6523. parzel
Lexical Summary
parzel: Iron

Original Word: פַרְזֶל
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: parzel
Pronunciation: par-ZEL
Phonetic Spelling: (par-zel')
KJV: iron
NASB: iron
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) corresponding to H1270 (בַּרזֶל - iron)]

1. iron

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
iron

(Aramaic) corresponding to barzel; iron -- iron.

see HEBREW barzel

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
(Aramaic) corresponding to barzel
Definition
iron
NASB Translation
iron (20).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
מַּרְזֶל19 noun masculineDaniel 2:40 iron (ᵑ7 Syriac; see Biblical Hebrew בַּרְזֶל); — absolute Daniel 2:33 (זֶ֑ל-), Daniel 4:12 +; emphatic מַּרְזְלָא Daniel 2:34 +; — Daniel 2:33,34 11t. 2; Daniel 4:12; Daniel 4:20; Daniel 5:4,23; Daniel 7:7,19.

Topical Lexicon
Overview

Though 6523 פַרְזֶל (parzel) appears only in the Aramaic sections of Daniel, its twenty occurrences carry weight far beyond their number. Each reference to iron serves as a theological marker for divine sovereignty over empires, the fragility of human power, and the ultimate triumph of the kingdom of God.

Distribution in Daniel

Daniel 2 (verses 33, 34, 35, 40-45) – Nebuchadnezzar’s statue
Daniel 4:15, 23 – the felled tree bound with bands of iron and bronze
Daniel 5:4, 23 – Belshazzar’s idolatrous banquet
Daniel 7:7, 19 – the dreadful fourth beast with iron teeth

Iron in the Statue Vision (Daniel 2)

1. Composition: The image’s legs are “of iron” (Daniel 2:33). The metal’s hardness contrasts with the softer gold, silver, and bronze above it.
2. Crushing Power: “There will be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron—for iron crushes and shatters everything” (Daniel 2:40). This expresses the brutal might of the kingdom that follows Babylon, Media-Persia, and Greece.
3. Mixture with Clay: The feet are “partly of iron and partly of clay” (Daniel 2:41), highlighting internal division. Political strength without cohesion fails when struck by the stone “cut out without human hands” (Daniel 2:34).
4. Eschatological Contrast: The iron kingdom falls before the everlasting kingdom that “will never be destroyed” (Daniel 2:44). The imagery assures believers that even the strongest human governments are temporary under God’s plan.

Bands of Iron around the Stump (Daniel 4)

Nebuchadnezzar’s tree is cut down but not uprooted; a band “of iron and bronze” encircles the stump (Daniel 4:15). Iron here conveys restraint and preservation. The king’s dominion is limited yet protected until he acknowledges that “the Most High rules the kingdom of men” (Daniel 4:17). The image offers hope of restoration after judgment.

Iron in Idolatry Exposed (Daniel 5)

At Belshazzar’s feast the nobles praise “the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone” (Daniel 5:4). Placing iron among created objects underscores the blindness of idolatry. That very night the Babylonian empire collapses (Daniel 5:30-31), demonstrating that reliance on any material—however strong—invites downfall when divorced from reverence for the living God.

Iron Teeth of the Fourth Beast (Daniel 7)

The fourth beast is “dreadful and terrifying… it had large iron teeth; it devoured and crushed its victims” (Daniel 7:7). Iron symbolizes savage conquest. Yet “the Ancient of Days” (Daniel 7:9) judges the beast, and “the saints of the Most High will receive the kingdom” (Daniel 7:18). The passage reinforces that oppressive strength ultimately submits to divine justice.

Historical Perspective

Iron technology marked a military revolution in the Near East. The Assyrians, and later the Romans, are plausible historical reflections of Daniel’s iron symbolism. Both wielded unmatched discipline, organization, and weaponry—yet both succumbed to the march of God-ordained history. Archaeology uncovers Assyrian iron weaponry and Roman iron infrastructure, affirming Scripture’s portrait of iron as an emblem of unmatched but transient power.

Theological Themes

• Supremacy of God: Every iron image bends to God’s decree.
• Fragility of Human Empire: Iron breaks others yet is itself broken by the stone, by divine command, or by heavenly court.
• Mixture and Division: Iron mingled with clay foreshadows political coalitions lacking true unity.
• Judgment and Mercy: Iron bands restrain the stump for future restoration, illustrating both discipline and promise.

Ministry Applications

1. Preaching on Sovereignty: Iron provides vivid imagery when teaching that no secular power escapes God’s timetable.
2. Counseling Leaders: Nebuchadnezzar’s iron band warns those in authority to humble themselves before God.
3. Apologetics: The precise progression of metals culminating in iron offers a compelling case for the predictive reliability of Scripture.
4. Discipleship: Believers learn to trust not in material strength—economic, military, or personal—but in the unshakeable kingdom.

Christological Insight

The stone that shatters the iron (Daniel 2:34-35) prefigures Messiah’s advent and eventual reign. Jesus Christ, “the stone the builders rejected” (Psalm 118:22; compare Luke 20:17), brings an indestructible kingdom. Iron’s defeat points to the victory achieved at the cross and consummated at His return.

Conclusion

Pharzél’s twenty appearances cast iron as the ultimate human alloy of might—and as the ultimate example of its limitations. Whether binding a humbled monarch, forming the legs of a colossal image, or filling the mouth of a ferocious beast, iron stands firm only until the sovereign Lord issues His decree. The faithful therefore look beyond iron to the rock cut without hands and to the kingdom that will endure forever.

Forms and Transliterations
וּֽכְפַרְזְלָ֛א וכפרזלא כְּפַרְזְלָ֑א כפרזלא פַּ֨רְזְלָ֔א פַּרְזְלָ֨א פַּרְזְלָא֙ פַּרְזְלָא֩ פַּרְזֶ֔ל פַּרְזֶ֖ל פַרְזְלָ֔א פַרְזְלָ֖א פַרְזְלָ֜א פַרְזְלָא֙ פַרְזֶ֑ל פַרְזֶ֔ל פַרְזֶ֣ל פַרְזֶ֥ל פַרְזֶל֙ פרזל פרזלא farZel farzeLa kə·p̄ar·zə·lā kefarzeLa kəp̄arzəlā par·zə·lā p̄ar·zə·lā par·zel p̄ar·zel parzel p̄arzel parzeLa parzəlā p̄arzəlā ū·ḵə·p̄ar·zə·lā uchefarzeLa ūḵəp̄arzəlā
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Englishman's Concordance
Daniel 2:33
HEB: שָׁק֖וֹהִי דִּ֣י פַרְזֶ֑ל רַגְל֕וֹהִי [מִנְּהֹון
NAS: its legs of iron, its feet partly
KJV: His legs of iron, his feet part
INT: legs forasmuch of iron feet according

Daniel 2:33
HEB: ק) דִּ֣י פַרְזֶ֔ל [וּמִנְּהֹון כ]
NAS: partly of iron and partly
KJV: part of iron and part
INT: according forasmuch of iron at forasmuch

Daniel 2:34
HEB: רַגְל֔וֹהִי דִּ֥י פַרְזְלָ֖א וְחַסְפָּ֑א וְהַדֵּ֖קֶת
NAS: on its feet of iron and clay
KJV: his feet [that were] of iron and clay,
INT: feet forasmuch of iron and clay and crushed

Daniel 2:35
HEB: דָּ֣קוּ כַחֲדָ֡ה פַּרְזְלָא֩ חַסְפָּ֨א נְחָשָׁ֜א
NAS: Then the iron, the clay, the bronze,
KJV: Then was the iron, the clay,
INT: were crushed the same the iron the clay the bronze

Daniel 2:40
HEB: תֶּהֱוֵ֥א תַקִּיפָ֖ה כְּפַרְזְלָ֑א כָּל־ קֳבֵ֗ל
NAS: as strong as iron; inasmuch
KJV: strong as iron: forasmuch as iron
INT: shall be strong iron all and as

Daniel 2:40
HEB: קֳבֵ֗ל דִּ֤י פַרְזְלָא֙ מְהַדֵּ֤ק וְחָשֵׁל֙
NAS: inasmuch as iron crushes
KJV: as iron: forasmuch as iron breaketh in pieces
INT: and as as iron crushes and shatters

Daniel 2:40
HEB: וְחָשֵׁל֙ כֹּ֔לָּא וּֽכְפַרְזְלָ֛א דִּֽי־ מְרָעַ֥ע
NAS: things, so, like iron that breaks
KJV: [things]: and as iron that breaketh
INT: and shatters things iron that breaks

Daniel 2:41
HEB: (וּמִנְּהֵ֣ין ק) פַּרְזֶ֔ל מַלְכ֤וּ פְלִיגָה֙
NAS: and partly of iron, it will be a divided
KJV: and part of iron, the kingdom
INT: of potter's at of iron kingdom divided

Daniel 2:41
HEB: נִצְבְּתָ֥א דִ֥י פַרְזְלָ֖א לֶֽהֱוֵא־ בַ֑הּ
NAS: in it the toughness of iron, inasmuch
KJV: the strength of the iron, forasmuch as
INT: the toughness forasmuch of iron will have all

Daniel 2:41
HEB: דִּ֣י חֲזַ֔יְתָה פַּ֨רְזְלָ֔א מְעָרַ֖ב בַּחֲסַ֥ף
NAS: as you saw the iron mixed
KJV: thou sawest the iron mixed
INT: forasmuch saw the iron mixed clay

Daniel 2:42
HEB: (מִנְּהֵ֥ין ק) פַּרְזֶ֖ל [וּמִנְּהֹון כ]
NAS: [were] partly of iron and partly
KJV: [were] part of iron, and part
INT: of the feet and partly of iron at of pottery

Daniel 2:43
HEB: ק) חֲזַ֗יְתָ פַּרְזְלָא֙ מְעָרַב֙ בַּחֲסַ֣ף
NAS: And in that you saw the iron mixed
KJV: thou sawest iron mixed
INT: and whereas you saw the iron mixed clay

Daniel 2:43
HEB: הֵֽא־ כְדִ֣י פַרְזְלָ֔א לָ֥א מִתְעָרַ֖ב
NAS: even as iron does not combine
KJV: another, even as iron is not mixed
INT: even and whereas iron is not combine

Daniel 2:45
HEB: בִידַ֗יִן וְ֠הַדֶּקֶת פַּרְזְלָ֨א נְחָשָׁ֤א חַסְפָּא֙
NAS: and that it crushed the iron, the bronze,
KJV: and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass,
INT: hands crushed the iron the bronze the clay

Daniel 4:15
HEB: וּבֶֽאֱסוּר֙ דִּֽי־ פַרְזֶ֣ל וּנְחָ֔שׁ בְּדִתְאָ֖א
NAS: But with a band of iron and bronze
KJV: even with a band of iron and brass,
INT: A band forasmuch of iron and bronze the new

Daniel 4:23
HEB: וּבֶאֱסוּר֙ דִּֽי־ פַרְזֶ֣ל וּנְחָ֔שׁ בְּדִתְאָ֖א
NAS: but with a band of iron and bronze
KJV: even with a band of iron and brass,
INT: A band forasmuch of iron and bronze the new

Daniel 5:4
HEB: וְכַסְפָּ֛א נְחָשָׁ֥א פַרְזְלָ֖א אָעָ֥א וְאַבְנָֽא׃
NAS: of bronze, iron, wood
KJV: of brass, of iron, of wood,
INT: and silver of bronze iron wood and stone

Daniel 5:23
HEB: וְ֠דַהֲבָא נְחָשָׁ֨א פַרְזְלָ֜א אָעָ֣א וְאַבְנָ֗א
NAS: of bronze, iron, wood
KJV: of brass, iron, wood,
INT: and gold of bronze iron wood and stone

Daniel 7:7
HEB: וְשִׁנַּ֨יִן דִּֽי־ פַרְזֶ֥ל לַהּ֙ רַבְרְבָ֔ן
NAS: and it had large iron teeth.
KJV: and it had great iron teeth:
INT: teeth forasmuch iron had great devoured

Daniel 7:19
HEB: ק) דִּֽי־ פַרְזֶל֙ וְטִפְרַ֣יהּ דִּֽי־
NAS: with its teeth of iron and its claws
KJV: whose teeth [were of] iron, and his nails
INT: tooth which of iron claws which

20 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 6523
20 Occurrences


p̄ar·zel — 6 Occ.
p̄ar·zə·lā — 6 Occ.
kə·p̄ar·zə·lā — 1 Occ.
par·zel — 2 Occ.
par·zə·lā — 4 Occ.
ū·ḵə·p̄ar·zə·lā — 1 Occ.

6522
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