Lexical Summary
dar: Generation, period, dwelling
Original Word:דָּר
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:dar
Pronunciation:dar
Phonetic Spelling:(dawr)
KJV: generation
NASB:generation
Word Origin:[(Aramaic) corresponding toH1755 (דּוֹר דּוֹר - generation)]
1. an age
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
generation
(Aramaic) corresponding todowr; an age -- generation.
see HEBREWdowr
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin(Aramaic) from
durDefinitiona generation
NASB Translationgeneration (4).
Topical Lexicon
Meaning and ScopeThe term denotes a “generation” or “age,” stressing the continuous succession of human periods. In Daniel it functions poetically in the idiom “from generation to generation,” underscoring the unbroken stretch of time over which God’s rule extends.
Context within Daniel
The occurrences cluster in Nebuchadnezzar’s doxologies (Daniel 4:3, 34). Written in Aramaic during the Babylonian exile, the chapter records a pagan king’s humbling and subsequent recognition that “His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation” (Daniel 4:34). Each repetition of the word intensifies the confession that God’s sovereignty is not limited to Israel’s national life but spans every epoch, including the reigns of Gentile powers.
Theological Significance
1. Perpetuity of Divine Rule: The phrase links God’s eternal dominion (“everlasting”) with successive human eras (“generation”), affirming that His authority is unaffected by political upheaval or temporal change.
2. Universality: The setting—Babylon, center of world power—shows that this truth holds in foreign contexts as surely as in the land of Judah.
3. Covenant Continuity: Although spoken by a Gentile king, the wording harmonizes with earlier Hebrew doxologies (for example,Psalm 90:1;Psalm 100:5), demonstrating the unified witness of Scripture to God’s faithfulness through every generation.
Practical Ministry Applications
• Assurance in Unstable Times: Believers confronting cultural or governmental shifts may rest in the reality that God reigns through every generation.
• Intergenerational Discipleship: The text encourages passing the faith along, confident that the same sovereign Lord will be present with the next cohort of believers.
• Evangelism among Nations: Nebuchadnezzar’s testimony illustrates that acknowledgment of God’s reign can emerge in unexpected places, motivating prayer for rulers and bold witness in secular settings.
Connections with New Testament Revelation
Luke echoes the same theme: “His mercy extends to those who fear Him, from generation to generation” (Luke 1:50). Paul likewise proclaims, “To Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever” (Ephesians 3:21). Daniel’s Aramaic wording thus anticipates the universal gospel proclamation that reaches every people and period.
Worship and Doxology
The repetition of דָּר invites congregational response. Singing or recitingDaniel 4:34 reminds worshipers that God’s kingdom transcends their moment in history. It prompts humility before the King who both raises and removes earthly rulers, yet whose throne is fixed “from generation to generation.”
Forms and Transliterations
דָּ֥ר דר וְדָֽר׃ ודר׃ dar dār veDar wə·ḏār wəḏār
Links
Interlinear Greek •
Interlinear Hebrew •
Strong's Numbers •
Englishman's Greek Concordance •
Englishman's Hebrew Concordance •
Parallel Texts
