טָב (tav)
tav
fine
A:AQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:A
Word Overview
The Aramaic word tav means good or fine, serving as the direct equivalent of the Hebrew tov. It appears only twice in the Bible, both within the Aramaic sections of Ezra and Daniel, reflecting its use in official imperial correspondence rather than poetic or narrative prose.
As a loanword from Hebrew into Imperial Aramaic, it carries the same straightforward sense of quality or favor found in its Hebrew counterpart. In these specific verses, it describes something that is acceptable or beneficial within the context of royal decrees and administrative records, maintaining a simple, functional meaning throughout its rare scriptural appearances.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word tav carries a simple but powerful sense of quality. It describes something that is good, fine, or acceptable. In the Bible, it appears only twice, both in official records from ancient empires. These are not poetic songs or dramatic stories, but administrative documents where precision matters.
When Daniel describes Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, he uses this word to detail a statue of fine gold. The term highlights the supreme value and beauty of the first kingdom. It reminds us that true excellence belongs to God, who sets up rulers and brings them down according to His wise plan.
In Ezra, the Jewish leaders ask King Darius to check if a decree was good or valid. Here, the word points to legitimacy and favor. For you, this means that what is truly fine and right stands the test of time and authority. God’s purposes are never flawed, even when they are recorded in dry legal texts.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- good1×
- [it is] good1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- טָ֗ב1×
- טָ֔ב1×
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,
The word describes the head of the statue as fine gold, emphasizing the supreme value and glory of the first kingdom in Nebuchadnezzar's dream.
-
Ezra 5:17
Now therefore, if it seems good to the king, let a search be made in the king’s treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether it is so that a decree was made by Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem; and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.”
The leaders ask if a decree was good or valid, using the term to seek official confirmation of Cyrus's authorization for rebuilding the temple.