רוּם (rum)
rum
height
A:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 2 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:N-M
Word Overview
The noun ruwm (H7314) is an Aramaic form meaning height or elevation. It appears only twice in the Bible, both within the book of Daniel. In these instances, it describes the physical stature of a statue’s head made of gold, emphasizing its impressive verticality and prominence.
As a cognate of the Hebrew ruwm (H7312), it shares the same core sense of being raised up or lifted high. The word serves as a concrete descriptor for physical altitude rather than abstract spiritual elevation. Its limited usage highlights specific architectural or monumental features in the narrative.
Translators typically render this term simply as "height" to maintain clarity about the statue’s dimensions. This straightforward translation preserves the visual impact of the original text without adding theological speculation. The word anchors the reader’s imagination in the tangible reality of the vision.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word ruwm describes physical height, appearing in biblical narratives to anchor our imagination in tangible reality. In Daniel’s vision, it measures the golden statue’s imposing stature, reminding us that human power often seeks to reach for the sky. This concrete descriptor helps readers visualize the sheer scale of earthly empires and their attempts to stand above all others.
Yet this height is fleeting. The same word appears in Ezra regarding the temple’s foundation, suggesting that true stability comes not from towering ambition but from humble obedience. When we compare these passages, we see a contrast between the pride of Babylon and the faithfulness of God’s people. Our lives are called to rest in His enduring presence rather than our own elevated status.
This simple noun invites us to reflect on where we place our trust. Whether facing the towering challenges of modern life or the quiet call to serve, we find peace in knowing that God sees beyond our immediate circumstances. He offers a foundation that does not crumble under pressure, inviting us to rest in His faithful care.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- height/ its2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- רוּמֵ/הּ֙2×
Key Verses
-
Daniel 3:1
Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its width six cubits. He set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.
This verse uses ruwm to quantify the statue’s sixty-cubit height, visually emphasizing Nebuchadnezzar’s pride and the overwhelming scale of his idol compared to human stature.
-
Ezra 6:3
In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king made a decree: Concerning God’s house at Jerusalem, let the house be built, the place where they offer sacrifices, and let its foundations be strongly laid, with its height sixty cubits and its width sixty cubits;
Here the word specifies the temple’s dimensions, grounding the decree in physical reality and highlighting the tangible restoration of worship under Cyrus’s authority.