טַל (tal)
tal
dew
A:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:N-M
Word Overview
The Aramaic noun tal refers to dew, serving as the direct equivalent of the Hebrew word for the same phenomenon. It appears in the Old Testament exclusively within the book of Daniel, reflecting the linguistic context of the exilic period where Aramaic was the language of international diplomacy and imperial administration.
In this specific setting, the term carries no complex theological baggage but functions as a concrete natural image. Its solitary occurrence anchors the text in the physical reality of the ancient Near East, where dew provided essential moisture for agriculture during dry seasons. The usage here is straightforward, denoting the literal condensation that forms on surfaces overnight.
Translators consistently render tal as "dew," maintaining the simplicity of the source text. This single instance highlights how biblical authors used familiar environmental details to ground their narratives in a recognizable world, even when writing in a foreign tongue for a broader audience.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word for dew, tal, appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, nestled within the dramatic narrative of King Nebuchadnezzar’s humbling in Daniel 5:21. Here it is not a symbol of gentle blessing but a stark marker of exile and loss of dignity. The king’s body becomes soaked with the cold moisture of the sky while he lives among wild donkeys, stripped of his throne and sanity.
Yet this harsh image carries a quiet hope for believers today. Even in our lowest moments, when we feel removed from comfort or control, the same God who rules the heavens is present. The dew that coats the grass reminds us that nature itself responds to His command. We can trust that He holds history in His hands, even when our own circumstances seem chaotic.
This single reference invites us to look beyond our immediate struggles. Just as the dew falls regardless of the king’s status, God’s sovereignty remains steady. It encourages a faith that rests not in our stability but in His unchanging rule over all kingdoms and lives.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ from/ [the] dew of1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וּ/מִ/טַּ֥ל1×
Key Verses
-
Daniel 5:21
He was driven from the sons of men, and his heart was made like the animals’, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of the sky, until he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and that he sets up over it whomever he will.
This verse uses the word to describe the physical state of Nebuchadnezzar, emphasizing the reality of his humiliation as a divine lesson in humility.