Word Studies¶

semaino (G4591) — "to signify / communicate by signs"¶

Original: σημαίνω (semaino) Transliteration: semaino Pronunciation: say-mah-ee-no Part of Speech: Verb Definition: From sema (a mark, sign); to indicate, to signify, to communicate by signs

All NT Occurrences (6 total)¶

John 12:33 — "This he said, signifying [semainen] what death he should die." (Jesus' death = symbolic prediction)
John 18:32 — "That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake, signifying [semainen] what death he should die." (Same — symbolic indication of death type)
John 21:19 — "This spake he, signifying [semainen] by what death he should glorify God." (Peter's death = symbolic prediction)
Acts 11:28 — "And there stood up one of them named Agabus, and signified [esemainen] by the Spirit that there should be great dearth..." (Prophetic prediction through symbolic act)
Acts 25:27 — "For it seemeth to me unreasonable to send a prisoner, and not withal to signify [semanai] the crimes laid against him." (Indicate/communicate)
Revelation 1:1 — "...and he sent and signified [esemainen] [it] by his angel unto his servant John." (Communication through signs/symbols)

KJV Translation Distribution¶

"and signified" — 2x (66.7%)
"to signify" — 1x (33.3%)
(BLB lists 6 total occurrences, but KJV concordance data captures 3 in mapped form)

Greek Parsing (Rev 1:1)¶

Form: ἐσήμανεν (esemainen)
Parsing: Aorist Active Indicative, 3rd Person Singular
Subject: He (Christ) signified/communicated by signs
The aorist tense indicates a completed, definitive act of communication

Pattern Across Uses¶

In John's Gospel (12:33; 18:32; 21:19), semaino consistently means "to indicate symbolically" — pointing to a future reality through indirect, symbolic description rather than literal statement. In Acts 11:28, Agabus "signified" a famine by prophetic/symbolic means. The word inherently carries the nuance of indirect, symbolic communication.

apokalypsis (G602) — "revelation, disclosure, unveiling"¶

Original: ἀποκάλυψις (apokalypsis) Transliteration: apokalypsis Pronunciation: ap-ok-al-oop-sis Part of Speech: Feminine noun Definition: From apokalypto (to take off the cover); disclosure, revelation, appearing, manifestation

Translation Distribution (18 total occurrences)¶

"revelation" — 5x (27.8%): Rom 2:5; 1Co 14:6; Gal 2:2; Eph 1:17; Eph 3:3
"revelations" — 2x: 2Co 12:1 (context unclear)
"the revelation" — 2x: Gal 1:12; Rev 1:1
"shall be revealed" — 2x
"coming" — 1x: 1Co 1:7
"manifestation" — 1x: Rom 8:19
"lighten" — 1x: Luk 2:32
"the appearing" — 1x: 1Pe 1:7

Key Verses¶

Rev 1:1 — "The Revelation [apokalypsis] of Jesus Christ" — the title of the entire book
Rom 16:25 — "the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began"
Gal 1:12 — "I neither received it of man... but by the revelation of Jesus Christ"
1Pe 1:7,13 — the revelation of Jesus Christ at His coming
Eph 1:17 — "the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him"

Semantic Field¶

The word denotes an "uncovering" or "disclosure" of something previously hidden. When used of Christ (Rev 1:1; Gal 1:12), it means the unveiling/disclosure of divine truth through Christ. The book of Revelation is, by its very title, a disclosure — not an obscuring — of truth.

propheteia (G4394) — "prophecy, prediction"¶

Original: προφητεία (propheteia) Transliteration: propheteia Pronunciation: prof-ay-ti-ah Part of Speech: Feminine noun Definition: From propheteuo ("prophecy"); prediction (scriptural or other)

Translation Distribution (19 total occurrences)¶

"prophecy" — 11x (57.9%): Mat 13:14; Rom 12:6; 1Co 12:10; 13:2; 1Ti 4:14; 2Pe 1:20; Rev 11:6; 22:7; 22:10; 22:18; 22:19
"prophesying" — 2x: 1Co 14:22; 1Th 5:20
"the prophecy" / "of this prophecy" / "of prophecy" — 3x: 1Co 13:8; Rev 1:3; 19:10
"prophecies" / "the prophecies" — 2x: 1Ti 1:18

Revelation Usage (6 of 19 occurrences — 32% of all NT uses)¶

Rev 1:3 — "the words of this prophecy"
Rev 11:6 — "the days of their prophecy"
Rev 19:10 — "the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy"
Rev 22:7 — "the sayings of the prophecy of this book"
Rev 22:10 — "the sayings of the prophecy of this book"
Rev 22:18 — "the words of the prophecy of this book"
Rev 22:19 — "the words of the book of this prophecy"

Revelation uses propheteia more than any other NT book (6 of 19 = 32%), and uses it to bracket the entire book (1:3 and 22:7,10,18,19), self-identifying as prophecy requiring prophetic interpretation.

raz (H7328) — Aramaic "secret, mystery"¶

Original: רָז (raz) Transliteration: raz Pronunciation: rawz Part of Speech: Masculine noun (Aramaic) Definition: From unused root meaning to hide; a mystery, secret. Persian loan-word.

All Occurrences (9 total, all in Daniel)¶

Dan 2:18 — "desire mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret [raza]"
Dan 2:19 — "Then was the secret [raza] revealed unto Daniel in a night vision"
Dan 2:27 — "The secret [raza] which the king hath demanded cannot the wise men... shew"
Dan 2:28 — "But there is a God in heaven that revealeth secrets [razin]"
Dan 2:29 — "he that revealeth secrets [razayya] maketh known to thee what shall come to pass"
Dan 2:30 — "this secret [raza] is not revealed to me for any wisdom that I have"
Dan 2:47 — "your God is a God of gods... and a revealer of secrets [razin]"
Dan 2:47 (second instance) — "seeing thou couldest reveal this secret [raza]"
Dan 4:9 — "I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in thee, and no secret [raz] troubleth thee"

KJV Translations¶

"secret" — 4x (44.4%): Dan 2:18, 30, 47, 4:9
"secrets" — 2x (22.2%): Dan 2:28, 47
"the secret" — 1x: Dan 2:27
"The secret" — 1x: Dan 2:19
"of secrets" — 1x: Dan 2:29

Connection to NT mysterion (G3466)¶

The LXX of Daniel translates raz with mysterion, creating a direct verbal link between Daniel's "secret" and the NT "mystery." The theological pattern in Daniel 2: the secret/mystery is (a) hidden from human wisdom (2:27), (b) revealed by God alone (2:28-29), and (c) concerns the future of world history (2:28-45). This same pattern appears in NT usage of mysterion.

mysterion (G3466) — "mystery, secret"¶

Original: μυστήριον (mysterion) Transliteration: mysterion Pronunciation: moos-tay-ree-on Part of Speech: Neuter noun Definition: From myo (to shut the mouth); a secret or "mystery" — specifically divine truth previously hidden but now revealed

Translation Distribution (27 total)¶

"mystery" — 18x (66.7%): Mrk 4:11; Rom 11:25; Eph 1:9; 3:3,4,9; 5:32; 6:19; Col 1:26,27; 2:2; 4:3; 2Th 2:7; 1Ti 3:9,16; Rev 1:20; 10:7; 17:7
"mysteries" — 4x (14.8%): Mat 13:11; 1Co 4:1; 13:2; 14:2
"MYSTERY" — 1x: Rev 17:5

Key Revelation Occurrences¶

Rev 1:20 — "The mystery of the seven stars... The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches" — the mystery IS the decoded symbolism
Rev 10:7 — "the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets"
Rev 17:5 — "MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT"
Rev 17:7 — "I will tell thee the mystery of the woman"

Pattern: Hidden → Revealed → Interpreted¶

In both Daniel and Revelation, the mystery/secret follows a pattern: 1. A divine secret is hidden from human understanding 2. God reveals it to His prophet (Dan 2:19; Rev 1:1) 3. An angel or divine agent interprets the symbols (Dan 2:36-45; Dan 7:16-27; Rev 17:7-18)

chazon (H2377) — "vision, prophetic sight"¶

Original: חָזוֹן (chazon) Transliteration: chazon Pronunciation: khaw-zone Part of Speech: Masculine noun Definition: From chazah (to see, perceive); a sight (mentally), dream, revelation, oracle

Translation Distribution (37 total)¶

"the vision" — 10x (27.0%)
"vision" — 9x (24.3%)
"a vision" — 3x (8.1%)
"visions" — 3x (8.1%)

