זְעֵיר (ze.er)
ze.er
little
A:AQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:A
Word Overview
The Aramaic term ze’ir means simply "little" or "small." It serves as the Aramaic equivalent of the Hebrew word z’eir (H2191), carrying a straightforward sense of smallness in size, quantity, or importance.
This word appears only once in the Bible, in Daniel 7:8. There it describes the "little horn" that arises among ten others on the fourth beast’s head. The adjective highlights the horn’s initial insignificance compared to its predecessors, setting the stage for its later rise to prominence and power.
Its rarity in Scripture underscores how specific descriptors carry weight when they do appear. In Daniel’s vision, ze’ir marks a starting point of humility or obscurity before transformation.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word ze'er, meaning little or small, appears just once in Scripture within Daniel’s vision of the fourth beast. It describes a horn that rises among ten others, initially unnoticed but destined for significant change. This brief mention reminds us that God often works through what seems insignificant to human eyes.
In our own lives, we may feel overlooked or undervalued, much like this small horn before its rise. Yet Scripture shows that humility and obscurity can be the starting points for divine purpose. What appears minor today might hold greater significance tomorrow in God’s plan.
This rare word invites reflection on how God uses small beginnings to shape history. It encourages patience and trust, even when progress seems slow or unnoticed by others.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- small1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- זְעֵירָה֙1×
Key Verses
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Daniel 7:8
“I considered the horns, and behold, there came up among them another horn, a little one, before which three of the first horns were plucked up by the roots; and behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of a man, and a mouth speaking arrogantly.
The term 'little' here contrasts the horn’s humble origin with its later arrogant rise, highlighting a transition from obscurity to prominence.