יַרְכָא (yar.kah)
yar.kah
thigh
A:N-FQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:N-F
Word Overview
The Aramaic noun yar.kah refers to the thigh, loin, or flank of a body. As a cognate of the Hebrew word for flank, it denotes the lower part of the torso, often implying strength or stability in biblical idiom. In the Book of Daniel, this term appears in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of a colossal statue (Daniel 2:32). The text describes the legs and feet as being made of iron and clay, with yar.kah specifically identifying the metallic lower limbs that support the massive structure.
This usage highlights the physical reality of the vision. The word anchors the metaphor in human anatomy, contrasting the golden head with the durable but brittle lower body. Translators typically render it "legs" or "thighs" to convey the structural role these parts play in supporting the whole. It serves as a concrete detail in a symbolic narrative, emphasizing the material composition of the kingdoms represented by the statue.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The Aramaic word yar.kah refers to the thigh or flank, a part of the body associated with physical strength and stability. In Daniel 2:32, it describes the bronze legs of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream statue. This detail grounds the vision in human anatomy, contrasting the fragile gold head with the durable, heavy lower body.
For your faith, this imagery reminds us that God sees the structure of history and human power. The bronze thighs represent a kingdom that is strong yet brittle, held together by iron and clay. It invites us to trust in God’s sovereignty over all earthly empires, knowing that their strength is temporary and His plan remains firm.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ loins/ its1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וְ/יַרְכָתֵ֖/הּ1×
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,
This verse uses yar.kah to identify the bronze legs of the statue, emphasizing the structural support and material composition of the second kingdom in Nebuchadnezzar's dream.