H3493 H3493
Excellent, surpassing (attributive adjective); exceedingly, extraordinarily (adverbial intensifier) — Aramaic, in Daniel
The Aramaic adjective יַתִּיר (yattir), cognate with Hebrew יוֹתֵר from the root meaning 'to exceed,' appears exclusively in the book of Daniel to express superlative quality or extreme degree. As an attributive adjective, it describes the extraordinary spirit in Daniel that distinguished him above the other administrators (Dan 6:3) and the surpassing wisdom and understanding found in him (Dan 5:12, 14). As an adverbial intensifier, it heightens descriptions to the extreme: Nebuchadnezzar's dream-image was 'exceedingly' brilliant (Dan 2:31), the furnace was heated 'exceedingly' beyond normal (Dan 3:22), and the fourth beast was 'exceedingly' dreadful (Dan 7:7, 19).
Senses
1. excellent, surpassing (attributive) — The attributive use describing a quality of pre-eminence, excellence, or surpassing nature inherent in a person or thing. In Daniel 6:3 an 'excellent spirit' (רוּחַ יַתִּירָא) was found in Daniel, setting him apart from the other officials. Daniel 5:12 and 5:14 similarly describe surpassing wisdom, knowledge, and understanding as personal attributes. Daniel 4:36 marks the restoration of Nebuchadnezzar's 'surpassing' majesty. Spanish 'extraordinaria/extraordinario' and French 'excellent' align with this qualitative, inherent-excellence reading. 4×
AR["فَائِقَةٌ"]·ben["অতিরিক্ত","বিশেষ"]·DE["ausserordentlich"]·EN["excellent","surpassing"]·FR["excellent"]·heb["יתירה"]·HI["उत्तम","और-अधिक"]·ID["luar-biasa"]·IT["straordinario"]·jav["langkung-ageng","linuwih"]·KO["넘치게","뛰어난-의","뛰어난-이"]·PT["extraordinária","extraordinário"]·RU["превосходная","превосходный","преизбыточное"]·ES["extraordinaria","extraordinario"]·SW["bora","wa-ziada"]·TR["fazlası","olağanüstü"]·urd["بہت-زیادہ","غیر-معمولی","فائق"]
2. exceedingly, greatly (adverbial intensifier) — The adverbial-intensifier use meaning 'exceedingly,' 'greatly,' or 'to an extreme degree,' modifying a verb or another adjective rather than standing as a predicated quality. The great image of Nebuchadnezzar's dream was 'exceedingly' bright (Dan 2:31), the furnace was heated 'exceedingly' beyond its norm (Dan 3:22), and the fourth beast was 'exceedingly' terrifying and different from all the others (Dan 7:7, 19). Spanish 'en extremo' and 'excesivamente' confirm the degree-modifier function, marking a clear functional boundary from the attributive-adjectival sense. 4×
AR["جِدًّا","فَائِقٌ"]·ben["অত্যধিক","অত্যন্ত","অসাধারণ"]·DE["ausserordentlich"]·EN["exceedingly","extraordinary"]·FR["excellent"]·heb["יתירה","יתר"]·HI["अत्यंत","अत्यन्त"]·ID["luar-biasa","sangat"]·IT["straordinario"]·jav["ngedab-edabi","sanget"]·KO["극히","뛰어나게","뛰어난"]·PT["excessivamente","extraordinário","extremamente"]·RU["чрезвычайно","чрезмерно","чрезмерный"]·ES["en-extremo","excesivamente","extraordinario"]·SW["kupita-kiasi","sana"]·TR["aşırı","fevkalade","olağanüstü"]·urd["انتہائی","بہت"]
Related Senses
H5921a 1. upon, on, over (spatial) (5443×)H0413 1. directional: to, toward (5366×)H1121a 1. son, male offspring, descendant (4914×)H3808 1. simple negation (not) (4839×)H4428 1. king, human ruler (2518×)G1722 1. locative: in, within (2442×)H1004b 1. house, dwelling, building (2015×)H6440 1. before, in front of (spatial) (1870×)G3756 1. not (negation particle) (1635×)H3027 1. physical hand (body part) (1596×)H1697 1. word, speech, utterance (1235×)H4480a 1. source or separation (1198×)H5892b 1. city, town (1093×)G1519 1. direction: into, to, toward (1061×)H3427 1. Qal: to dwell, inhabit (937×)G1537 1. from, out of (source/origin) (886×)H8034 1. Name (designation / identifier) (856×)G3361 1. subjective negation (not) (834×)G1909 1. on, upon (spatial surface) (757×)H0369 1. existential negation: there is not (738×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† יַתִּיר adj. pre-eminent, surpassing (v. BH יתר);—ms. abs. י׳ Dn 2:31; fs. יַתִּירָא 6:4, usually ה—ָ 4:33; 5:12, 14; as adv. exceedingly 3:22; 7:7, 19 (cf. יתיר מתבריך EutSin. 498 wh. Lzb 401 reads יתירית בריך).