טוּר (tur)
tur
mountain
A:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:N-M
Word Overview
The Aramaic noun tur refers to a mountain, functioning as the equivalent of the Hebrew word tsur. Although tsur often carries the dual meaning of "rock," this specific form in Daniel focuses on the geographical feature itself. It appears only twice in the Bible, both within the book of Daniel, where it helps describe the landscape of prophetic visions.
Its connection to tsur suggests a linguistic shift common in Aramaic, where the root for solid stone evolved into a term for the mountain formed from that stone. In Daniel 2:35, the stone cut without hands strikes the statue’s feet and fills the whole earth, while in Daniel 2:45, the same imagery reinforces the idea of a kingdom that will never be destroyed. The word anchors these visions in tangible, immovable geography.
Translators consistently render tur as "mountain" to distinguish it from the more abstract or foundational senses of its Hebrew cousin. This usage highlights the physical reality of God’s kingdom taking root in the world, contrasting with the fragile empires it overturns. The term serves as a simple but powerful marker of stability and permanence in a text filled with shifting political powers.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Aramaic word tur appears only twice in Scripture, both within Daniel’s vision of the great statue. In these passages, a stone cut without human hands strikes the image and grows into a vast mountain that fills the earth. This imagery anchors God’s kingdom in something solid and immovable, standing in stark contrast to the fragile empires of gold and iron that crumble under pressure.
For your faith, this offers a quiet assurance. When political powers shift or personal circumstances feel unstable, the promise remains: God’s reign is permanent. It does not rely on human effort but on divine action. The mountain symbolizes a reality that endures, providing a firm foundation for hope in times of uncertainty.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- from/ <the>/ mountain1×
- <into>/ a mountain1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- מִ/טּוּרָ/א֩1×
- לְ/ט֥וּר1×
Key Verses
-
Daniel 2:35
Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were broken in pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors. The wind carried them away, so that no place was found for them. The stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
This verse describes the stone becoming a great mountain that fills the whole earth, illustrating the expansive and permanent nature of God's kingdom.
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Daniel 2:45
Because you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold, the great God has made known to the king what will happen hereafter. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.”
Here the text references the stone cut from the mountain to confirm that God alone establishes a kingdom that will never be destroyed.