H7001 H7001
joints, knots; possibly anatomical joints or difficult problems/spells requiring解 解solution (Aramaic)
This Aramaic noun appears in Daniel 5 with debated meaning. Daniel 5:6 describes Belshazzar's physical reaction to the writing on the wall: 'the joints of his loins loosened'—possibly his hip joints or knees giving way in terror. Daniel 5:12, 16 speak of Daniel's ability to solve 'knots' or 'difficulties'—either knotty problems requiring解solution or possibly magic spells/enchantments needing breaking. The Syriac cognate supports both 'joints' (anatomical) and 'knots/difficulties' (intellectual/magical). The term operates literally (body parts) and figuratively (problems) within the same chapter.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Two uses in Daniel 5: anatomical (the king's joints loosening in fear, v.6) and intellectual/magical (solving knots/difficulties, vv.12, 16). The cross-linguistic evidence shows this tension: some translations give 'joints' (anatomical), others 'knots' (problems), some bracket the forms (German/French) noting uncertainty. The literal sense involves things bound together (joints, knots), while the figurative extends to bound-up problems needing解loose or解解loose. Context determines whether physical body parts or intellectual puzzles are meant. 3×
AR["الْعُقَدِ", "وَ-عُقَدًا", "وَ-عُقَدُ"]·ben["এবং-গিঁট", "এবং-গিঁটগুলি", "গিঁটের"]·DE["[וקטרי]", "[וקטרין]", "[קטרין]"]·EN["and-joints-of", "and-knots", "knots"]·FR["[וקטרי]", "[וקטרין]", "[קטרין]"]·heb["ו-קשרי", "ו-קשרים", "קשרים"]·HI["और-गांठें", "और-गांठों", "गांठों"]·ID["dan-persoalan-persoalan", "dan-sendi-sendi", "persoalan-persoalan"]·IT["[וקטרי]", "[וקטרין]", "[קטרין]"]·jav["lan-pepeteng", "lan-ros-rosaning", "pepeteng"]·KO["그리고-매듭들-을", "그리고-매듭들-이", "매듭들-을"]·PT["e-as-juntas-de", "e-nós", "nós"]·RU["и-узлы", "узлы"]·ES["nudos", "y-las-articulaciones-de", "y-nudos"]·SW["matatizo", "na-matatizo", "na-vifundo-vya"]·TR["düğümleri", "ve-düğümleri", "ve-eklemleri"]·urd["اور-جوڑ", "اور-گرہیں", "گرہوں-کا"]
Related Senses
H3548 1. priest, cultic officiant (750×)G5547 1. Christ, Messiah, Anointed One (540×)H5030 1. Prophet, divine spokesperson (317×)H5930a 1. burnt offering (sacrifice) (286×)H3881 1. Levites (priestly class) (283×)G4396 1. prophet, spokesperson of God (146×)H6944 1. sanctuary, holy place (129×)G0749 1. high priest, chief priest (123×)H6944 2. holiness, sacredness (abstract quality) (123×)G5330 1. Pharisee (99×)G4336 1. pray to God (86×)H6944 3. holy things, sacred offerings (plural) (86×)H3722a 1. make ritual atonement (Piel) (85×)H6912 1. bury (Qal active) (82×)H6419 1. pray (Hitpael) (80×)H6944 4. holiness (with possessive pronoun) (77×)H6942 1. sanctify, consecrate (Piel factitive) (76×)H2930a 1. Qal: be/become unclean (75×)H7819a 1. slaughter an animal (Qal active) (72×)H1486 1. lot (object cast for decisions) (71×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [קְטַר] n.m. Dn 5:6 joint, knot;—lit. pl. cstr. קִטְרֵי Dn 5:6 joints of his loin; fig. abs. קִטְרִין v 12, 16, usually knotty things, difficulties (Syriac PS 3591); but prob. of magic spells, banns (also Syriac PS l.c., cf. Brock 319 b), so Bev, v. also Dr.