Key Daniel Occurrences¶

Dan 1:17 — Daniel had "understanding in all visions [chazon] and dreams"
Dan 8:1 — "a vision [chazon] appeared unto me"
Dan 8:2 — "I saw in a vision [chazon]"
Dan 8:13 — "How long shall be the vision [chazon]?"
Dan 8:15 — "when I... had seen the vision [chazon], and sought for the meaning"
Dan 8:17 — "at the time of the end shall be the vision [chazon]"
Dan 8:26 — "shut thou up the vision [chazon]; for it shall be for many days"
Dan 9:21 — "the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision [chazon] at the beginning"
Dan 9:24 — "to seal up the vision [chazon] and prophecy"
Dan 10:14 — "the vision [chazon] is for many days"
Dan 11:14 — "shall exalt themselves to establish the vision [chazon]"

Distinction from mar'ah (H4759)¶

chazon = the broader prophetic vision, the entire visionary experience
mar'ah = the specific visual appearance or scene within a vision
Daniel 8 uses both: chazon for the overall vision (8:1,2,13,15,17,26) and mar'ah for the specific appearance-vision (10:7,8,16)

mar'ah (H4759) — "vision, appearance"¶

Original: מַרְאָה (mar'ah) Transliteration: mar'ah Pronunciation: mar-aw Part of Speech: Feminine noun Definition: A vision; also a mirror (looking glass)

All Occurrences (12 total)¶

Gen 46:2 (God spoke to Israel "in the visions of the night")
Exo 38:8 ("lookingglasses" — a mirror)
Num 12:6 ("I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision [mar'ah]")
1Sa 3:15 (Samuel was "afraid to shew Eli the vision [mar'ah]")
Ezk 1:1; 8:3; 40:2; 43:3 (Ezekiel's visions)
Dan 10:7,7,8,16 (Daniel's vision experience — physical effects)

Significance for Daniel Studies¶

In Daniel 10:7-8,16, mar'ah refers to the overwhelming visual experience that physically incapacitated Daniel. This is a more specific, experiential term compared to chazon's broader prophetic scope.

malkuw (H4437) — Aramaic "kingdom, dominion"¶

Original: מַלְכוּ (malkuw) Transliteration: malkuw Pronunciation: mal-koo Part of Speech: Feminine noun (Aramaic) Definition: Dominion (abstract or concrete); kingdom, realm, reign

Translation Distribution (65 total)¶

"the kingdom" — 9x (13.8%)
"kingdom" — 8x (12.3%)
"in the kingdom" — 7x (10.8%)
Various other forms (30 unique translations)

BDB Categories¶

Royalty, kingship, kingly authority: Dan 4:23,26,28,31,33
Organized (world-)kingdom: Dan 2:39(2x),40,41,42,44; 7:23(2x),24,27
Realm (territorial): Dan 4:15,33; 5:7,11,16,29; 6:2,4,8,27; Ezra 7:13,23
Reign (time of reigning): Dan 5:26; 6:29; Ezra 4:24; 6:15

Key Daniel 2 Occurrences¶

Dan 2:37 — "God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom [malkuw]"
Dan 2:39 — "shall arise another kingdom [malkuw] inferior to thee, and another third kingdom [malkuw]"
Dan 2:40 — "the fourth kingdom [malkuw]"
Dan 2:41,42 — "the kingdom [malkuw] shall be divided... partly strong"
Dan 2:44 — "God of heaven set up a kingdom [malkuw] which shall never be destroyed... consume all these kingdoms [malkhwata]"
Dan 7:14 — Messiah's kingdom [malkuw] — "everlasting dominion"
Dan 7:18,22 — Saints possess the kingdom [malkuw]
Dan 7:23 — "The fourth beast shall be the fourth kingdom [malkuw]"
Dan 7:27 — "the kingdom [malkuw] under the whole heaven... everlasting kingdom [malkuw]"

basileia (G932) — "kingdom, rule, royalty"¶

Original: βασιλεία (basileia) Transliteration: basileia Pronunciation: bas-il-i-ah Part of Speech: Feminine noun Definition: Properly, royalty; abstractly rule; concretely a realm

Translation Distribution (156 total)¶

"kingdom" — 140x (89.7%)
"the kingdom" — 6x (3.8%)
"kingdoms" — 4x (2.6%)
"a kingdom" — 4x (2.6%)

