H1797 H1797
that, this—Aramaic demonstrative pronoun in Daniel
This Aramaic demonstrative pronoun means 'this' or 'that' and appears only in Daniel. It is formed from dek plus the demonstrative suffix -n. Daniel 2:31 uses it in Nebuchadnezzar's dream: 'this image' (tsalma dikken). Daniel 7:20-21 uses it twice for 'that horn' (qarna dikken) in the vision of the fourth beast. The pronoun points to a specific, notable object within the vision—the imposing statue or the distinctive horn. Ezra uses the simpler form dek, while Daniel consistently uses the longer dikken form.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Aramaic demonstrative pronoun meaning 'this' or 'that same,' appearing three times in Daniel's visions. Daniel 2:31 points to 'this image' (tsalma dikken) in Nebuchadnezzar's dream. Daniel 7:20, 21 both refer to 'that horn' (qarna dikken) in the fourth beast vision—the notable horn that warred against the saints. Cross-linguistic glosses: English 'that same,' Spanish 'aquel/que' (that/which), French and German use placeholder brackets. The demonstrative highlights particular elements within apocalyptic visions: the specific statue or the distinctive horn. This is Aramaic discourse grammar for pointing to definite referents within narrative. 3×
AR["الَّذِي", "ذَلِكَ"]·ben["এই", "সেই"]·DE["[דכן]"]·EN["that-same"]·FR["[דכן]"]·heb["ה-זאת", "ש-כן"]·HI["वह", "वही"]·ID["itu"]·IT["così"]·jav["mekaten", "punika"]·KO["그", "이-것은"]·PT["aquele", "esta"]·RU["тот", "этого"]·ES["aquel", "que"]·SW["ile"]·TR["bu"]·urd["ایسا", "وہ", "وہی"]
Related Senses
G3588 1. definite article (18298×)H0853 1. definite direct object marker (10915×)G2532 1. (8312×)H3068 1. YHWH (the divine name) (6522×)H0834a 1. relative pronoun (who/which/that) (4839×)H3588a 1. causal: because, for (3498×)G1161 1. and (2806×)H3478 1. Israel (proper name and nation) (2507×)G4771 1. you (plural address) (1853×)H1931 1. personal pronoun he/she/it (1431×)G3739 1. relative pronoun who/which/that (1149×)H1732 1. David (proper name) (1075×)H2088 1. this, this one (demonstrative) (1059×)G1063 1. (1047×)G3778 1. this thing, these things (1003×)H???? 2. (1002×)G2424 1. (924×)G3754 1. that (content clause) (881×)H2009 1. presentative particle: behold, look (881×)H0589 1. I (first person singular pronoun) (874×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† דִּכֵּן demonstr. pr. comm. this, that; only Dn; Ezr uses דֵּךְ (דֵּךְ + demonstr. affix n, WCG 111);—Dn 2:31 צַלְמָא ד׳, 7:20, 21 קַרְנָא ד׳.