Lexical Summary
aryeh: lions', lions, lion
Original Word:אַרְיֵה
Part of Speech:Noun Masculine
Transliteration:aryeh
Pronunciation:ar-YEH
Phonetic Spelling:(ar-yay')
NASB:lions', lions, lion
Word Origin:[(Aramaic) corresponding toH738 (אֲרִי אַריֵה - lions)]
1. lion
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
lion
(Aramaic) corresponding to'ariy -- lion.
see HEBREW'ariy
NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to
ariDefinitiona lion
NASB Translationlion (1), lions (3), lions' (6).
Brown-Driver-Briggs
Amos 3:8 (
id. Syriac
, compare also above) — only singular as above
Amos 3:4 44t. +
2 Samuel 23:20 Kt (Qr )
Lamentations 3:10 (id.); —
lion, literal in narrative
Judges 14:8 (twice in verse);
Judges 14:9;
2 Samuel 23:20;
1 Kings 13:24 (twice in verse);
1 Kings 13:25,26,28 (with text error according to Klo):28;
1 Kings 20:36 (twice in verse) compare
Isaiah 11:7;
Isaiah 35:9;
Isaiah 65:25; in simile
Genesis 49:9;
2 Samuel 17:10;
Psalm 7:3;
Psalm 10:9;
Psalm 17:12;
Psalm 22:14;
Isaiah 21:8;
Isaiah 31:4;
Jeremiah 2:30;
Jeremiah 12:8;
Jeremiah 49:19;
Jeremiah 50:44;
Lamentations 3:10 (Kt)
Ezekiel 1:10;
Ezekiel 10:14;
1 Chronicles 12:8;
Hosea 11:10;
Joel 1:6;
Micah 5:7, compare
Amos 3:4,8;
Ecclesiastes 9:4; metaphor
Genesis 49:9;
Deuteronomy 33:22;
Job 4:10;
Psalm 22:22;
Isaiah 15:9;
Jeremiah 4:7;
Jeremiah 5:6;
Nahum 2:12 (twice in verse);
Nahum 2:13.
Dan 6:25b, ; — absoluteDaniel 7:4 (simile); plural emphatic (D153)Daniel 6:9;Daniel 6:13;Daniel 6:17;Daniel 6:20;Daniel 6:21;Daniel 6:23;Daniel 6:25 (twice in verse);Daniel 6:28
Topical Lexicon
Occurrence and Narrative Settingאַרְיֵה appears ten times, all in Daniel. Nine belong to the historical narrative ofDaniel 6, where Daniel is thrown into a “den of lions,” and one is in the apocalyptic vision ofDaniel 7:4. InDaniel 6 the word is always plural (“lions”), whereas in 7:4 it is singular, describing the first beast of Daniel’s night vision. In both settings lions serve as agents that display God’s sovereign rule: literally in the deliverance of His servant, figuratively in the portrayal of world empires.
Lions as Instruments of Testing and Deliverance (Daniel 6)
Daniel 6 recounts the clash between an unchanging divine law and a mutable human decree. The lions’ den functions as the Persian instrument of capital punishment, yet the narrative turns the predators into silent witnesses to Daniel’s vindication.
•Daniel 6:16: “Then the king said to Daniel, ‘May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!’”.
•Daniel 6:22: “My God sent His angel and shut the mouths of the lions, and they have not hurt me…”.
Key themes arise:
1. Faith tested—Daniel continues his prayer discipline despite the edict (6:10).
2. Angelic intervention—God commands the natural order.
3. Reversal—Daniel’s accusers are cast into the same den and “the lions overpowered them” (6:24).
4. Evangelistic impact—King Darius issues a decree extolling “the living God” who “rescues and delivers” (6:26-27).
Historical Background of Royal Lions
Mesopotamian monarchs kept lions for hunting and execution, reinforcing their prestige. Archaeological reliefs from Babylon and Persia depict lion hunts that advertised royal power over chaos. Daniel’s survival subverts that power display: the true King is the God of Israel.
Symbolic Lion in Prophetic Vision (Daniel 7:4)
The lion with eagle’s wings represents the Babylonian empire—majestic, swift, and predatory. When its wings are plucked and it is made to stand “like a man,” the vision anticipates Babylon’s humbling. Lions here typify imperial might subject to divine decree, echoing Nebuchadnezzar’s earlier humiliation inDaniel 4.
Theological Themes
• Sovereignty—God rules beasts and kings alike (Psalm 22:28;Proverbs 21:1).
• Preservation—The faithful are not exempt from trials but are kept through them (Isaiah 43:2).
• Judgment—Those who oppose God’s people fall into the very snare they set (Psalm 57:6).
Christological Trajectory
Daniel’s deliverance prefigures the resurrection: a sealed den, presumed death, angelic action, morning discovery, and public vindication. The imagery anticipates the greater Deliverer whom death could not hold.Revelation 5:5 identifies Christ as “the Lion of the tribe of Judah,” the final Victor over evil powers symbolized by beasts.
Pastoral and Ministry Applications
1. Civil Courage—Believers may continue faithful worship even under hostile legislation.
2. Prayer—Regular communion with God sustains courage before lions or emperors.
3. Witness—God’s rescues turn pagan rulers into proclaimers of His greatness.
4. Hope—Like Daniel, the church faces hostile powers, yet “He is able to save completely those who draw near to God through Him” (Hebrews 7:25).
Summary
אַרְיֵה in Daniel spans literal predators and symbolic empire, yet in every appearance the lion submits to God’s higher purpose. Whether muzzled in a den or featured in apocalyptic panorama, the lion magnifies the Lord who delivers the faithful and overrules the proud.
Forms and Transliterations
אַרְיָ֣וָתָ֔א אַרְיָוָתָ֑א אַרְיָוָתָ֖א אַרְיָוָתָֽא׃ אַרְיָוָתָא֙ אַרְיָותָ֑א אריותא אריותא׃ כְאַרְיֵ֔ה כאריה ’ar·yā·w·ṯā ’ar·yā·wā·ṯā ’aryāwāṯā ’aryāwṯā aryavaTa aryoTa chearYeh ḵə’aryêh ḵə·’ar·yêh
Links
Interlinear Greek •
Interlinear Hebrew •
Strong's Numbers •
Englishman's Greek Concordance •
Englishman's Hebrew Concordance •
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