דָּת (dat)
dat
law
A:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 9 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:N-F
Word Overview
The Hebrew noun dat refers to a formal decree or established law, appearing nine times in the Old Testament, primarily within the books of Ezra and Daniel. It does not usually describe the moral code given by God, but rather the statutory regulations issued by earthly rulers. In these contexts, it signifies the binding legal authority of the king’s court.
This word highlights the tension between imperial power and religious identity. For instance, in Daniel 6:8 and 12, the officials urge King Darius to sign an irrevocable decree that would trap Daniel, showing how dat functions as a tool of political control. The term underscores the reality that Jews living in exile were subject to foreign legal systems, creating a distinct contrast with the Torah.
Its usage in Ezra 7:12 and 26 further illustrates this administrative role, where it denotes the specific instructions granted by Persian kings to rebuild Jerusalem and enforce local justice. The word captures the weight of written royal orders that governed daily life outside of Israel’s own covenantal laws.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word dat reminds us that human laws are temporary, while God’s wisdom endures forever. In the books of Ezra and Daniel, this term describes the binding decrees of Persian kings—powerful orders that governed daily life in exile. These royal statutes carried the weight of death or imprisonment for those who disobeyed, creating a stark contrast with the Torah given by God.
When we face pressures to conform to systems that oppose our faith, this word offers perspective. The officials in Daniel’s time used dat to trap him, yet his trust in God remained unshaken. We are not called to fear earthly authority above all else, but to live with integrity even when the rules around us seem unjust or oppressive.
This tension invites us to examine our own loyalties. While we respect civil order, our ultimate allegiance belongs to the King of kings. In moments where human commands conflict with divine truth, we find courage in the example of those who chose faithfulness over fear, knowing that God sees and vindicates His people.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 9 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- law/ the3×
- and/ decree/ the2×
- in/ [the] law of1×
- decree/ your1×
- and/ law1×
- [is] decree/ the1×
- <of> [the] laws of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וְ/דָתָ֣/א1×
- וְ/דָתָ/א֙1×
- וְ/דָ֔ת1×
- דָּתָ֣/א1×
- דָּתָ֜/א1×
- דָּתָ/א֙1×
- דָּתֵ֣י1×
- דָתָ֛/א1×
- דָֽתְ/כ֗וֹן1×
- בְּ/דָ֥ת1×
Key Verses
-
Daniel 7:25
He will speak words against the Most High, and will wear out the saints of the Most High. He will plan to change the times and the law; and they will be given into his hand until a time and times and half a time.
This verse shows dat as a cosmic battleground where an enemy seeks to alter divine law, highlighting the spiritual stakes behind earthly legal systems.
-
Ezra 7:26
Whoever will not do the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed on him with all diligence, whether it is to death, or to banishment, or to confiscation of goods, or to imprisonment.
Here the king enforces both God’s law and his own decree with severe penalties, illustrating how dat functioned as a tool of political control in exile.
-
Daniel 2:9
But if you don’t make known to me the dream, there is but one law for you; for you have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, until the situation changes. Therefore tell me the dream, and I will know that you can show me its interpretation.”
The king declares a single law for the wise men to reveal the dream, demonstrating how dat was used to demand impossible compliance from court advisors.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Hebrew word dat mean?
How is dat different from Torah?
Why is dat important in the book of Daniel?
Every Occurrence (9 verses across 2 books)
Ezra 5 verses
Artaxerxes, king of kings, To Ezra the priest, the scribe of the law of the perfect God of heaven. Now
Ezra 7:14Because you are sent by the king and his seven counselors to inquire concerning Judah and Jerusalem, according to the…
Ezra 7:21I, even I, Artaxerxes the king, make a decree to all the treasurers who are beyond the River, that whatever Ezra the…
Ezra 7:25You, Ezra, according to the wisdom of your God that is in your hand, appoint magistrates and judges who may judge all…
Ezra 7:26Whoever will not do the law of your God and the law of the king, let judgment be executed on him with all diligence,…