3. begin — Aramaic verb (Piel perfect 3cp) meaning to begin or commence an action, attested in Ezra 5:2 where Zerubbabel and Jeshua began to rebuild the house of God. This sense may derive from the idea of 'setting free' or 'releasing' into action. Hindi 'aarambh kiya' (began), Korean 'sijaghayeotda' (started), Spanish 'comenzaron' (they began), Arabic 'shara-u' (they began) all confirm the inceptive meaning distinct from both 'loosen' and 'dwell.' 1×
AR["وَ-شَرَعُوا"]·ben["আর-শুরু-করলেন"]·DE["[ושריו]"]·EN["and-began"]·FR["[ושריו]"]·heb["ו-שריו"]·HI["और-आरम्भ-किया"]·ID["dan-mulai"]·IT["[ושריו]"]·jav["lan-wiwit"]·KO["그리고-시작하였다"]·PT["e-começaram"]·RU["и-начали"]·ES["y-comenzaron"]·SW["na-wakaanza"]·TR["ve-basladilar"]·urd["اور-شروع-کیا"]
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Senses
1. loosen, untie, solve — Aramaic verb meaning to loosen, untie, or release from bonds, with a figurative extension to solving or interpreting difficult problems (loosening knots of perplexity). In Dan 3:25 the three men are seen loosed and walking in the fire; in Dan 5:6 Belshazzar's joints were loosened with terror. The figurative sense appears in Dan 5:12, 16 where Daniel's ability to 'solve' interpretations and riddles is described (Piel participle and Qal infinitive). Hindi 'suljhaana' (untangle/solve), Korean 'pulda' (untie/solve), Spanish 'resolver/soltar,' Arabic 'halla' (loosen/solve) all confirm the loosen-to-solve semantic extension. 4×
AR["أَنْ-تَحُلَّ","انْحَلَّتْ","مَحْلُولِينَ","وَ-حَالُّ"]·ben["এবং-সমাধানকারী","খুলে-যাচ্ছিল","খোলা","খোলার-জন্য"]·DE["[ומשרא]","[למשרא]","[משתרין]","[שרין]"]·EN["and-solving","loosed","loosened","to-solve"]·FR["et-libérer","libérer"]·heb["ו-מתיר","להתיר","משוחררים","משתחררים"]·HI["और-सुलझानेवाला","खुले-हुए","ढीली-हो-रही-थीं","सुलझाने-में"]·ID["bebas","dan-memecahkan","memecahkan","menjadi-lemah"]·IT["[ומשרא]","[למשרא]","[משתרין]","[שרין]"]·jav["lan-ngudhari","ngudhari","sami-kendho","sami-ucul"]·KO["그리고-푸는-","풀기-를","풀렸으며","풀린"]·PT["desatar","e-desatando","se-soltaram","soltos"]·RU["и-разрешающий","ослабели","развязанных","разрешать"]·ES["resolver","se-soltaban","sueltos","y-resolviendo"]·SW["kutatua","na-kutatua","vilifunguka","wamefunguliwa"]·TR["serbest","ve-çözen","çözmeyi","çözüldü"]·urd["اور-حل-کرنے-والا","حل-کرنا","ڈھیلے-ہو-گئے","کھلے-ہوئے"]
2. dwell, abide — Aramaic verb (Qal passive participle) meaning to dwell or reside in a place, a distinct sense from the primary 'loosen' meaning, possibly from a different root or semantic development (cf. BH sharah 'abide'). Used in Dan 2:22 of God in whom light dwells. Arabic 'saakin' (dwelling), Hindi 'rahta hai' (lives/resides), Korean 'geohashinda' (dwells), Spanish 'mora' (dwells) uniformly confirm the residential/dwelling semantics distinct from the loosening sense. 1×
AR["سَاكِنٌ"]·ben["বাস-করে"]·DE["[שרא]"]·EN["dwells"]·FR["libérer"]·heb["שרוי"]·HI["रहता-है"]·ID["tinggal"]·IT["[שרא]"]·jav["manggon"]·KO["거하신다"]·PT["habita"]·RU["обитает"]·ES["mora"]·SW["inakaa"]·TR["bulunur"]·urd["رہتا-ہے"]
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [שְׁרָא] vb. 1. loosen 2. abide (v. BH I. שׁרה);— Pe. Inf. לְמִשְׁרֵא Dn 5:16; read מִשׁ׳ also v 12, for מְשָׁ׳ (K§ 40 n. M 87* al.);—Pt. pass. שְׁרֵא (K§ 47, Beisp. f)) 2:22; pl. שְׁרַיִן 3:25;— 1. loosen: lit. pt. pass. loosed Dn 3:25 (opp. bound); fig. loosen knots, i.e. solve difficulties, 5:12, 16. 2. abide (from loosening girths, loads, at encampment; cf. 𝔗 NH [also on pt. pass.]), fig.…