Original Word: דָּת
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: dath
Pronunciation: dath
Phonetic Spelling: (dawth)
KJV: decree, law
NASB: law, decree, laws
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) corresponding to H1881 (דָּת - law)]

1. commandment, commission, decree, law, manner

decree, law

(Aramaic) corresponding to dath; decree, law.

see HEBREW dath

Word Origin
(Aramaic) corresponding to dath
Definition
decree, law
NASB Translation
decree (3), law (10), laws (1).

דָּת noun feminine^{Dan 6:9} decree, law (Syriac; Persian loan-word, see Biblical Hebrew); — ׳ד absolute Daniel 6:16; Daniel 7:25, construct Ezra 7:14 +; emphatic דָּתָא Ezra 7:12 +; suffix דָּֽתְכוֺן Daniel 2:9; —

1 decree of king Daniel 2:13,15; Ezra 7:26; with suffix Daniel 2:9 decree against you.

2 unchangeable law of Medes and Persians Daniel 6:9; Daniel 6:13; Daniel 6:16.

3 law of God (in mouth of non-Jews): Daniel 6:6; Ezra 7:12,14,21,26, so (absolute) Daniel 7:25; laws of God Ezra 7:25.

Overview of Biblical Usage

In the Old Testament, דָּת (dāth) appears fourteen times, all within the post-exilic books of Ezra and Daniel. The word consistently denotes a formal law, decree, or statute—often in the setting of the Persian empire. Its contexts fall into three broad groups: (1) royal edicts that facilitate the restoration of Judah (Ezra 7), (2) imperial decrees that threaten God’s people (Daniel 2 and Daniel 6), and (3) eschatological prophecy concerning a future ruler who seeks to alter appointed “times and laws” (Daniel 7:25).

Persian Royal Law Serving God’s Restoration (Ezra 7)

Artaxerxes’ letter to Ezra repeatedly calls the Mosaic legislation “the Law of the God of heaven” while also acknowledging the binding force of “the law of the king” (Ezra 7:26). The repeated use of dāth in this chapter highlights how the Lord can move a pagan monarch to issue civil statutes that advance covenant purposes. Ezra is commissioned to enforce both divine and royal law, illustrating cooperative overlap between sacred and civic authority when the civil ruler acts justly. The narrative emphasizes God’s providence: “Blessed be the Lord, the God of our fathers, who has put it into the king’s heart to glorify the house of the Lord in Jerusalem” (Ezra 7:27).

Imperial Decrees in Conflict with Divine Allegiance (Daniel 2 and 6)

In Nebuchadnezzar’s court the same term marks a ruthless statute: “If you do not tell me the dream, there is one decree for you” (Daniel 2:9). The king’s unyielding command exposes human law’s limits and drives Daniel to seek heavenly revelation, which ultimately vindicates God before the empire’s elite.

Under Darius, dāth describes the infamous edict prohibiting prayer to any god but the king (Daniel 6:8-15). Daniel’s refusal to comply demonstrates that when human legislation contradicts God’s clear commands, fidelity to the Lord prevails—even at the cost of persecution. The narrative closes with another imperial statute, this time honoring the true God (Daniel 6:26-27), showing again that civil authority is ultimately subordinate to divine sovereignty.

Eschatological Manipulation of Law (Daniel 7:25)

Daniel’s night vision projects the term into the future: the blasphemous horn “will speak against the Most High… intending to change the appointed times and laws.” Here dāth becomes a symbol of eschatological rebellion, forecasting a ruler who will attempt to rewrite moral and religious norms. The prophecy reassures believers that such tyranny is temporary, for “the court will convene, and his dominion will be taken away” (Daniel 7:26).

Theological Observations

1. God reigns over human legislation. Whether benign (Ezra 7), brutal (Daniel 6), or apocalyptic (Daniel 7), every statute ultimately advances His redemptive plan.
2. Civil law is good when it mirrors divine standards, yet it must never replace them. The tension between dāth as imperial decree and dāth as “law of your God” teaches discernment in citizenship.
3. Faithful believers honor lawful authority but engage in righteous disobedience when statutes contradict God’s Word (Acts 5:29 echoes this principle).

Ministry Implications

• Teach congregations to pray for rulers, recognizing God’s hand in governmental affairs (1 Timothy 2:1-2), yet also to prepare for possible conflict when laws oppose biblical conviction.
• Equip Christians to navigate civic responsibilities with an informed conscience, distinguishing between supportive cooperation (Ezra) and necessary resistance (Daniel).
• Emphasize eschatological hope: attempts to alter God-ordained “times and laws” cannot thwart His kingdom. This assurance fuels perseverance and evangelistic urgency.

בְּדָ֥ת בדת דָּתֵ֣י דָּתָ֜א דָּתָ֣א דָּתָא֙ דָֽתְכ֗וֹן דָת֙ דָתָ֛א דת דתא דתי דתכון וְדָ֔ת וְדָתָ֣א וְדָתָא֙ ודת ודתא כְּדָת־ כדת־ bə·ḏāṯ beDat bəḏāṯ dā·ṯā ḏā·ṯā dā·ṯê ḏā·ṯə·ḵō·wn dat ḏāṯ daTa dāṯā ḏāṯā dāṯê dateChon daTei ḏāṯəḵōwn kə·ḏāṯ- kəḏāṯ- kedot veDat vedaTa wə·ḏā·ṯā wə·ḏāṯ wəḏāṯ wəḏāṯāInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts