H8330 H8330
roots (Aramaic, of trees)
This Aramaic masculine plural noun with suffix means 'roots,' specifically roots of a tree, appearing only in Daniel's account of Nebuchadnezzar's dream and its fulfillment. Daniel 4:12 describes the great tree in the dream with 'its roots' still in the ground after being cut down. The command to leave the stump with 'roots' in the earth (4:20, 23) symbolizes that Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom will be restored after his period of madness—the root system remains viable for regrowth. The imagery draws on agricultural knowledge: a cut tree with intact roots can sprout again, representing hope of restoration after judgment.
Senses
1. sense 1 — Tree roots in Nebuchadnezzar's dream symbolism. Daniel 4:12 (Aramaic 4:15) commands leaving 'its roots in the earth' when cutting down the great tree. Daniel 4:20 and 4:23 (Aramaic 4:23, 26) repeat the instruction about preserving 'the roots' as a sign that 'your kingdom will be yours' after acknowledging heaven's rule. The preserved root system ensures eventual restoration—the tree can grow again. The multilingual glosses ('sus raíces,' 'its roots') straightforwardly translate this botanical-theological image of judgment with promised restoration. 3×
AR["أُصُولِ", "أُصُولِهَا"]·ben["এর-শিকড়ের", "শিকড়ের"]·DE["[שרשוהי]"]·EN["its-roots", "roots-of"]·FR["[שרשוהי]"]·heb["שורשיו"]·HI["उसकी-जड़ों-का"]·ID["akar", "akarnya"]·IT["le-sue-radici"]·jav["oyodipun"]·KO["그-뿌리들-의"]·PT["suas-raízes"]·RU["корней-его"]·ES["sus-raíces"]·SW["mizizi-yake"]·TR["köklerinin"]·urd["اُس-کی-جڑوں"]
Related Senses
H3754 1. vineyard, cultivated grape plot (92×)H0730 1. cedar tree or wood (73×)H1612 1. vine, grapevine (55×)H3293a 1. forest, wood, thicket (55×)H5560 1. fine flour (53×)H5193 1. plant vegetation (48×)H2232 1. sow seed, plant crops (41×)H1715 1. grain, cereal crop (40×)H7114b 1. reap, harvest grain (36×)H2132 1. olive tree (34×)H8184 1. barley (34×)H2406 1. wheat (grain crop) (30×)H7070 1. reed, cane (plant) (30×)H7848 1. acacia (28×)H8328 1. root of a plant (28×)H8384 1. fig tree (25×)H5488 1. reeds, rushes (in 'Sea of Reeds') (24×)G0290 1. a vineyard (23×)G2325 1. reap, harvest a crop (21×)G4687 1. sow seed, plant (21×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
† [שֹׁ֫רֶשׁ] n.m. Dn 4:12 root (v. BH);—pl. sf. שָׁרְשׁוֹ֫הִי of tree Dn 4:12, 20, 23.