H2418 H2418
live, be alive (Aramaic); (Haphel) let live, keep alive
An Aramaic verb meaning 'to live,' best known from the formulaic court greeting 'O king, live forever!' (Dan 2:4; 3:9; 5:10; 6:6, 21). This deferential wish appears on the lips of astrologers, queens, and officials alike, making it the standard Aramaic salutation before royalty. In its sole Haphel occurrence (Dan 5:19), the verb takes on causative force: Nebuchadnezzar had the power to 'let live' whomever he wished. Spanish 'dejaba vivir' ('he would let live') captures this life-and-death royal prerogative precisely.
2. sense 2 — To keep alive, let live, in the Haphel (causative) stem. In Dan 5:19, Nebuchadnezzar possessed absolute power over life and death: 'whom he wished he kept alive.' Spanish 'dejaba vivir' ('he would let live') and English 'striking' (contextually: deciding who lives) highlight the sovereign's terrifying discretion over human survival. 1×
AR["يَضْرِبُ"]·ben["প্রহার-করতেন"]·DE["leben"]·EN["striking"]·FR["vivre"]·heb["מכה"]·HI["मारता-था"]·ID["membiarkan-hidup"]·IT["vivere"]·jav["nggesang"]·KO["치시고"]·PT["ferindo"]·RU["поражающий"]·ES["dejaba-vivir"]·SW["akimpiga"]·TR["döven"]·urd["زندہ-رکھتا-تھا"]
▼ 1 more sense below
Senses
1. sense 1 — To live, be alive, used in the Pe'al imperative as a formulaic court greeting: 'O king, live forever!' Attested five times in Daniel (2:4; 3:9; 5:10; 6:6; 6:21), always addressed to a reigning monarch. English 'live,' Spanish 'vive,' French 'vivre,' and German 'leben' all render this with simple, direct equivalents reflecting the universal nature of the wish. 5×
AR["عِشْ"]·ben["বাঁচুন"]·DE["leben"]·EN["live"]·FR["vivre"]·heb["חיה"]·HI["जी","जीवित-रह"]·ID["hiduplah"]·IT["vivere"]·jav["gesanga"]·KO["사소서","사시옵소서"]·PT["vive"]·RU["живи"]·ES["vive","vive!"]·SW["uishi"]·TR["yaşa"]·urd["جیتا-رہ","زندہ-رہ"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [חֲיָא] vb. live (v. BH חָיָה);— Pe. Imv. לְעָֽלְמִין חֱיִי live for ever! Dn 2:4; 3:9; 5:10; 6:7, 22. Haph. Pt. מַחֵא (K§ 11, 3 b) γ) HptKmp. Dn. 28) Dn 5:19 let live.