פַּרְזֶל19 H6523
Iron (the metal), used in Daniel for the fourth kingdom's crushing strength and for fetters and idols.
The Aramaic cognate of Hebrew barzel, appearing exclusively in the book of Daniel. Iron dominates Nebuchadnezzar's dream statue as the material of the legs and feet (Dan 2:33–45), symbolizing the fourth kingdom's crushing, unbreakable power. It recurs in the great tree vision as the iron-and-bronze band around the stump (Dan 4:12, 20), in the vessels of Belshazzar's feast (Dan 5:4, 23), and in the terrifying iron teeth of the fourth beast (Dan 7:7, 19). Every occurrence carries overtones of imperial strength and unyielding hardness.
Senses
1. iron (metal) — Iron as a physical metal and symbolic substance, appearing exclusively in Aramaic portions of Daniel. Used literally for the material of the statue's legs and feet in Nebuchadnezzar's dream (Dan 2:33–45), for the iron band on the hewn tree (Dan 4:12, 20), for vessels at Belshazzar's feast (Dan 5:4, 23), and for the devouring teeth of the fourth beast (Dan 7:7, 19). The metal consistently symbolizes overwhelming imperial power and indestructible hardness. All translations converge — English 'iron,' Spanish 'hierro,' French 'fer,' German 'Eisen.' 20×
AR["الـ-حَدِيدَ", "الـ-حَدِيدُ", "الْحَدِيدِ", "حَدِيدٌ", "حَدِيدٍ", "كَـ-الـ-حَدِيدِ", "لِ-الـ-حَدِيدِ", "مِنَ-الـ-حَدِيدِ", "مِنْ-حَدِيدٍ", "وَ-كَـ-الـ-حَدِيدِ"]·ben["-লোহার-মতো", "এবং-লোহার-মতো", "লোহা", "লোহার"]·DE["Eisen", "das-Eisen", "und-Eisen", "wie-das-Eisen"]·EN["and-as-iron", "as-iron", "iron", "the-iron"]·FR["[וכפרזלא]", "[כפרזלא]", "fer", "le-fer"]·heb["ברזל", "ו-כ-ברזל", "כ-ברזל"]·HI["और-जैसा-लोहा", "जैसा-लोहा", "लोहा", "लोहे", "लोहे-के"]·ID["-besi", "besi", "dan-seperti-besi", "seperti-besi"]·IT["come-il-ferro", "e-ferro", "ferro", "il-ferro"]·jav["kados-wesi", "lan-kados-wesi", "wesi"]·KO["같이-철", "그리고-같이-철", "철-", "철-의", "철과", "철의", "철이", "철이고", "철이다", "철이었다"]·PT["como-ferro", "e-como-ferro", "ferro"]·RU["-железа", "-железных", "железные", "железных", "железо", "и-как-железо", "как-железо"]·ES["como-el-hierro", "el-hierro", "hierro", "y-como-el-hierro"]·SW["chuma", "kama-chuma", "na-kama-chuma"]·TR["demir", "demir-gibi", "demirden", "demiri", "demirin", "ve-demir-gibi"]·urd["اور-جیسے-لوہا", "جیسے-لوہا", "لوہا", "لوہے", "لوہے-کی", "لوہے-کے"]
Related Senses
H4325 1. water, waters (582×)H6965b 1. Qal: to rise, arise, get up (432×)H2091 1. gold (the metal) (389×)H0068 1. stone, rock (material/object) (267×)H5178a 1. bronze/copper as metal (131×)H6083 1. dust, dry earth, soil (108×)H8313 1. burn, set fire to (94×)H2734 1. anger was kindled (82×)G5204 1. water (80×)H2822 1. darkness, absence of light (80×)G5457 1. light (illumination) (71×)G0450 1. rise, stand up (physical) (69×)H6965b 2. Qal: to stand firm, endure, be valid (50×)H6999a 2. burn sacrifice on altar (Hifil) (45×)H5553 1. rock, cliff (physical feature) (43×)H6965b 4. Hifil: to establish, confirm (covenant/kingdom/word) (40×)H1197a 1. burn, be on fire (39×)H4306 1. rain, showers (38×)H1653 1. rain, precipitation (34×)G4655 1. darkness (30×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
פַּרְזֶל19 n.m. Dn 2:40 iron (𝔗 Syriac; v. BH בַּרְזֶל);—abs. Dn 2:33 (-זֶ֑ל), 4:12 +; emph. פַּרְזְלָא 2:34 +;—Dn 2:33, 34 + 11 times 2; 4:12, 20; 5:4, 23; 7:7, 19.