שָׁק (shaq)
shaq
leg
A:N-MQuick Reference
- Language
- Biblical Hebrew
- Testament
- Old Testament
- Occurrences
- 1 verses
- Root
- —
- Part of speech
- A:N-M
Word Overview
The Aramaic word shaq refers simply to the lower leg, specifically the thigh or shank. It appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, within the dream narrative of King Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 2:33. In this context, it describes the legs of a colossal statue made of various metals, which represent the final kingdom in a sequence of empires.
This term is the Aramaic equivalent of the Hebrew shoq (H7785). While the Hebrew form appears more frequently in descriptive passages about anatomy or ritual washing, shaq serves the same concrete function here. Its singular occurrence highlights the vivid, physical imagery used to depict political power: a statue that looks impressive from head to toe but rests on legs of iron, suggesting strength yet also fragility.
Translators consistently render shaq as "legs" or "thighs," avoiding metaphorical interpretations because the context is strictly literal. The word anchors the vision in bodily reality, contrasting the divine kingdom that shatters the statue with the earthly power that stands on these iron limbs. It reminds readers that even the most imposing human structures have a physical, and ultimately temporary, foundation.
Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).
What This Word Means for Your Faith
The word shaq appears in Daniel’s vision of a great statue, where its legs are made of iron. This image captures the raw strength of earthly empires that seem unshakable to human eyes. Yet the text places these powerful legs on a foundation mixed with clay, hinting at an underlying fragility. It is a stark reminder that political power, no matter how imposing, rests on temporary ground.
For your faith, this word offers comfort when you feel overwhelmed by the forces of this world. The vision does not end with the statue standing firm; it ends with a stone cut without hands destroying it completely. Your trust is not in the stability of human systems but in the eternal kingdom of God. Even when the world seems unstable, your hope remains secure in what is lasting and divine.
How it's translated
How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 1 verses where it appears, by frequency.
- legs/ its1×
Forms in the text
The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.
- שָׁק֖וֹ/הִי1×
Key Verses
-
Daniel 2:33
its legs of iron, its feet part of iron and part of clay.
This verse uses shaq to describe the iron legs of Nebuchadnezzar's statue, symbolizing the military strength and durability of the final earthly kingdom in the dream sequence.