyêʼl** (Daniel): The prophet **Daniel** himself is placed in this position of authority at the gate, after he requested an appointment from the king for his companions [[Daniel 2:49]].
### Theological Significance
The significance of `{{H8651}}` is drawn from its powerful contextual placements.
* **A Position of Authority:** To sit in "the **gate** of the king" was to hold a place of judicial and administrative power. Daniel's placement there signifies his high rank and influence within the Babylonian kingdom [[Daniel 2:49]].
* **A Threshold of Divine Power:** The "**mouth** of the burning fiery furnace" acts as a boundary between a sentence of death and miraculous salvation. It is from this opening that Nebuchadnezzar calls out to the servants of the most high God and witnesses their deliverance [[Daniel 3:26]].
* **A Point of Access:** In both instances, the **gate** or **mouth** represents a critical point of access—access to the king's authority for Daniel, and access to freedom and life for his companions who come forth from the fire.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H8651}}` **tᵉraʻ**, while rare, marks significant locations in the book of Daniel. It is more than a simple door or opening; it is a place vested with meaning. It can represent a seat of royal power and judgment or a dramatic threshold where human authority is confronted by divine intervention. The use of this word highlights critical moments of transition and demonstrations of power.
TRV