אֵימְתָן (e.me.ta.ni)
e.me.ta.ni
terrible
A:AQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:A
Word Overview
The Hebrew adjective emetan is a rare word that conveys a sense of something awe-inspiring or terrifying. It appears only once in the Old Testament, found in Daniel 7:7. In this context, it describes the fourth beast seen in Daniel’s vision, which was distinct from the others and possessed great power.
Its meaning centers on instilling fear or dread, suggesting a quality that commands respect through its overwhelming nature. The term is not used for everyday objects but for entities of significant intensity. Translators often render it as "terrible" to capture this weighty, formidable character.
This single occurrence highlights the unique descriptive power of the word in biblical literature. It serves to emphasize the shocking and formidable aspect of the vision, distinguishing the beast by its capacity to evoke a strong reaction of fear or awe in the observer.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word emetan appears only once in Scripture, describing a beast in Daniel’s vision as terrible and awe-inspiring. This rare term captures a sense of overwhelming power that demands respect through its sheer intensity. It is not used for ordinary things but for entities that evoke a deep reaction of fear or dread.
For your faith, this word reminds us that God’s sovereignty extends even over the most formidable powers on earth. When you face situations that feel beyond your control, remember that no force is too great to be understood by God. His perspective remains clear and just, offering a steady anchor in uncertain times.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ terrible1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וְ/אֵֽימְתָנִ֨י1×
Key Verses
-
Daniel 7:7
“After this I saw in the night visions, and, behold, there was a fourth animal, awesome, powerful, and exceedingly strong. It had great iron teeth. It devoured and broke in pieces, and stamped the residue with its feet. It was different from all the animals that were before it. It had ten horns.
This occurrence highlights the unique descriptive power of emetan by emphasizing the shocking and formidable aspect of the fourth beast, distinguishing it from all others.