H5943 H5943
Most High: an Aramaic divine epithet for God as supreme sovereign, used exclusively in Daniel.
An Aramaic adjective in the emphatic state meaning 'highest' or 'most exalted,' serving as a title for God throughout the Aramaic sections of Daniel. It appears both with the noun for God, as 'the Most High God' (Dan 3:26; 5:18, 21), and independently as a divine title, 'the Most High' (Dan 4:14, 21, 22, 29, 31; 7:25). The term emphasizes God's absolute sovereignty over earthly kingdoms, a theme central to Nebuchadnezzar's humbling and restoration (Dan 4). Its ketiv-qere variation (written as illai, read as illaa) reflects typical Aramaic orthographic convention. The epithet parallels the Hebrew Elyon found in Genesis 14 and the Psalms, extending the same theology of divine supremacy into the Aramaic court narratives.
Senses
1. [ketiv:Most High] — An Aramaic divine epithet designating God as supreme ruler over all earthly and heavenly powers. Used in Daniel's court narratives both attributively ('the Most High God,' Dan 3:26; 5:18, 21) and as a standalone title ('the Most High,' Dan 4:14, 21, 29, 31; 7:25). The ketiv-qere alternation reflects standard Aramaic scribal convention. This title parallels Hebrew Elyon and underscores the book's central claim that God deposes and raises kings at will. Multilingual glosses capture the superlative force: Spanish 'Altisimo,' German 'der Hoechste.' 18×
AR["(الْعَلِيُّ)", "(الْعَلِيِّ)", "(وَ-لِلْعَلِيِّ)", "[الْعَلِيُّ]", "[الْعَلِيِّ]", "[وَ-لِلْعَلِيِّ]", "الْعَلِيُّ", "الْعَلِيِّ"]·ben["(এবং-পরাৎপরকে)", "(পরম)", "(পরাৎপর)", "(পরাৎপরের)", "[এবং-পরাৎপরকে]", "[পরম]", "[পরাৎপর]", "[পরাৎপরের]", "পরাৎপর"]·DE["der-Hoechste", "und-zu-der-Hoechste"]·EN["(qere:Most-High)", "(qere:and-Most-High)", "Most-High", "[ketiv:Most-High]", "[ketiv:and-Most-High]"]·FR["[ולעלאה]", "[ולעליא]", "[עליא]", "[עליא]", "le-Très-Haut"]·heb["[ו-ל-עליון]", "[עליון]", "ו-ל-עליון", "עליון"]·HI["(और-परमप्रधान-को)", "(परमप्रधान)", "(परमप्रधान-का)", "(परमप्रधान-ने)", "[और-परमप्रधान]", "[परमप्रधान]", "परमप्रधान"]·ID["Yang-Mahatinggi", "[Yang-Mahatinggi]", "[dan-Yang-Mahatinggi]", "dan-Yang-Mahatinggi"]·IT["e-a-l'Altissimo", "l'Altissimo"]·jav["(Mahaluhur)", "(kang-Mahaluhur)", "Ingkang-Maha-Luhur", "[Ingkang-Maha-Luhur]", "[Mahaluhur]", "[kang-Mahaluhur]", "[lan-dhateng-Ingkang-Maha-Luhur]", "lan-dhateng-Ingkang-Maha-Luhur"]·KO["(그리고-지극히-높으신-이-를)", "(지극히-높으신)", "(지극히-높으신-이-가)", "(지극히-높으신-이-의)", "(지극히-높으신-이가)", "(지극히높으신분에게)", "[그리고-지극히-높으신-이-를]", "[지극히-높으신-이-가]", "[지극히-높으신-이-의]", "[지극히-높으신-이가]", "[지극히-높으신]", "[지극히높으신분에게]", "지극히-높으신", "지극히-높으신-이가"]·PT["(Altíssimo)", "(altíssimo)", "(e-ao-Altíssimo)", "(o-Altíssimo)", "Altíssimo", "[Altíssimo]", "[altíssimo]", "[e-ao-altíssimo]", "[o-altíssimo]", "o-Altíssimo"]·RU["(Всевышнего)", "(Всевышний)", "(и-Всевышнего)", "[Всевышнего]", "[Всевышний]", "[и-Всевышнего]", "Всевышний"]·ES["(Altísimo)", "(el-Altísimo)", "(y-al-Altísimo)", "Altísimo", "[Altísimo]", "[el-Altísimo]", "[y-al-Altísimo]", "el-Altísimo"]·SW["(Aliye-Juu)", "(na-Aliye-Juu)", "Aliye-Juu", "[Aliye-Juu]", "[na-Aliye-Juu]"]·TR["(En-Yücenin)", "(Yüce'nin)", "(Yüce)", "(Yücenin)", "(ve-Yüceyi)", "Yüce", "[En-Yücenin]", "[Yüce]", "[Yücenin]", "[ve-Yüceyi]", "[yüce]"]·urd["اور-بلند-و-بالا", "بلند-ترین", "بلند-و-بالا", "بلند-و-بالا-نے", "بلند-و-بالا-کا", "بلند-و-بالا-کی", "حقِ-تعالیٰ", "حقِ-تعالیٰ-کے"]
Related Senses
G2316 1. God, the true God (1315×)H6635b 1. hosts, armies (of YHWH) (286×)H0410 1. God, the true God (223×)G0032 1. heavenly angel (170×)H4397 2. messenger, envoy, ambassador (102×)H3742 1. cherub, angelic guardian being (91×)H0430 2. gods (pagan deities) (81×)H0426 1. God, the true God (76×)G1140 1. demon, evil spirit (62×)H0433 1. God, the true God (54×)H5945b 1. Most High (30×)G4152 1. spiritual (21×)H0426 2. god(s), pagan deities (20×)G1139 1. be demon-possessed (13×)H1712 1. Dagon (13×)G2316 2. god, pagan deity (12×)G5310 1. Most High (9×)H0410 3. a god, deity (generic) (9×)H3645 1. Chemosh (9×)H0842 2. Asherah (goddess) (8×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [עִלָּי K§ 59 1) e)] adj. highest;—always emph. עליא Kt, עִלָּאָה Qr, the Most High God: אֱלָהָא ע׳ Dn 3:26, 32; 5:18, 21; ע׳ alone, the Most High, 4:14, 21, 22, 29, 31; 7:25 (cf. Nab. n.pr. עליאל Lzb 341 SAC 91).