Key Occurrences in Daniel-Revelation Connection¶

Dan 2:44 (LXX) — basileia used for God's eternal kingdom
Dan 7:14,18,27 (LXX) — basileia for kingdom of the Son of Man and the saints
Rev 1:6 — "hath made us kings [basileian] and priests unto God"
Rev 5:10 — "hath made us unto our God kings [basileian] and priests"
Rev 11:15 — "The kingdoms [basileiai] of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord"
Rev 12:10 — "Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom [basileia] of our God"
Rev 17:12 — "ten kings, which have received no kingdom [basileian] as yet"

sphragizo (G4972) — "to seal"¶

Original: σφραγίζω (sphragizo) Transliteration: sphragizo Pronunciation: sfrag-id-zo Part of Speech: Verb Definition: From sphragis (a seal); to stamp with a signet or private mark for security or preservation

Translation Distribution (25 total)¶

"sealed" — 14x (56.0%)
Various other forms: sealing, have sealed, Seal up, set a seal, Seal

Key Occurrences for Seal/Unseal Contrast¶

Dan 9:24 — "to seal up [sphragizo in LXX] the vision and prophecy"
Dan 12:4 — "shut up the words, and seal the book" (Hebrew: chatam, not in G4972 data but conceptually linked)
Rev 10:4 — "Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered"
Rev 22:10 — "Seal not [me sphragises] the sayings of the prophecy"

Greek Grammar of Rev 22:10¶

me sphragises = μὴ σφραγίσῃς
me (negative particle) + sphragises (Aorist Active Subjunctive, 2nd person singular)
This is a prohibitive subjunctive — a command: "Do not seal!"
The aorist aspect indicates a specific, definitive prohibition (not ongoing)

The Seal/Unseal Contrast¶

Daniel	Revelation
"Seal the book" (Dan 12:4)	"Seal NOT the prophecy" (Rev 22:10)
"Till the time of the end" (Dan 12:9)	"The time is at hand" (Rev 22:10)
"Words are closed up and sealed" (Dan 12:9)	"These sayings are faithful and true" (Rev 22:6)
"None understood it" (Dan 8:27)	"Blessed is he that readeth" (Rev 1:3)

Hebrew/Aramaic Parsing Results Summary¶

Dan 2:28 — Key Aramaic Terms¶

גָּלֵ֣א רָזִ֔ין (galea razin) = "revealer of secrets" — Peal Participle of galah (reveal) + plural of raz (secret)
בְּאַחֲרִ֣ית יֹומַיָּ֑א (ba'acharith yomayya) = "in the latter days" — eschatological time formula

Dan 2:38-39 — Succession Language¶

אַנְתְּ־ה֔וּא רֵאשָׁ֖ה דִּ֥י דַהֲבָֽא = "You are the head of gold" — direct identification
וּבָתְרָ֗ךְ (u-vatraKH) = "and after you" — temporal succession from באתר (ba'atar = "after")
מַלְכ֥וּ אָחֳרִ֖י (malkuw ochoree) = "another kingdom" — distinct, separate successor
תְלִיתָאָ֤ה (telitaya) = "third" — ordinal number marking sequence

Dan 2:44-45 — Everlasting Kingdom¶

יְקִים֩ אֱלָ֨הּ שְׁמַיָּ֤א מַלְכוּ֙ = "the God of heaven will set up a kingdom"
לְעָלְמִין֙ לָ֣א תִתְחַבַּ֔ל = "which to eternities will not be destroyed"
תַּדִּ֤ק (taddeq) = "will crush" (Haphel of daqaq)
אַחֲרֵ֣י דְנָ֑ה (acharey denah) = "after this" — temporal succession marker

Dan 7:17 — Beasts = Kings/Kingdoms Equation¶

חֵיוָתָ֣א רַבְרְבָתָ֔א (cheywata rabrevata) = "the great beasts"
אַרְבְּעָ֥ה מַלְכִ֖ין (arba'ah malkin) = "four kings" — the symbolic equation
יְקוּמ֥וּן מִן־אַרְעָֽא (yequmun min ar'a) = "will arise from the earth"

Num 14:34 — Day-Year Formula¶

יֹ֣ום לַשָּׁנָ֞ה יֹ֣ום לַשָּׁנָ֗ה (yom lashshanah yom lashshanah) = "day for the year, day for the year" — doubled for emphasis
Preposition ל (lamed) = "for/corresponding to" — proportional equivalence

Ezek 4:6 — Day-Year Formula¶

Same formula: יֹום לַשָּׁנָה יֹום לַשָּׁנָה (yom lashshanah yom lashshanah)
נְתַתִּ֥יו לָֽךְ (netattiyw lakh) = "I have given/appointed it to you" — God establishes the principle