A5732 — עִדָּן (ʻiddân)¶

Core Data¶

Strong's: H5732
Original: עִדָּן
Transliteration: ʻiddân
Pronunciation: id-dawn'
Part of Speech: Masculine noun (Aramaic)
Root: From a root corresponding to H5708 (עֵד, ʻêd) — a set time
Occurrences: 15 in OT (all in Aramaic Daniel)
First Occurrence: Dan 2:8 — "ye would gain the time (ʻiddân)"
Hapax Legomenon: No

Lexicon Definition¶

(Aramaic) From a root corresponding to that of H5708; a set time; technically, a year. BDB notes: noun masculine, time. Perhaps a loan-word from Assyrian adannu (fixed, appointed, or definite time). Absolute עִדָּן (Dan 7:12+); emphatic עִדָּנָא (Dan 2:8+); plural absolute עִדָּנִין (Dan 4:13+); emphatic עִדָּנַיָּא (Dan 2:21).

Two primary senses: (1) time in general — as duration (Dan 2:8; 7:12) or involving specific conditions (Dan 2:9, 21; 3:5, 15); (2) definite time = year — שִׁבְעָה עִדָּנִין = seven years (Dan 4:13, 20, 22, 29); the prophetic formula עִדָּן וְעִדָּנִין וּפְלַג עִדָּן (Dan 7:25) = 3 1/2 years.

Translation Distribution (KJV)¶

Translation	Count	%
times	4	26.7%
the time	2	13.3%
at (what time)	2	13.3%
time	2	13.3%
the times	1	6.7%
and time	1	6.7%
a time	1	6.7%
and times	1	6.7%
of time	1	6.7%

Distribution by Book¶

Book	Count	Per 100 Verses
Daniel	15	4.4

All 15 occurrences appear exclusively in Daniel's Aramaic sections (Dan 2-7). This is expected since ʻiddân is an Aramaic word. The concentration spans Nebuchadnezzar's dream interpretation (ch. 2), the fiery furnace (ch. 3), Nebuchadnezzar's madness (ch. 4), and Daniel's vision of the four beasts (ch. 7).

Semantic Categories¶

1. Duration / General Time Span¶

Dan 2:8 — "I know of certainty that ye would gain the time, because ye see the thing is gone from me"
Dan 2:9 — "ye have prepared lying and corrupt words to speak before me, till the time be changed"
Dan 7:12 — "the rest of the beasts, they had their dominion taken away: yet their lives were prolonged for a season and time"

2. Seasons and Times (Divine Sovereignty)¶

Dan 2:21 — "And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings"

Here ʻiddân is paired with its Aramaic synonym זְמָן (zᵉmân), emphasizing God's control over all temporal order.

3. Point in Time / "When"¶

Dan 3:5 — "at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp... ye fall down and worship the golden image"
Dan 3:15 — "Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet... ye fall down and worship the image"

Used with the Aramaic particle דִּי (dî) to form a temporal clause: "at [the] time that..."

4. Definite Time = Year (Nebuchadnezzar's Madness)¶

Dan 4:16 — "let seven times pass over him"
Dan 4:23 — "till seven times pass over him"
Dan 4:25 — "seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth"
Dan 4:32 — "seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth"

In all four occurrences, שִׁבְעָה עִדָּנִין (seven ʻiddânîn) describes the duration of Nebuchadnezzar's beast-like exile. BDB and most lexicographers interpret ʻiddân here as "year," making this a seven-year period.

5. Prophetic Time Formula¶

Dan 7:25 — "they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time"

The formula עִדָּן וְעִדָּנִין וּפְלַג עִדָּן (1 + 2 + 0.5 = 3.5 ʻiddânîn) parallels Dan 12:7 (which uses the Hebrew מוֹעֵד). This is the only verse where ʻiddân appears three times.

Common Collocations¶

Word	Strong's	Co-occurrences	Typical Pattern
חֵיוָא (chêyvâʼ)	H2423	5x	"beast" — beast's heart given, beasts lose dominion
יְדַע (yᵉdaʻ)	H3046	5x	"know" — "till thou know that the most High ruleth"
יְהַב (yᵉhab)	H3052	4x	"give" — beast's heart given, saints given into hand
מֶלֶךְ (melek)	H4430	4x	"king" — the king's decree, kings changed
שִׁבְעָה (shibʻâh)	H7655	4x	"seven" — "seven times pass over"
חֲלַף (chălaph)	H2499	4x	"pass over" — "times pass over him"
שְׁנָא (shᵉnâʼ)	H8133	4x	"change" — "he changeth the times," "the time be changed"
זְמָן (zᵉmân)	H2166	3x	"time/season" — paired: "times and seasons"
עִלַּי (ʻillay)	H5943	3x	"Most High" — "the most High ruleth"

The strongest collocational pattern is the phrase "seven times (ʻiddânîn) pass over (chălaph)" describing Nebuchadnezzar's punishment (4x). The pairing with "know" + "Most High" reveals the theological purpose: time-bound discipline teaches divine sovereignty.

Word Family / Cognates¶

H5708 עֵד (ʻêd) — menstruation (the root sense of a recurring, set period)
H5710 עָדָה (ʻâdâh) — to adorn, advance (related root)

Synonyms¶

No synonyms returned by search_relationships.py for this Aramaic lemma.

Antonyms¶

No antonyms returned by search_relationships.py for this Aramaic lemma.

Semantic Domains¶

No semantic-domain data returned by search_relationships.py for this Aramaic lemma.

Easily Confused Words¶

Word	Strong's	Shared Translation	Key Difference
עֵת (ʻêth)	H6256	"time" (256x), "times" (24x)	Hebrew; general time/occasion; 296 total uses across OT
זְמָן (zᵉmân)	H2166	"time" (9x), "season"	Aramaic synonym; emphasizes appointed/scheduled time; often paired with ʻiddân
מוֹעֵד (môʻêd)	H4150	"time" (21x), "season"	Hebrew; appointed time for assembly/festival; cultic calendar focus
פַּעַם (paʻam)	H6471	"time" (61x), "times" (47x)	Hebrew; a stroke/occurrence; counting repetitions ("three times")

Key distinction: ʻiddân is the primary Aramaic word for a set period or era. Where Hebrew uses עֵת (ʻêth) for general time and מוֹעֵד (môʻêd) for appointed/festival time, Aramaic Daniel uses ʻiddân for both duration and fixed period, and זְמָן (zᵉmân) for appointed occasions.

LXX Mapping¶

Greek Equivalent	Frequency	Notes
καιρός (kairos) G2540	9x	Primary rendering — "opportune time, season"
ἑπτά (hepta) G2033	4x	"Seven" — renders the numeral in "seven times" contexts
ἕως (heos) G2193	6x	"Until" — renders temporal clauses

The LXX primarily renders ʻiddân as καιρός (kairos), the Greek word for an appointed or decisive time (as opposed to χρόνος/chronos for duration). This aligns with ʻiddân's sense of a divinely set period.