Original Word: הַרְהֹר
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: harhor
Pronunciation: har-HOR
Phonetic Spelling: (har-hor')
KJV: thought
NASB: fantasies
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) from a root corresponding to H2029 (הָרָה - conceived)]

1. a mental conception

thought

(Aramaic) from a root corresponding to harah; a mental conception -- thought.

see HEBREW harah

Word Origin
(Aramaic) from a root corresponding to harah
Definition
fancy, imagining
NASB Translation
fantasies (1).

[הַרְהֹר] noun [masculine] fancy, imagining; — plural absolute הַרְהֹרִין Daniel 4:2 fancies (in dream).

Word and Concept

Harhor denotes the inward “images” or “thoughts” that arise in the mind. In Daniel 4:5 the term is used of the frightening mental pictures that accompanied King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. The word therefore describes not merely rational reflection but vivid inner impressions that affect the emotions and will.

Scriptural Occurrence

Daniel 4:5

“I had a dream, and it frightened me; the visions on my bed and the images in my mind alarmed me.”

Historical Setting

Daniel 4 records the testimony of Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, roughly six centuries before the birth of Jesus Christ. His kingdom was unrivaled in splendor, yet a single dream filled him with terror. The narrative shows that political power and human wisdom cannot quiet a disturbed conscience when God speaks through extraordinary means.

Theological Significance

• Human limitation. Harhor exposes the fragility of the human psyche; a monarch who commands armies cannot silence a divinely sent impression (Proverbs 21:1).
• Divine initiative. God often begins His dealings with people by unsettling their inward life (Job 33:14-16). The king’s alarm set the stage for prophetic interpretation and eventual humiliation, demonstrating Proverbs 16:18 in real time.
• Accountability. Although the dream was God-given, the sinful pride it challenged came from Nebuchadnezzar’s own heart (Jeremiah 17:9). Harhor thus sits at the intersection of divine revelation and human responsibility.

Related Biblical Themes

1. Dreams and visions: Joseph (Genesis 41), Pharaoh (Genesis 41:1-8), and Pilate’s wife (Matthew 27:19) similarly received revelatory impressions that demanded a moral response.
2. Imagination vs. meditation: Scripture distinguishes fearful images (harhor) from deliberate, truth-centered meditation (Psalm 1:2; Philippians 4:8).
3. Spiritual warfare of the mind: Paul instructs believers to “take every thought captive to obey Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5), indicating that the mental realm remains a battleground.

Ministry Insights

• Pastoral care: When counselees describe intrusive or alarming thoughts, Daniel 4:5 encourages ministers to ask whether God is prompting self-examination or repentance.
• Preaching: Harhor provides a vivid illustration of how the Lord confronts pride and calls sinners to humility (Daniel 4:34-37; James 4:6).
• Prayer: Intercessors can pray that unbelievers will experience convicting inner impressions that open them to the gospel (Acts 16:14).

Practical Application for Believers

• Guard the mind. “Set your minds on things above” (Colossians 3:2) counters destructive harhor-like images.
• Test impressions by Scripture. Not every disturbing image is revelatory; the Bible remains the final authority (1 Thessalonians 5:21).
• Cultivate godly meditation. Regular reflection on God’s Word replaces unwholesome images with truth (Psalm 19:14).

Christological Perspective

Jesus Christ is both the revealer and interpreter of divine mysteries (Revelation 1:1). Nebuchadnezzar needed Daniel to mediate his harhor; believers today have a greater Mediator who brings peace to troubled minds (John 14:27).

Summary

Harhor, though appearing only once, reminds readers that God can arrest human attention through inward images. The episode in Daniel 4 urges all people, however great, to humble themselves before the Most High, submit their thoughts to His Word, and find lasting peace in Him.

וְהַרְהֹרִין֙ והרהרין veharhoRin wə·har·hō·rîn wəharhōrînInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts