Lexical Summary lechenah: "Therefore," "thus," "so" Original Word: לְחֵנָה Strong's Exhaustive Concordance concubine (Aramaic) from an unused root of uncertain meaning; a concubine -- concubine. NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) of uncertain derivation Definition a concubine NASB Translation concubines (3). Brown-Driver-Briggs [לְחֵנָה] noun feminine concubine (ᵑ7 לְחֵינְתָא; FlLevy NHWB ii. 534 f. compare Arabic  , indelicate epithet for woman; BattenEzra 2:65 compare Arabic  note, tune, song; still otherwise WetzstDe, HL u. Koh. 454); — plural suffix לְחֵנָתָךְ Daniel 5:23, הֵּ֯ Daniel 5:2; Daniel 5:3. Topical Lexicon Meaning and Literary Roleלְחֵנָה marks an immediate consequence within Aramaic narrative, carrying the sense of “so then” or “therefore.” It is not a casual connective but a purposeful signal that the next action flows unavoidably from the previous circumstance. In Daniel 5 it tightens the drama, showing how Belshazzar’s choices propel him toward divine judgment. Textual Occurrences 1. Daniel 5:2 Each appearance belongs to the same scene—the royal banquet that culminates in the writing on the wall. Historical Context in Daniel 5 Belshazzar, co-regent of Babylon under Nabonidus, hosts a profane feast on the eve of the city’s fall (circa 539 BC). His order to drink from the sacred vessels seized from the Jerusalem temple constitutes sacrilege. לְחֵנָה stitches together the sequence: the king commands (verse 2), the vessels are brought (verse 3), and the participants blaspheme the God of heaven (verse 23). The connective underscores how swiftly irreverence escalates when holiness is despised. Narrative and Theological Function 1. Escalation of Sin “Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders…” (Daniel 5:2). לְחֵנָה indicates that drunken bravado leads directly to desecration. 2. Certainty of Divine Response “Then the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall” (Daniel 5:5). Although לְחֵנָה is not used in verse 5, its earlier repetition sets an expectation that divine action will inevitably follow human defiance. 3. Contrast Between Human Glory and God’s Sovereignty Daniel tells the king, “You have praised the gods of silver and gold… but you have not glorified the God who holds in His hand your life-breath and all your ways” (Daniel 5:23). The same verse contains the final לְחֵנָה, stressing the turning point from arrogance to accountability. Ministry Applications • Causality of Choices: לְחֵנָה reminds readers that decisions made in pride rapidly yield consequences. Inter-Canonical Echoes • Exodus 32: The golden calf episode parallels Daniel 5 in combining idolatry, misuse of precious materials, and immediate judgment. Christological and Eschatological Perspective Belshazzar’s banquet, linked by לְחֵנָה, stands in contrast to the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:9). One feast ends in condemnation; the other, in eternal blessing. The connective thus foreshadows the greater “therefore” of redemptive history: because Christ has been exalted, every knee will bow (Philippians 2:9-11). Summary Though brief, לְחֵנָה functions as a theological hinge in Daniel 5, stitching together human hubris and divine justice. It invites modern readers to trace the unbroken line between actions and outcomes, cultivating holy fear and faithful obedience. Forms and Transliterations וּלְחֵנָתֵֽהּ׃ וּלְחֵנָתָךְ֮ ולחנתה׃ ולחנתך ū·lə·ḥê·nā·ṯāḵ ū·lə·ḥê·nā·ṯêh ulechenaTeh ulechenatoCh ūləḥênāṯāḵ ūləḥênāṯêhLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Daniel 5:2 HEB: וְרַבְרְבָנ֔וֹהִי שֵׁגְלָתֵ֖הּ וּלְחֵנָתֵֽהּ׃ NAS: his wives and his concubines might drink KJV: his wives, and his concubines, might drink INT: and his nobles his wives and his concubines Daniel 5:3 Daniel 5:23 3 Occurrences |
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