Lexical Summary
din: court, judgment, just
Original Word:דִּין
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:diyn
Pronunciation:deen
Phonetic Spelling:(deen)
NASB:court, judgment, just
Word Origin:[(Aramaic) corresponding toH1779 (דִּין דּוּן - cause)]
1. judgement
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
judgment
(Aramaic) corresp. Toduwn -- judgement.
see HEBREWduwn
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin(Aramaic) from
dinDefinitionjudgment
NASB Translationcourt (2), judgment (2), just (1).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
Ezra 7:26 ; — absolute
Daniel 4:34 =
justice (of ways of God); emphatic
Ezra 7:26judgment be executed upon him; =
judges, courtDaniel 7:10,26 #NAME?
Daniel 7:22 (reading [], Ew Bev Kmp Dr); however =
judgment was given in favour of (see Dr).
Topical Lexicon
Meaning and Scopeדִּין (dîn) is the Aramaic counterpart to the Hebrew concept of “judgment” or “legal decision.” In its five Old Testament occurrences it consistently refers to an authoritative decree, judicial verdict, or court proceeding carried out under God’s sovereign oversight.
Occurrences and Immediate Contexts
1.Ezra 7:26 anchors דִּין in the Persian period. Artaxerxes empowers Ezra to enforce “the law of your God and the law of the king,” warning, “Whoever does not comply … shall be swiftly punished, whether by death, banishment, confiscation of goods, or imprisonment”. Here דִּין describes the binding judgment that upholds covenant faithfulness within an imperial framework.
2.Daniel 4:37 records Nebuchadnezzar’s post-humbling confession that God’s “ways are just” (dîn). The Babylonian king recognizes a higher court—divine justice transcends royal authority.
3.Daniel 7:10, 22, 26 move from earthly tribunals to the heavenly throne room:
• “The court was convened, and the books were opened” (Daniel 7:10).
• “Judgment was rendered in favor of the saints of the Most High” (Daniel 7:22).
• “But the court will convene, and his dominion will be taken away and completely destroyed forever” (Daniel 7:26).
Across these verses דִּין portrays an eschatological session in which God vindicates His people and terminates anti-God rule.
Historical Setting
All five texts arise in the post-exilic era, when Israel lived under foreign empires. Earthly kings (Persian and Babylonian) wielded significant legal power, yet each narrative insists that ultimate judgment rests with the “King of heaven” (Daniel 4:37). דִּין therefore functions as a bridge between imperial legal systems and the unassailable court of God.
Theological Themes
• Divine Sovereignty: Whether administered through Persian edicts (Ezra) or in the heavenly council (Daniel), every דִּין originates with God.
• Eschatological Hope:Daniel 7 links judgment with the transfer of dominion to “the saints of the Most High,” prefiguring the consummation of God’s kingdom.
• Vindication of the Faithful: The term underscores God’s commitment to uphold righteousness and to deliver His people from oppressive powers.
• Moral Accountability: Nebuchadnezzar’s testimony inDaniel 4 shows that even the mightiest rulers must answer to God’s just verdicts.
Ministry Application
Pastoral teaching can draw on דִּין to assure believers of God’s unerring justice in present trials and future hope:
• Encourage trust when human courts fail; God’s court “will convene.”
• Cultivate humility in leadership, remembering Nebuchadnezzar’s lesson that “He is able to humble those who walk in pride.”
• Inspire perseverance, as ultimate judgment is “rendered in favor of the saints.”
Connection to New Testament Revelation
The heavenly tribunal ofDaniel 7 anticipates passages such asMatthew 25:31-46 andRevelation 20:11-15, where the Son of Man executes final judgment. The vindication promised by דִּין finds fulfillment in Jesus Christ, “appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead” (Acts 10:42).
Summary
דִּין encapsulates God’s righteous verdicts in history and eternity. Whether expressed through Persian statutes, Babylonian confessions, or apocalyptic visions, every occurrence points to the same reality: the Lord of heaven convenes His court, renders just decisions, vindicates His people, and dethrones every earthly power opposed to His rule.
Forms and Transliterations
דִּ֑ין דִּינָ֕ה דִּינָ֥א דין דינא דינה וְדִינָ֖א וְדִינָ֣א ודינא dî·nā dî·nāh Din dîn diNa dînā diNah dînāh vediNa wə·ḏî·nā wəḏînā
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