שְׂעַר (se.ar)
se.ar
hair
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 se’ar refers specifically to the hair on the head. It appears in only two verses, both located within the book of Daniel, where it functions as a concrete physical detail rather than a metaphorical symbol.
As an Aramaic form, it corresponds directly to the Hebrew word se’ar (H8181). In its limited biblical usage, it describes the literal texture or appearance of a person’s hair, such as when Daniel interprets Nebuchadnezzar’s dream involving figures with hair like wool (Daniel 7:9). The term carries no inherent spiritual weight beyond describing this visible aspect of human or divine representation.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word for hair in these ancient texts serves as a marker of physical reality. In Daniel 3:27, it highlights how the fire failed to singe their heads, showing that God’s protection extends even to the smallest details of our bodies. It reminds us that nothing about us is overlooked when we face trials.
In Daniel 7:9, the description of hair like wool points to the Ancient of Days. This imagery conveys age, dignity, and eternal stability. While we often focus on dramatic miracles, these verses show God’s care in both preserving life and revealing His timeless nature.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 2 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- and/ [the] hair of2×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- וּ/שְׂעַ֤ר2×
Key Verses
-
Daniel 3:27
The local governors, the deputies, and the governors, and the king’s counselors, being gathered together, saw these men, that the fire had no power on their bodies. The hair of their head wasn’t singed. Their pants weren’t changed. The smell of fire wasn’t even on them.
This verse uses the word to emphasize the completeness of deliverance, showing that even the fine hairs on their heads remained untouched by the flames.
-
Daniel 7:9
“I watched until thrones were placed, and one who was Ancient of Days sat. His clothing was white as snow, and the hair of his head like pure wool. His throne was fiery flames, and its wheels burning fire.
Here the term describes the Ancient of Days, using hair like wool to symbolize ancient wisdom and enduring sovereignty rather than mere physical age.