Lexical Summary ochoreyn: other, another, following Original Word: אָחֲרֵין Strong's Exhaustive Concordance at last (Aramaic) or (shortened):ochoren (Aramaic) {okh-or-ane'}; from 'ochoriy; last -- at last. see HEBREW 'ochoriy Brown-Driver-Briggs אחרין Daniel 4:5 Kt, וְעַד אחרין עַל קֳדָ מַי דָּנִיֵּאל; very dubious (see Commentaries); usually and unto the last (= at last) came in, etc.; but word in this sense unknown: Qr אָחֳרָן; read perhaps (Bev) וְעֹד אָחֳרָן (or ? Kt אַחֲרִין; compare ) and yet another came in before me. Topical Lexicon Biblical Occurrence and Immediate Context The only appearance of אָחֲרֵין is found in Daniel 4:8, within Nebuchadnezzar’s first-person account of his second troubling dream. The term is translated in the Berean Standard Bible as “other,” describing the magicians who had already failed before Daniel arrived: “At last, Daniel came into my presence …” (Daniel 4:8). By using a separate word for the “other” counselors, the narrative isolates Daniel as qualitatively different from the rest of the royal experts. Literary and Theological Significance in Daniel 4 1. Contrast of Sources of Wisdom 2. Preparation for Humbling the King 3. Echoes of Earlier Biblical Patterns Historical Background Babylonian kings maintained guilds of magicians (ḥarṭummîm), enchanters, astrologers, and diviners. These specialists relied on omen literature, astrology, and dream manuals. Daniel, though trained in the court curriculum (Daniel 1:4), distinguished himself by trusting the God of Israel. The Aramaic term אָחֲרֵין would have sounded natural in court Aramaic, yet its placement in Scripture marks a decisive theological point: worldly expertise stops where God’s revelation begins. Canonical Connections • Human Counsel versus Divine Revelation – Psalm 33:10-11; Isaiah 55:8-9. Ministry Implications 1. Reliance on God’s Wisdom Pastoral leadership and personal decision-making must resist the pull to mirror Nebuchadnezzar’s first instinct—turning to “other” sources—before seeking God. James 1:5 assures believers that He “gives generously to all without finding fault.” 2. Distinctive Witness in Secular Culture Like Daniel, Christians serve within societies shaped by alternative worldviews. The solitary occurrence of אָחֲרֵין invites believers to stand apart from prevailing wisdom, offering Spirit-empowered insight that testifies to Christ (1 Corinthians 2:12-13). 3. Encouragement for Exiles and Minorities Daniel’s solitary faithfulness in a foreign court models obedience for modern communities feeling marginalized. God’s vindication of Daniel encourages perseverance, echoing 1 Peter 2:12. Christological Perspective Daniel’s role prefigures the ultimate Revealer, Jesus Christ, “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3). Just as the king’s “other” counselors could offer no life-giving interpretation, so the world’s philosophies prove empty beside the gospel’s revelation. Summary Though אָחֲרֵין appears only once, its strategic placement crystallizes a major biblical motif: the impotence of human wisdom and the triumph of divine revelation through a faithful servant. In preaching, teaching, and personal devotion, the term reminds believers to look beyond “others” and rest in the unrivaled wisdom of the living God. Forms and Transliterations אָחֳרֵ֡ין אחרין ’ā·ḥo·rên ’āḥorên ochoReinLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Daniel 4:8 HEB: וְעַ֣ד אָחֳרֵ֡ין עַל֩ קָֽדָמַ֨י NAS: But finally Daniel came KJV: thereof.But at the last Daniel came in INT: at finally came before 1 Occurrence |
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