Lexical Summary merat: To make bare, to polish, to scour Original Word: מְרַט Strong's Exhaustive Concordance be plucked (Aramaic) corresponding to marat; to pull off -- be plucked. see HEBREW marat NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Origin(Aramaic) corresponding to marat Definition to pluck NASB Translation plucked (1). Topical Lexicon Canonical Occurrence The verb מְרַט appears once in the Old Testament, at Daniel 7:4, in the Aramaic section of the book. In Daniel’s night vision the lion-like first beast has “the wings of an eagle. As I watched, its wings were torn off” (Daniel 7:4). The word translated “torn off” or “plucked” conveys a sudden, forceful stripping away. Prophetic Context Daniel 7 unfolds during the reign of Belshazzar, when the Babylonian empire still dominated the Near East. The four beasts symbolize successive Gentile powers. The first beast—lion with eagle’s wings—reflects Babylon’s swiftness and royal might (Jeremiah 4:7; Habakkuk 1:8). The plucking of the wings signals the curbing of Babylon’s rapid expansion and the humbling of its king. The sequence parallels Daniel 4, where Nebuchadnezzar is stripped of his glory, lives among the beasts, and later receives a “human mind” again. Thus מְרַט encapsulates divine intervention that removes borrowed power and forces a proud ruler to acknowledge Heaven’s supremacy. Theological Themes Sovereign Humbling: Scripture consistently depicts God as the One who “tears down and destroys” proud nations (Jeremiah 12:17) and exalts the humble (1 Samuel 2:7). The plucking of the wings dramatizes this principle. Limitation of Earthly Power: Wings symbolize mobility and conquest. Their removal teaches that every empire operates only under the permissions of the Most High (Daniel 4:35). Transformation through Judgment: After the plucking, the lion stands on two feet and receives a human heart. Divine judgment aims not merely to punish but to transform, pointing toward repentance and restored rationality. Biblical Cross-References • Deuteronomy 32:11 – The LORD “stirs up His nest” and deals with Israel as an eagle; He both supports and disciplines. Historical Application Within a few decades of Daniel’s vision, Babylon fell to Medo-Persia (539 B.C.). The empire’s military wings were indeed plucked. Later Jewish and Christian interpreters saw the passage as validation of prophetic accuracy and a reminder that no civilization is invincible when it sets itself against God. Practical Ministry Implications 1. Call to Humility: Leaders and nations must avoid the pride that precedes a fall (Proverbs 16:18). Christological and Eschatological Connections Daniel 7 moves from beastly kingdoms to the enthronement of “One like a Son of Man” (Daniel 7:13-14), a title Jesus applies to Himself (Matthew 26:64). The plucking of the wings prepares the way for the everlasting dominion of Christ. Moreover, Revelation echoes Daniel’s imagery to portray the final overthrow of rebellious powers before the reign of the Lamb (Revelation 11:15). Devotional Reflections • Where might personal pride be granting us “wings” that God may need to pluck? Forms and Transliterations מְּרִ֨יטוּ מריטו mə·rî·ṭū meRitu mərîṭūLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Daniel 7:4 HEB: עַד֩ דִּי־ מְּרִ֨יטוּ גַפַּ֜יהּ וּנְטִ֣ילַת NAS: its wings were plucked, and it was lifted KJV: the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up INT: till forasmuch were plucked wings lifted 1 Occurrence |
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