Lexical Summary sheel: Request, inquiry, petition Original Word: שְׁאֵל Strong's Exhaustive Concordance ask, demand, require (Aramaic) corresponding to sha'al -- ask, demand, require. see HEBREW sha'al NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to shaal Definition to ask NASB Translation asked (3), demands (1), inquired (1), require (1). Topical Lexicon Occurrences and ContextIn the Aramaic portions of Ezra and Daniel, שְׁאֵל appears six times and consistently concerns a formal petition or demand issued within a setting of imperial authority. Ezra 5:9–10 records Persian officials confronting Jewish elders rebuilding the temple: “Then we questioned the elders and asked them, ‘Who authorized you to rebuild this temple and finish it?’ … We also asked them their names”. Ezra 7:21 preserves Artaxerxes’ edict: “Whatever Ezra … may request of you, it is to be provided in full”. Daniel 2:10–11 depicts Babylonian sages despairing before Nebuchadnezzar: “There is no one on earth who can accomplish what the king demands! … What the king asks is so difficult that no one can reveal it to him except the gods”. Daniel 2:27 contrasts their impotence with Daniel’s faith: “No wise man … can explain to the king the mystery he seeks”. Historical Setting The word surfaces only in imperial Aramaic documents. In Ezra it frames Persian bureaucratic procedure—investigation, record-keeping, and royal decree—illustrating God’s providence in moving pagan kings to advance His redemptive program (compare Proverbs 21:1). In Daniel it appears in Nebuchadnezzar’s court, highlighting the tension between human absolutism and divine sovereignty. Covenant Petition and Divine Answer Though voiced by pagans, each “request” is ultimately overruled by the Lord. The hostile inquiry of Ezra 5 is answered by the prophetic testimony of Haggai and Zechariah and results in renewed royal support (Ezra 6:14). Artaxerxes’ open-ended promise in Ezra 7:21 exemplifies God’s ability to supply all that pertains to temple worship (Philippians 4:19). In Daniel 2, the king’s impossible demand becomes the stage on which God reveals “the God of heaven” as revealer of mysteries, foreshadowing His ultimate self-disclosure in Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:2-3). Theology of Authority and Asking 1. Earthly power is derivative. Kings may “ask,” but their requests are bounded by divine decree (Psalm 2:4–6). Christological Reflections Daniel’s successful response to Nebuchadnezzar prefigures Christ, who perfectly fulfills every righteous demand of the Father and discloses the hidden wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24). The contrast between failing magicians and Spirit-led Daniel anticipates the insufficiency of worldly systems versus the sufficiency of Christ (Acts 4:12). Practical Ministry Insights • Intercession before secular authorities remains a biblical norm; believers may appeal to legal structures, trusting God to turn “requests” into opportunities for witness (Acts 25:11–12). Related Themes Petition in prayer (1 Samuel 1:17, Luke 11:9), royal edicts affecting worship (Nehemiah 2:4–8), revelation of mysteries (Daniel 2:28), and Christ as the ultimate answer to every divine “demand” (John 19:30). Forms and Transliterations יִ֠שְׁאֲלֶנְכוֹן ישאלנכון שְׁאֵ֔ל שְׁאֵ֙לְנָא֙ שְׁאֵ֥לְנָא שָׁאֵ֔ל שָׁאֵל֙ שאל שאלנא šā’êl šā·’êl šə’êl šə’êlənā šə·’ê·lə·nā šə·’êl shaEl sheEl sheElena yiš’ălenḵōwn yiš·’ă·len·ḵō·wn YishalenchonLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Ezra 5:9 HEB: אֱדַ֗יִן שְׁאֵ֙לְנָא֙ לְשָׂבַיָּ֣א אִלֵּ֔ךְ NAS: Then we asked those elders KJV: Then asked we those elders, INT: Then asked elders those Ezra 5:10 Ezra 7:21 Daniel 2:10 Daniel 2:11 Daniel 2:27 6 Occurrences |
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