Lexical Summary
chezu: visions, vision, appearance
Original Word:חֵזֵו
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:chezev
Pronunciation:khay-zoo
Phonetic Spelling:(khay'-zev)
KJV: look, vision
NASB:visions, vision, appearance
Word Origin:[(Aramaic) fromH237 (אֶזֶל - Ezel)0]
1. a sight
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
look, vision
(Aramaic) fromchaza'; a sight -- look, vision.
see HEBREWchaza'
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin(Aramaic) from
chazahDefinitionvision, appearance
NASB Translationappearance (1), vision (2), visions (9).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
[] ; — emphatic (K
§ 55,6 b))
Daniel 2:19; suffix -
Daniel 7:2, -
Daniel 7:20; plural construct
Daniel 2:28 +; —
vision (as mode of revelation)Daniel 2:19 ( ),Daniel 7:2, soDaniel 7:7.Daniel 7:13,Daniel 2:28;Daniel 4:2;Daniel 7:10,1;Daniel 10:15,Daniel 4:6 (GieGGA, 1895, 598 readsI will relate).
appearanceDaniel 7:20.
Topical Lexicon
Scope and Canonical PlacementStrong’s Hebrew 2376 occurs exclusively in the Aramaic portions of the Book of Daniel (Daniel 2–7). It designates the revelatory “vision” through which God discloses hidden realities to Daniel and to pagan monarchs. Although the term is confined to Daniel, its subject matter reaches from the immediate historical context of sixth-century Babylon to the culmination of redemptive history, making these visions a theological bridge between Old Testament prophecy and New Testament apocalyptic.
Literary Role within Daniel
1. Narrative catalyst: The first use,Daniel 2:19, propels the storyline when “the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a night vision,” enabling him to interpret Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and avert the slaughter of the wise men.
2. Framing device: The Aramaic section (Daniel 2–7) opens and closes with the term, forming an inclusio that highlights God’s sovereignty over Gentile empires.
3. Transition from court tales to apocalyptic: InDaniel 7, the occurrence of חֵזֵו marks the shift from historical narrative to symbolic prophecy (“I saw in my vision by night,”Daniel 7:2), setting a pattern for the Hebrew visions of chapters 8–12.
Historical Context
The visions span the reigns of Babylonian kings Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar and the early Medo-Persian period. They address:
• The instability of earthly kingdoms (Daniel 2; 7).
• The pride and downfall of rulers (Daniel 4).
• The preservation of the faithful remnant in exile.
Babylonian diviners claimed insight through dreams, yet Daniel’s visions demonstrate that true revelation belongs to “the God of heaven” (Daniel 2:28).
Thematic Content
• Divine sovereignty: Each vision anchors on God’s control of times and seasons (Daniel 2:21).
• Judgment and grace: Nebuchadnezzar’s tree vision (Daniel 4:10–27) warns of judgment, yet promises restoration upon repentance.
• Messiah and everlasting kingdom:Daniel 7:13 introduces “One like a Son of Man, coming with the clouds of heaven,” whose dominion “will never be destroyed” (Daniel 7:14).
• Conflict of kingdoms: The four beasts ofDaniel 7 symbolize successive empires, prefiguring the climactic triumph of God’s kingdom.
Christological Significance
The phrase “One like a Son of Man” inDaniel 7:13 undergirds Jesus’ preferred self-designation in the Gospels (for example,Matthew 26:64). The vision renders a messianic portrait of a divine-human ruler receiving universal worship, anticipatingPhilippians 2:9-11 andRevelation 5:13.
Eschatological Trajectory
Daniel’s visions establish the schema of “already/not yet” fulfillment:
• Immediate: The rise and fall of Babylon, Media-Persia, Greece, and Rome.
• Future: The consummation of the kingdom at the Second Coming.
Revelation amplifies Danielic imagery (beasts, horns, thrones), affirming the unity of prophetic revelation across Testaments.
Pastoral and Ministry Applications
• Confidence in God’s rule: Believers under oppression draw assurance from God’s governance of history.
• Call to holiness: Nebuchadnezzar’s humiliation (Daniel 4:37) warns against pride.
• Evangelistic bridge: Daniel’s faithful witness before Gentile kings models engagement with secular culture while maintaining theological integrity.
• Hope amid suffering: “The saints will receive the kingdom and possess it forever” (Daniel 7:18) sustains perseverance.
Intertextual Connections
•Genesis 41: Parallel between Joseph’s dream interpretations and Daniel underscores a consistent mode of divine revelation to exiles.
•Acts 10: Peter’s vision demonstrates continuity of God speaking through visions to guide redemptive milestones.
•Revelation 1: John’s apocalyptic vision echoesDaniel 7 language, reinforcing prophetic coherence.
Representative Passages
•Daniel 2:28 – “But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will happen in the latter days.”
•Daniel 4:5 – “I had a dream, and it frightened me; and as I lay in bed, the visions of my mind alarmed me.”
•Daniel 7:13-14 – “I kept watching in the night visions, and I saw One like a Son of Man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into His presence. And He was given dominion, glory, and kingship—so that all people, nations, and languages should serve Him.”
•Daniel 7:15 – “I, Daniel, was grieved in my spirit, and the visions in my mind alarmed me.”
Summary
חֵזֵו signifies more than visual phenomena; it is the God-given medium by which the exile learns that history is neither random nor ultimately governed by human rulers. These twelve occurrences display a consistent message: God discloses the future, humbles the proud, exalts the faithful, and promises an everlasting kingdom under the Son of Man. The church, reading Daniel’s visions alongside the New Testament, finds both a foundation for Christological hope and a mandate for steadfast witness in every generation.
Forms and Transliterations
בְּחֶזְוִ֖י בְּחֶזְוֵ֣י בְּחֶזְוֵ֥י בְּחֶזְוָ֥א בחזוא בחזוי וְחֶזְוֵ֥י וְחֶזְוַ֖הּ וחזוה וחזוי חֶזְוֵ֨י חזוי bə·ḥez·wā bə·ḥez·wê bə·ḥez·wî bechezVa bechezVei bechezVi bəḥezwā bəḥezwê bəḥezwî chezVei ḥez·wê ḥezwê vechezVah vechezVei wə·ḥez·wah wə·ḥez·wê wəḥezwah wəḥezwê
Links
Interlinear Greek •
Interlinear Hebrew •
Strong's Numbers •
Englishman's Greek Concordance •
Englishman's Hebrew Concordance •
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