Original Word: קְטַר
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: qtar
Pronunciation: keh-tar
Phonetic Spelling: (ket-ar')
KJV: doubt, joint
NASB: difficult problems, joints
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) from a root corresponding to H7000 (קָטַר - enclosed)]

1. a knot (as tied up), i.e. (figuratively) a riddle
2. also a vertebra (as if a knot)

doubt, joint

(Aramaic) from a root corresponding to qatar; a knot (as tied up), i.e. (figuratively) a riddle; also a vertebra (as if a knot) -- doubt, joint.

see HEBREW qatar

Word Origin
(Aramaic) from a root corresponding to qatar
Definition
a joint, knot
NASB Translation
difficult problems (2), joints (1).

[קְטַר] noun masculine^{Daniel 5:6} joint, knot; — literal plural construct קִטְרֵי Daniel 5:6 joints of his loin; figurative absolute קִטְרִין Daniel 5:12; Daniel 5:16, usually knotty things, difficulties (Syriac PS³⁵⁹¹); but probably of magic spells, banns (also Syriac PS^l.c., compare Brock^319b), so Bev, see also Dr.

Meaning and Semantic Range

קְטַר (qetar) is an Aramaic noun whose concrete sense is a “knot” or “joint.” Figuratively it denotes anything knotted-up, perplexing, or tightly bound, whether in a person’s body (the hip-joint in Daniel 5:6) or in the realm of thought (enigmas, riddles, or difficult questions in Daniel 5:12, 16). The idea of something tied hard together lies beneath each use: literal joints that “lock,” and mental problems that must be “untied.”

Occurrences in Daniel

1. Daniel 5:6—Belshazzar’s terror at the handwriting on the wall manifests physically: “his hips gave way and his knees knocked together”. The king’s “joints” turn to water, graphically portraying the unraveling of his pride.
2. Daniel 5:12—Daniel is commended for the God-given ability “to interpret dreams, explain riddles, and solve difficult problems”. Here qetar is the “difficult problems,” picturing intellectual knots only divine wisdom can loosen.
3. Daniel 5:16—Belshazzar repeats the commendation, hoping Daniel can “solve problems”. The plural form suggests a bundle of tightly wound puzzles awaiting release.

Historical and Cultural Setting

Babylonian sages prided themselves on untying enigmatic sayings. Belshazzar’s court had a professional class of diviners, astrologers, and dream interpreters whose skills were supposed to keep the empire secure. When the mysterious writing appeared, their failure exposed the bankruptcy of human wisdom. Into that vacuum stepped Daniel, a Jewish exile whose God had already proven supreme over Babylonian knowledge (Daniel 1:17-20; 2:27-28). In a single night the living God judged Babylon, vindicating His sovereignty over both physical joints that tremble and mental knots that confound.

Spiritual and Theological Significance

1. Human frailty under divine judgment—Belshazzar’s dislocated “joints” dramatize how the strongest human powers collapse when confronted by God’s holiness (compare Psalm 2:1-5).
2. Divine revelation unties the knots—Only heaven-sent wisdom can dissolve spiritual perplexities (James 1:5). Daniel’s success underscores that “the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10).
3. Demonstration of God’s sovereignty—The same word spans body and mind, reminding readers that both realms lie under God’s authority. He can loosen joints or tighten judgment; He can tie kingdoms together or tear them apart (Daniel 2:21).

New Testament Echoes and Continuity

The motif of spiritual “knots” resolved by God recurs when Jesus silences those who test Him with hard questions (Matthew 22:34-46). Paul likewise points to “the wisdom of God in a mystery” (1 Corinthians 2:7), revealed in Christ and inaccessible to merely human reasoning, paralleling Daniel’s God-given ability to untie mysteries before pagan rulers.

Ministry Applications

• Pastoral Care: Belshazzar’s shaking joints warn that unrepented sin eventually produces overwhelming fear. Call hearers to maintain tender consciences through continual repentance (Hebrews 10:26-31).
• Teaching and Apologetics: Daniel models humble reliance on revelation rather than speculative philosophies when addressing the intellectual “knots” of the age (2 Corinthians 10:4-5).
• Prayer and Intercession: Like Daniel, believers intercede for confused leaders, asking God to grant light that unbinds them from deception (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

Homiletic and Devotional Reflections

Belshazzar’s locked joints remind us that security rests not in earthly fortifications but in right standing with God. Daniel’s deft untying of Babylon’s riddles points forward to Jesus Christ, the greater Revealer, who alone can loose the knot of human sin. Whether the issue is a trembling body or a perplexed mind, the answer remains the same: “The LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs 2:6).

וְקִטְרִ֣ין וְקִטְרֵ֤י וקטרי וקטרין קִטְרִ֗ין קטרין kitRin qiṭ·rîn qiṭrîn vekitRei vekitRin wə·qiṭ·rê wə·qiṭ·rîn wəqiṭrê wəqiṭrînInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts