קַבֵּל (qe.val)

The Aramaic verb qabel means simply to receive. It appears in only two verses, both within the book of Daniel, reflecting the linguistic shift toward Aramaic in the later chapters of that text. As a Pael form, it carries the basic sense of taking something into one’s possession or accepting what is given.

Its usage is straightforward and functional rather than poetic. In Daniel 4:35, for instance, it describes how God does as He pleases among the heavenly hosts and the people of the earth, with no one able to stay His hand or ask Him, “What have You done?” Here, the context implies receiving divine action or decree without resistance. The word lacks the emotional weight sometimes found in its Hebrew counterpart qabal (H6901), focusing instead on the act of acceptance itself.

Etymologically, it derives from a root meaning to take or receive, common in Semitic languages. Its limited occurrence underscores Daniel’s unique bilingual nature, where Aramaic sections often address international audiences or imperial matters. Translators typically render it as “receive” or “accept,” preserving the clarity of the original action without adding interpretive layers.