Original Word: רוּם
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: ruwm
Pronunciation: room
Phonetic Spelling: (room)
KJV: extol, lift up (self), set up
NASB: elevated, exalt, exalted, lifted
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) corresponding to H7311 (רוּם - exalted)]

1. (figuratively only)

extol, lift up self, set up

(Aramaic) corresponding to ruwm; (figuratively only) -- extol, lift up (self), set up.

see HEBREW ruwm

Word Origin
(Aramaic) corresponding to rum
Definition
to rise
NASB Translation
elevated (1), exalt (1), exalted (1), lifted (1).

Canonical Context

Strong’s Hebrew 7313 (Aramaic) appears exclusively in the Aramaic sections of the Book of Daniel. Each use concerns the elevation or exaltation of a monarch and, in turn, the sovereign right of God to abase that same monarch. These occurrences are integral to the larger Daniel narrative in which earthly rule is measured against, and ultimately subordinated to, the Most High God.

Occurrences in Daniel

• Daniel 4:37 – Following seven years of divinely imposed humiliation, Nebuchadnezzar at last confesses, “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise, exalt, and glorify the King of heaven, for all His works are true and His ways are just. And He is able to humble those who walk in pride.”
• Daniel 5:19 – Daniel recounts to Belshazzar how God granted Nebuchadnezzar dominion: “Because of the greatness He gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whomever he wished he killed; whomever he wished he kept alive; whomever he wished he exalted, and whomever he wished he humbled.”
• Daniel 5:20 – The prophet underscores the danger of self-exaltation: “But when his heart became arrogant and his spirit hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and stripped of his glory.”
• Daniel 5:23 – Daniel indicts Belshazzar for failing to learn from Nebuchadnezzar’s example: “Instead, you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven. … Yet you did not glorify the God who holds in His hand your very breath and all your ways.”

Historical Background

Chapters 4 and 5 describe successive Babylonian kings—Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar—who embody imperial power. Their “exaltation” (רוּם) had political and military dimensions, yet Scripture consistently attributes that exaltation to God’s permissive will (Daniel 2:37). By recording both the rise and the downfall of these kings, Daniel demonstrates to Israel in exile—and to later generations—that national fortunes rest in the hand of the covenant-keeping God, not in geopolitical might.

Theological Themes

1. Divine Sovereignty. Every occurrence of רוּם is bound to God’s prerogative to raise up or cast down (cf. Psalm 75:7). The term therefore reinforces the doctrine that “the Most High rules in the kingdom of men” (Daniel 4:32).
2. Pride versus Humility. Nebuchadnezzar’s recovery (Daniel 4) and Belshazzar’s demise (Daniel 5) form an intentional contrast. Exaltation rooted in pride provokes judgment; exaltation that turns to praise yields restoration.
3. Moral Accountability of Rulers. The kings are held responsible for recognizing the true source of their exaltation. Their failure leads to national upheaval, emphasizing that political leaders are accountable to transcendent moral standards (cf. Proverbs 16:12).

Prophetic and Eschatological Overtones

Daniel’s vision of human kingdoms exalted and dethroned sets the stage for later prophecies of the coming “Son of Man” whose dominion will never be destroyed (Daniel 7:13–14). Thus, the limited, fragile exaltation of Babylon anticipates the eternal, righteous exaltation of Messiah.

Related New Testament Parallels

• Luke 1:52 – “He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has exalted the humble.”
• Philippians 2:9 – Because Christ humbled Himself, “God exalted Him to the highest place.”
• 1 Peter 5:6 – “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may exalt you in due time.”

These references echo the Daniel pattern, confirming a canonical consistency: God alone truly exalts, and He does so in response to humility.

Practical Ministry Application

1. Leadership Accountability. Pastors and civic leaders should heed Daniel’s warning: influence is a stewardship from God, subject to removal if abused.
2. Cultivating Humility. Congregations can draw devotional lessons from Nebuchadnezzar’s seven-year humbling, encouraging self-examination and repentance.
3. Worship Focus. The appropriate response to divine exaltation is worship: “Praise, exalt, and glorify the King of heaven” (Daniel 4:37). Church liturgy and personal prayer gain depth when anchored in this recognition.

Summary

Strong’s 7313 רוּם in Daniel highlights the rise of earthly rulers, the peril of pride, and the unmatched authority of God. By presenting both the judgment and restoration of kings, Scripture calls every generation to embrace humility and to honor the One who alone “raises up and brings down” for the glory of His name and the good of His people.

הִתְרוֹמַ֡מְתָּ התרוממת וּמְרוֹמֵ֤ם ומרומם מָרִ֔ים מרים רִ֣ם רם hiṯ·rō·w·mam·tā hitroMamta hiṯrōwmamtā mā·rîm maRim mārîm rim ū·mə·rō·w·mêm umeroMem ūmərōwmêmInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts