Original Word: שְׁטַר
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: shtar
Pronunciation: SAY-ter
Phonetic Spelling: (shet-ar')
KJV: side
NASB: side
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) of uncertain derivation]

1. a side

side

(Aramaic) of uncertain derivation; a side -- side.

Word Origin
(Aramaic) of uncertain derivation
Definition
a side
NASB Translation
side (1).

שְׂטַר noun masculine side (Egyptian Aramaic S-C^{A 5}; ᵑ7 סְטַר, סִטְרָא, Syriac , Christian-Palestinian Aramaic Schulth^{Lex, 134, of.} Schw^{Idioticon 62, 122}; Arabic half);-absolute ׳שׂ Daniel 7:5 (of beast in vision).

Entry: Shĕṭar (Side)

Definition and Scope

Shĕṭar occurs only once in Scripture, Daniel 7:5, where it denotes the “side” of the second apocalyptic beast. Though a rare term, its single appearance carries weight because it contributes to the interpretation of one of Daniel’s most memorable visions.

Biblical Context

Daniel 7 records four beasts that arise from the sea, each portraying successive Gentile empires. The second beast “looked like a bear. It was raised up on one side” (Daniel 7:5). Shĕṭar identifies the lifted “side,” highlighting an uneven stance. The bear then devours, symbolized by the three ribs in its mouth, and receives the divine command, “Arise! Devour much flesh!”

Prophetic Significance

1. Asymmetry of Power. The raised side foreshadows an internal imbalance in the historical Medo-Persian realm. Persia eventually dominated the Medes, explaining the bear’s unequal posture.
2. Divine Sovereignty. The text stresses that the beast is “told” to act, underlining that even aggressive empires operate within God’s decreed boundaries (Daniel 4:17; Romans 13:1).
3. Sequential Certainty. The lifted side differentiates the second kingdom from both its predecessor (Babylon, the lion) and its successor (Greece, the leopard), showing God’s orderly unfolding of history.

Historical Background

Medo-Persia began as a dual kingdom. Under Cyrus the Great, Persian leadership eclipsed Median influence. Greek historians such as Herodotus record this shift; Scripture echoes it through the imagery of the bear tilted to one side (cf. Daniel 8:3, where the ram’s two horns are uneven). Shĕṭar thus encapsulates centuries of political realignment in a single word.

Theological Themes

• Judgment and Mercy. God grants empires limited authority before calling them to account (Isaiah 40:15; Acts 17:26-31).
• Reliability of Prophecy. Details as minute as the lifting of one side are fulfilled precisely, bolstering confidence in the inerrancy of Scripture (2 Peter 1:19-21).
• Human Pride versus Divine Plan. The bear’s strength is real, yet its actions are neither autonomous nor permanent (Job 12:23).

Practical Lessons for Ministry

1. Discernment in World Events. Believers learn to interpret political shifts through a biblical lens, recognizing God’s unseen governance (Proverbs 21:1).
2. Encouragement amid Instability. The rise and fall of empires remind the church that Christ’s kingdom alone is unshakable (Hebrews 12:28).
3. Preaching Precision. Even single-use terms like Shĕṭar demonstrate that “all Scripture” is profitable (2 Timothy 3:16); no detail is superfluous.

Related Scripture Themes

• Unequal Horns of the Ram – Daniel 8:3-4
• Weighed yet Found Wanting – Daniel 5:27
• Kingdoms as Beasts – Revelation 13:1-2

Summary

Shĕṭar may appear only once, yet its contribution is pivotal. By depicting a bear raised on one side, the Spirit signals the dominance of Persia within the Medo-Persian confederacy, affirms the precision of biblical prophecy, and reinforces trust in God’s sovereign orchestration of history.

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