דְּרַע (de.ra)
de.ra
arm
A:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:N-F
Word Overview
The word dera is the Aramaic term for "arm," serving as the direct equivalent of the Hebrew zroa found elsewhere in Scripture. It appears only once in the Bible, in Daniel 2:32, where it describes the breast and shoulders of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream statue. In this context, the arm represents physical strength and military power, forming part of the image’s upper body that signifies a dominant earthly kingdom.
As an Aramaism within a predominantly Hebrew text, its usage highlights the linguistic diversity of the biblical world. The term anchors the vision in tangible human anatomy to illustrate political might. By using this specific word for the statue’s central support structure, the narrative emphasizes the visible, coercive force of empires before their eventual collapse.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word dera simply means arm, appearing only once in Scripture within Daniel’s vision of King Nebuchadnezzar’s statue. In that dream, the silver chest and arms represent a kingdom defined by visible strength and military power. This image reminds us that human empires rise on the foundation of their own might, standing tall and imposing to the world.
Yet the narrative does not leave us with only earthly power. The stone cut without hands shatters this very structure, showing that no amount of physical force can withstand God’s eternal kingdom. When we face situations where human strength seems overwhelming, we can look past the visible arms of the world to the unshakeable authority of God.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ arms/ its1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וּ/דְרָע֖וֹ/הִי1×
Key Verses
-
Daniel 2:32
As for this image, its head was of fine gold, its chest and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze,
This verse identifies the silver arms as part of the statue's upper body, symbolizing the military and political power of the Medo-Persian empire.