Lexical Summary
tselem: image, statue, expression
Original Word:צֶלֶם
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:tselem
Pronunciation:tseh'-lem
Phonetic Spelling:(tseh'-lem)
KJV: form, image
NASB:image, statue, expression
Word Origin:[corresponding toH6754 (צֶּלֶם - images)]
1. an idolatrous figure
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
form, image
(Aramaic) or tslem (Aramaic) {tsel-em'}; corresponding totselem; an idolatrous figure -- form, image.
see HEBREWtselem
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to
tselemDefinitionan image
NASB Translationexpression (1), image (11), statue (5).
Topical Lexicon
OverviewThe Aramaic noun “tselem” occurs seventeen times in the Book of Daniel (Daniel 2:31–3:19). Each appearance revolves around two closely linked episodes in the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar II: the dream of the multi-metal statue in Daniel chapter 2 and the erection of the golden statue on the plain of Dura in chapter 3. Though the same term is used for both, Scripture distinguishes between a prophetic “image” revealed by God and a physical “image” fashioned by human pride. Together the occurrences of “tselem” provide a richly textured lesson on sovereignty, idolatry, and faithful witness.
Historical Setting
Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon stood at the zenith of its political and architectural glory. Colossal statues of kings and deities dominated public spaces, and written records describe forty-foot images overlaid with gold. Daniel and his friends served in this environment after being exiled from Judah in 605 BC. The Holy Spirit’s choice of “tselem” to describe both the God-given dream statue and the king’s manufactured idol places the Babylonian practice of monumental imagery in direct conversation with divine revelation.
Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream Image (Daniel 2:31–35)
“You, O king, were watching, and behold, there was a great statue—an immense statue, extraordinary in brightness, standing before you, and its appearance was awesome.” (Daniel 2:31)
Daniel proceeds to describe the statue’s four metallic sections—gold head, silver chest and arms, bronze belly and thighs, iron legs with iron-clay feet—culminating in a stone “cut out without hands” that strikes the feet, crushes the statue, and grows into a mountain filling the whole earth (Daniel 2:34–35). The dream “image” presents:
1. A prophetic panorama of successive Gentile empires from Babylon to the kingdom God will establish.
2. A reminder that earthly glory, no matter how splendid, is transient before the eternal dominion of God.
3. An implicit call to humility for Nebuchadnezzar, who has been given his throne by the “God of heaven” (Daniel 2:37).
The Golden Image on the Plain of Dura (Daniel 3:1–7)
Instead of heeding the heavenly warning, Nebuchadnezzar builds a ninety-foot “image of gold” (Daniel 3:1). The dimensions intentionally mimic the colossal scale of the dream statue but in monochrome—gold from head to toe—symbolizing the king’s desire for undivided, perpetual dominion. The dedication ceremony casts “tselem” as the focal point of civic religion: governors, prefects, and all officials must bow at the sound of the orchestra (Daniel 3:2–5). Idolatrous uniformity is enforced by threat of execution in a blazing furnace.
Confrontation and Deliverance (Daniel 3:8–30)
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego refuse to worship the image. Their reply embodies covenant fidelity: “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter… our God whom we serve is able to deliver us… But even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image you have set up” (Daniel 3:16–18).
God vindicates their trust by sending a fourth figure “like a son of the gods” into the furnace (Daniel 3:25). The powerless “tselem” stands in stark contrast to the living presence of the Most High who rescues His servants. Nebuchadnezzar’s subsequent decree exalts the God who “delivered His servants who trusted in Him” (Daniel 3:28).
Theological Significance
1. Divine sovereignty over human kingdoms
The dual use of “tselem” underscores that God alone ordains empires and dismantles them. Human rulers may erect their own images, but history is ultimately shaped by the stone “cut out without hands.”
2. The nature of idolatry
The golden image reveals idolatry as a distortion of legitimate authority. Nebuchadnezzar converts a prophetic warning into an object of self-worship. All later manifestations of political idolatry follow the same pattern—exalting temporal power in the place of God.
3. Covenant faithfulness in exile
Daniel’s companions illustrate how to navigate a pluralistic culture without compromise. Obedience to God may bring conflict with civic expectations, yet steadfast loyalty invites divine intervention and testimony before the nations.
4. Christological foreshadowing
The stone that becomes a mountain anticipates the Messiah’s kingdom (compareIsaiah 28:16;Luke 20:17–18). The fourth figure in the furnace prefigures Christ’s incarnational presence with His suffering people (Hebrews 13:5). Thus “tselem” in Daniel becomes a vehicle for revealing the coming of the eternal King.
Eschatological Implications
Daniel 2 and 3 set the stage for later prophetic visions (Daniel 7,Daniel 9,Revelation 13) in which idolatrous images and state coercion recur. The final antichrist will erect an “image” demanding universal worship, but the outcome is predetermined: “The kingdoms of the world… will become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ” (Revelation 11:15). The pattern exhibited by “tselem” in Babylon therefore instructs believers to anticipate similar pressures and to remain faithful until the appearing of the true King.
Ministry Applications
• Preaching and Teaching
Use Daniel’s “tselem” episodes to contrast fleeting cultural icons with the unshakable kingdom of God, encouraging congregations to evaluate modern idols of power, wealth, and celebrity.
• Discipleship
Highlight the resolve of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego as a model for young believers facing peer pressure. Their declaration “even if He does not” nurtures a faith that clings to God’s character rather than to outcomes.
• Apologetics
The historical specificity of Daniel’s prophetic image—accurately outlining successive empires—serves as evidence for divine revelation, reinforcing confidence in the reliability of Scripture.
• Worship
The narrative invites corporate songs and prayers exalting Christ as the stone the builders rejected yet chosen by God, celebrating His kingdom that will “fill the whole earth.”
Conclusion
“Tselem” in Daniel crystallizes the conflict between the kingdoms of this world and the kingdom of God. Whether appearing in a dream or cast in gold, the image becomes a stage on which divine sovereignty, human pride, and covenant faithfulness are dramatically displayed. Ultimately, every fabricated “tselem” will crumble, while the everlasting dominion of the Son of Man will endure forever.
Forms and Transliterations
וּלְצֶ֧לֶם וּצְלֵ֤ם ולצלם וצלם לְצֶ֣לֶם לְצֶ֥לֶם לְצַלְמָ֗א לְצַלְמָ֣א לְצַלְמָא֙ לצלם לצלמא צְלֵ֣ם צְלֵ֥ם צַלְמָ֔א צַלְמָ֗א צַלְמָ֨א צלם צלמא lə·ṣal·mā lə·ṣe·lem ləṣalmā ləṣelem letzalMa leTzelem ṣal·mā ṣalmā ṣə·lêm ṣəlêm tzalMa tzeLem ū·lə·ṣe·lem ū·ṣə·lêm ūləṣelem uleTzelem ūṣəlêm utzeLem
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