Original Word: שָׁמַיִן
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: shamayin
Pronunciation: shah-mah-yeen
Phonetic Spelling: (shaw-mah'-yin)
NASB: heaven, sky, heavens
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) corresponding to H8064 (שָׁמַיִם שָׁמֶה - heaven)]

1. heaven

heaven

(Aramaic) corresponding to shamayim -- heaven.

see HEBREW shamayim

Word Origin
(Aramaic) corresponding to shamayim
Definition
heavens
NASB Translation
Heaven (1), heaven (29), heavens (2), sky (6).

Overview

שָׁמַיִן (shamayin) designates “the heavens” in the Aramaic portions of the Old Testament. Across approximately thirty-eight occurrences, the term frames God’s transcendence, sovereignty, and saving activity during and after the Babylonian exile. While linguistically cognate with the Hebrew שָׁמַיִם (shamayim), its canonical setting is limited almost entirely to Ezra and Daniel, with a single appearance in the Aramaic verse Jeremiah 10:11.

Occurrences in Scripture

• Daniel: 2:18, 19, 28, 37 (LXX v. 38), 44, 45; 3:25; 4:13 (v. 10), 15 (v. 12), 17 (v. 14), 23 (v. 20), 26 (v. 23), 31 (v. 28), 34 (v. 31), 35 (v. 32); 5:21, 23; 6:27 (v. 26); 7:2, 3, 13, 27.
• Ezra: 4:24; 5:11, 12, 15; 6:9, 10, 14; 7:12, 21, 23 (twice).
• Jeremiah 10:11.

(The verse numbers in parentheses reflect the English translations where the Aramaic verses are offset.)

The Heavens as the Dwelling Place of God

Exilic and post-exilic believers faced political domination, cultural pressure, and geographical displacement. “Heaven” became a shorthand for the exalted throne room from which the LORD still ruled. Daniel blesses “the God of heaven” when the mystery of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream is revealed (Daniel 2:19). The returned builders of the temple call themselves “servants of the God of heaven and earth” (Ezra 5:11). By invoking heaven, Israelites affirmed that God’s presence was not limited to Zion’s ruins; His authority spanned all space.

Heaven and Divine Sovereignty in Daniel

1. Revelation of mysteries: “There is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries” (Daniel 2:28). Earthly kings are powerful, but the true source of wisdom is enthroned above mortal reach.
2. Foundation of an unshakeable kingdom: “The God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed” (Daniel 2:44). Here “heaven” functions both as a locality and a guarantee of permanence.
3. Metonym for God Himself: When Nebuchadnezzar is warned, the decree is “until you recognize that Heaven rules” (Daniel 4:26). The text deliberately replaces the divine name with “Heaven,” underscoring absolute sovereignty.
4. Celestial hosts under command: “He does as He pleases with the army of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth” (Daniel 4:35). This expands the dominion of God over both spiritual and terrestrial realms.
5. Eschatological vision: “Behold, with the clouds of heaven, One like a Son of Man was coming” (Daniel 7:13). The messianic figure approaches from the heavenly sphere, receiving authority from the Ancient of Days, prefiguring New Testament christology (Matthew 26:64; Revelation 1:7).

Heaven in the Restoration Narratives of Ezra

Persian decrees repeatedly describe the LORD as “the God of heaven” (Ezra 7:12, 21, 23). This title:
• Harmonizes with Persian royal ideology, which respected local deities yet placed them under the supreme aura of the king.
• Allows Jewish scribes to assert monotheism without overtly clashing with imperial protocol.
• Links temple rebuilding to a heavenly mandate; offerings are made “to the God of heaven” so that prayers may ascend “for the life of the king and his sons” (Ezra 6:10). Political cooperation is thus grounded in theological conviction.

Contrast with Pagan Cosmology (Jeremiah 10:11)

The lone Aramaic verse in Jeremiah forms a polemic: “The gods who did not make the heavens and the earth will perish from the earth and from beneath these heavens.” By writing in Aramaic, the prophet addresses the surrounding nations in their lingua franca, declaring the impotence of idols before the Creator of the heavens. The same semantic field that proclaims comfort to Israel pronounces judgment on false worship.

Liturgical and Devotional Echoes

Prayer Language: Daniel’s friends “implored mercy from the God of heaven” (Daniel 2:18), providing a model for corporate intercession.

Adoration: Daniel’s doxology—“Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to Him” (Daniel 2:20)—emerges after a night vision from heaven, integrating human praise with divine disclosure.

Confession: The builders’ acknowledgement that their fathers “angered the God of heaven” (Ezra 5:12) links covenant failure with exile, encouraging repentance.

Prophetic and Eschatological Overtones

The coupling of “heaven” with an eternal kingdom (Daniel 2:44; 7:27) stretches the believer’s hope beyond immediate political deliverance to ultimate consummation. The heavenly origin of the “stone cut without hands” (Daniel 2:45) anticipates the Messiah’s supernatural nature and final victory. Clouds of heaven in Daniel 7:13 become a dominant New Testament motif for the Second Advent (1 Thessalonians 4:17).

Practical Ministry Applications

• Preaching: The expression “God of heaven” provides a scriptural foundation for proclaiming God’s global rule in multicultural contexts.
• Pastoral care: Exilic narratives encourage displaced or marginalized believers; heaven’s throne is not shaken by earthly upheaval.
• Worship planning: Incorporating prayers and songs that highlight heaven’s sovereignty reinforces biblical theology and counters man-centered liturgy.
• Apologetics: Jeremiah 10:11 offers a succinct argument against idolatry, still relevant in confronting modern material or ideological idols.
• Missions: The Aramaic setting shows God’s truth communicated in the dominant language of the day, encouraging contextualization without compromise.

The Aramaic שָׁמַיִן thus anchors exilic faith, restoration hope, and eschatological vision. From pleading for mercy to predicting the rise of an everlasting kingdom, the “heavens” testify that the LORD reigns unchallenged across time, space, and cultures.

בִּשְׁמַיָּ֖א בִּשְׁמַיָּא֙ בשמיא לִשְׁמַיָּ֔א לִשְׁמַיָּ֣א לשמיא שְׁמַיָּ֑א שְׁמַיָּ֔א שְׁמַיָּ֖א שְׁמַיָּ֛א שְׁמַיָּ֜א שְׁמַיָּ֟א שְׁמַיָּ֡א שְׁמַיָּ֣א שְׁמַיָּ֣א ׀ שְׁמַיָּ֤א שְׁמַיָּ֥א שְׁמַיָּֽא׃ שְׁמַיָּא֙ שמיא שמיא׃ biš·may·yā bishmaiYa bišmayyā liš·may·yā lishmaiYa lišmayyā šə·may·yā šəmayyā shemaiYaInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts