Lexical Summary tsad: Side, alongside, beside Original Word: צַד Strong's Exhaustive Concordance against, concerning (Aramaic) corresponding to tsad; used adverbially (with preposition) at or upon the side of -- against, concerning. see HEBREW tsad NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to tsad Definition side NASB Translation against (1), regard (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs צַד noun [masculine] side (very rare in Aramaic; perhaps Hebrew, see Biblical Hebrew id., √ צדד); — construct, with preposition: ׳לְצ עליא Daniel 7:25, i.e. against; מַלְכוּתָא ׳מִצּ Daniel 6:5, i.e. arising from, touching. Topical Lexicon Semantic Scope and Nuances צַד (ṣad) functions within Biblical Aramaic as a relational noun that denotes “side,” “part,” or “direction,” and by extension “in regard to,” “concerning,” or “against.” The word thus highlights a spatial or legal juxtaposition—placing one party in relation to, or in opposition to, another. Occurrences 1. Daniel 6:4 – bureaucratic rivals look “in regard to (צַד) the kingdom” to discover grounds for accusation against Daniel. Literary and Historical Setting Both occurrences appear in the Aramaic sections of Daniel, a book set during the Exile when God’s people faced foreign domination. The term’s legal-political flavor suits a court narrative in which faithfulness to the LORD is weighed alongside imperial law. In Daniel 6, administrators weaponize bureaucracy against a righteous servant; in Daniel 7, an eschatological tyrant directs his propaganda against God Himself. Thus צַד bridges immediate historical opposition and the ultimate cosmic conflict between human kingdoms and the Kingdom of God. Theological Threads Opposition to God’s servants (Daniel 6) and to God Himself (Daniel 7) are portrayed as of one piece. Daniel’s innocence foreshadows the blameless integrity required of believers (Philippians 2:15), while the little horn’s boastful words anticipate the “man of lawlessness” (2 Thessalonians 2:3–4). The motif of “side/against” therefore traces a line from temporal hostility to final eschatological rebellion. Ministry Implications • Integrity under scrutiny: “They could find no ground for accusation or evidence of corruption” (Daniel 6:4) encourages leaders to cultivate transparent righteousness so that any opposition lacks legitimate footing. Intercanonical Resonance The accusatory connotation of צַד in Daniel 6 converges with New Testament depictions of Satan as “the accuser of our brothers” (Revelation 12:10). Likewise, the directional nuance of being “against the Most High” mirrors Jesus’ warning that “whoever is not with Me is against Me” (Matthew 12:30). Across both Testaments, alignment with or against the LORD defines destiny. Pastoral Application • Equip believers to expect and wisely navigate unjust opposition. Related Terms Contrasted with עַל (“upon/against”) and קֳבֵל (“before/opposite”), צַד specifically accents proximity and relational stance, sharpening the focus on legal or ideological confrontation rather than mere physical position. Summary צַד subtly yet powerfully frames the tension between faithfulness and hostility, whether in Daniel’s Persian court or in the final conflicts of redemptive history. Its two appearances remind readers that every human endeavor, policy, and proclamation ultimately stands either at God’s side or against Him, and that the outcome is governed by the unassailable sovereignty of the Most High. Forms and Transliterations לְצַ֤ד לצד מִצַּ֣ד מצד lə·ṣaḏ ləṣaḏ leTzad miṣ·ṣaḏ miṣṣaḏ mitzTzadLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Daniel 6:4 HEB: לְהַשְׁכָּחָ֥ה לְדָנִיֵּ֖אל מִצַּ֣ד מַלְכוּתָ֑א וְכָל־ NAS: against Daniel in regard to government affairs; KJV: against Daniel concerning the kingdom; INT: to find Daniel regard to government but Daniel 7:25 2 Occurrences |
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