Original Word: גַּף
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: gaph
Pronunciation: gaf
Phonetic Spelling: (gaf)
KJV: wing
NASB: wings
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) corresponding to H1610 (גַּף - alone)]

1. a wing

wing

(Aramaic) corresponding to gaph; a wing -- wing.

see HEBREW gaph

Word Origin
(Aramaic) corresponding to gaph
Definition
wing (of a bird)
NASB Translation
wings (3).

[גַּף] noun feminine: Daniel 7:4 wing of bird (ᵑ7 גַּף, גַּמְּא, גַּנְמָּא (? D^{WB 79}), Syriac ; akin to Biblical Hebrew אֲגַף, Assyrian aggapu ? according to Nö^{M 77} (compare Mandean גאדפא, ᵑ7 גַּדְמָּא), Id^{GGA, 1884, 1019,} √ גִדף, Arabic , fly, row (but this loan-word Frä²²⁷)); — plural absolute wings, גַּמִּין Daniel 7:4,6; suffix גַּמִּיהּ Daniel 7:4 Kt (Qr singular נַּמַּהּ).

Semantic and Symbolic Profile

גַּף denotes a single “wing” in the Aramaic portion of Daniel. Throughout Scripture the image of a wing evokes mobility, shelter, protection, exaltation, and rapid action. In Daniel’s apocalyptic vision the term serves as a visual shorthand for swiftness and the transfer of sovereign power, themes consistent with broader biblical symbolism in which wings belong to eagles, cherubim, or even the Almighty Himself (Exodus 19:4; Psalm 91:4).

Occurrences in Daniel’s Vision (Daniel 7)

1. Daniel 7:4 (twice): “The first was like a lion, and had the wings of an eagle. I watched until its wings were torn off…”.
2. Daniel 7:6: “After this I looked, and there before me was another beast, like a leopard, with four wings of a bird on its back…”.

These references appear in the description of the first and third beasts—commonly identified with successive pagan empires. The removal or multiplication of wings marks pivotal transitions: the lion-beast loses its aerial freedom, signaling divine demotion; the leopard-beast gains four wings, highlighting unmatched speed in conquest. Thus גַּף functions narratively to underscore God’s sovereignty over geopolitical shifts.

Prophetic and Theological Themes

1. Divine Sovereignty: The cutting off of wings (Daniel 7:4) dramatizes the truth proclaimed in Daniel 2:21, that God “removes kings and establishes them.”
2. Judgment and Restraint: Wings both empower and are subject to heaven’s decree; the same God who grants prowess also curtails it.
3. Eschatological Hope: The temporary nature of beastly wings contrasts with the everlasting dominion of the Son of Man (Daniel 7:13-14), directing readers from earthly might to messianic kingship.

Historical Context

Interpreters from early Jewish commentators to Reformation scholars have connected the beasts to Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome. In this schema, Babylon’s lion loses its eagle-wings when Nebuchadnezzar is humbled (Daniel 4), whereas Alexander’s Grecian empire is pictured as a winged leopard, racing across the ancient world before shattering into four kingdoms (Daniel 8:8, 22). גַּף serves the historian by visually encoding the meteoric rise and divinely regulated fall of empires known from extra-biblical records.

Relationship to Wider Biblical Wing Imagery

While גַּף itself is rare, its concept resonates with:
• Exodus 19:4 — the LORD carries Israel “on eagles’ wings,” typifying deliverance.
• Isaiah 40:31 — those who hope in the LORD “will soar on wings like eagles,” portraying renewed strength.
• Ezekiel 1 and Revelation 4 — cherubim and living creatures bear multiple wings, signifying readiness to obey.

The contrast is telling: heavenly beings sustain perpetual flight in service to God, whereas earthly kingdoms lose their wings when they rebel.

Christological Perspective

Daniel’s winged beasts set the stage for the appearance of “One like a Son of Man” (Daniel 7:13). Where beasts exhibit animalistic power, Christ embodies true humanity perfected. The tearing off of wings foreshadows the defeat of worldly dominion at the cross, while His resurrection and ascension display the ultimate, unassailable uplift that no hand can strip away (Hebrews 1:3-4).

Ministry and Devotional Application

• Encouragement in Turbulent Times: Congregations facing political upheaval can draw comfort: God not only watches the rise and fall of kingdoms but also pre-announced them with precise imagery.
• Humility for Leaders: The vision warns that human strength, symbolized by wings, persists only by divine permission (Proverbs 21:1).
• Evangelistic Bridge: The striking visuals of Daniel 7 readily engage seekers interested in prophecy, providing a gateway to discuss the reliability of Scripture and the supremacy of Christ.
• Worship Motivation: Reflecting on the One who grants and removes wings leads believers to exalt the everlasting dominion of the Lamb rather than any temporal power (Revelation 5:13).

Conclusion

גַּף, though a small word with only three occurrences, carries immense theological weight. Within Daniel it encapsulates the rise and restraint of earth’s mightiest empires, highlights divine sovereignty, and points hearts forward to the eternal reign of Jesus Christ.

גַּפִּ֥ין גַפַּ֜יהּ גפיה גפין וְגַפִּ֥ין וגפין ḡap·payh gap·pîn gapPaih ḡappayh gapPin gappîn vegapPin wə·ḡap·pîn wəḡappînInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts