Original Word: כָּרוֹז
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: karowz
Pronunciation: kah-ROHZ
Phonetic Spelling: (kaw-roze')
KJV: herald
NASB: herald
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) from H374 (אֵיפָה אֵפָה - ephah)5]

1. a herald

herald

(Aramaic) from kraz; a herald -- herald.

see HEBREW kraz

Word Origin
(Aramaic) of foreign origin
Definition
a herald
NASB Translation
herald (1).

[כָּרוֺז] noun masculine herald (loan-word from Greek κήρυξ, κηρύσσειν (K^{§ 64, 4} Krauss^{ii. 296 f.}; Nö^{GGA 1884, 1019 doubts}); ᵑ7 id., Syriac (see Brook), Christian-Palestinian Aramaic [] Schulth^{Lex. 97}; compare D^{§ 97 near the end}, also K^{§ 64, 4} Bev^{Daniel 5:29} M^{§ 88}); — emphatic כָּדוֺוָא Daniel 3:4.

Concept and Scope

The Hebrew-Aramaic term כָּרוֹז designates a royal herald, the official voice through which a king’s decree is sounded in public places. While the word occurs only once in the Old Testament (Daniel 3:4), the office it denotes is attested across the Ancient Near East, emphasizing the messenger’s authority, volume, and urgency. The herald embodies delegated power: his voice is the king’s voice, and obedience to his proclamation equals obedience to the monarch himself.

Canonical Setting (Daniel 3:1-7)

In Daniel 3, Nebuchadnezzar erects a towering statue and assembles officials from “every province” of his empire. Verse 4 introduces the herald:

“Then the herald loudly proclaimed, ‘People of every nation and language, this is what you are commanded:’” (Daniel 3:4).

The scene highlights four features of the herald’s function:

1. Publicity – The proclamation is “loud,” intended for maximum reach.
2. Universality – All peoples, nations, and languages are addressed.
3. Authority – The message carries immediate legal force (“you are commanded”).
4. Crisis – The decree tests covenant faithfulness, setting the stage for the fiery-furnace deliverance.

Historical and Cultural Background

Royal courts in Babylon, Persia, and later Greco-Roman settings relied on heralds to bridge geographic and linguistic gaps in sprawling empires. Cuneiform tablets and classical historians describe heralds blowing horns or sounding a curved trumpet (Hebrew qeren) before announcing edicts. Their proclamations were often repeated in multiple languages, mirroring the multilingual setting of Daniel 3. The Aramaic use of כָּרוֹז reflects Babylonian practice but also anticipates the later Greek κῆρυξ (“herald”), a word the Septuagint and New Testament will employ.

Theological Significance

1. Delegated Authority

The herald illustrates how divine authority can be mediated through human mouths. In Scripture, God’s prophets function as His heralds (Jeremiah 11:6; Jonah 3:2). The Babylonian herald thus forms an ironic counterpoint: a pagan empire commandeers a role that rightfully belongs to Yahweh’s servants.

2. Call to Allegiance

Nebuchadnezzar’s herald demands worship of an image. The episode exposes the clash between earthly mandates and the first commandment (Exodus 20:3-5). The refusal of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego teaches that when human proclamation contradicts God’s Word, faithful believers must obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29).

3. Foreshadowing Gospel Proclamation

While the Babylonian herald imposes idolatry, the New Testament herald (Greek κῆρυξ) announces the liberating kingship of Christ (1 Timothy 2:7; 2 Timothy 1:11). The contrast underscores a redemptive reversal: from coerced bowing before gold to voluntary allegiance to the risen Lord.

Connections within the Canon

• Isaiah 40:9, “Raise your voice with a shout, do not be afraid,” anticipates messengers who declare the coming of God with regal certainty.
• Psalm 96:3 calls God’s people to “declare His glory among the nations,” echoing the wide audience addressed by the Babylonian herald but repurposed for true worship.
• Revelation 14:6 envisions an angel flying “with the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation and tribe and tongue and people,” a final global announcement that all must heed.

Ministry Implications

1. Preaching as Heralding

Pastoral proclamation is not private suggestion but public heralding of the King’s decree. The preacher’s task is to speak “boldly, as I ought to speak” (Ephesians 6:20), trusting the power of the message rather than personal charisma.

2. Faithful Resistance

Believers may at times face authoritative voices demanding compromise. Daniel 3 equips the church to discern between commands that can be obeyed and those that must be resisted for conscience’ sake.

3. Evangelistic Urgency

The herald “loudly proclaimed.” Evangelism carries the same imperative. Christians herald the gospel with clarity, conviction, and cross-cultural reach, calling all peoples to worship the true King.

Summary

כָּרוֹז encapsulates the ancient office of the herald—an agent of royal authority whose public proclamation demands immediate response. Its lone appearance in Daniel 3:4 stands as both a historical snapshot of Babylonian protocol and a theological signpost pointing to the greater, grace-filled heralding of God’s redemptive decree in Jesus Christ.

וְכָרוֹזָ֖א וכרוזא vecharoZa wə·ḵā·rō·w·zā wəḵārōwzāInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts