בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר
𐤁𐤋𐤈𐤔𐤀𐤑𐤓
Beleteshatsar
H1096 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
Belteshazzar: The Babylonian court name given to the Israelite Daniel during the Exile, reflecting his new identity within the royal administration; the name incorporates a reference to the Babylonian god Bel and expresses a wish for divine protection or life as granted by Bel.
Semantic Range
Bel (Marduk) protect (his) life, court name designating the bearer as under the protection or authority of Bel, title of Daniel in the Babylonian court, name expressing allegiance or fate linked to a foreign deity
Root / Etymology
The name is of Akkadian origin, likely derived from balāṭu ('to protect, preserve life, keep alive') combined with the name of the Babylonian deity Bel (Marduk). The Hebrew rendering reflects the Aramaic/Akkadian name, commonly interpreted as 'Bel protect the prince/keeperʼs life' or 'Bel protect his life.' The underlying root in the Akkadian is balāṭu ('to live, preserve life'). The Hebrew form itself is a phonetic adaptation; root etymology for the word as it appears in Hebrew is thus external to Semitic Hebrew roots, not native.
Historical & Contextual Notes
בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר is used exclusively in the exilic portions of Daniel (primarily Daniel 1:7 and throughout), functioning as Daniel’s Babylonian name in the Chaldean court. The name reflects both assimilation and the expectations placed upon Daniel in a foreign administrative context. Unlike his Hebrew name ('Daniel,' meaning 'God is my judge'), this name honors a Babylonian deity and expresses reliance for protection or well-being on Bel/Marduk rather than the Israelite deity. This practice of assigning new names to court officials and captives illustrates the cultural and religious policies of Mesopotamian monarchies. The English 'Belteshazzar' in traditional translations is a near transliteration; it should not be confused with the similar Babylonian name 'Belshazzar' (בֵּלְשַׁאצַּר, H1112), used for a different individual in Daniel 5, though both names include the theonym Bel.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
(Aramaic) corresponding to בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר; {Belteshatstsar, the Babylonian name of Daniel}; Belteshazzar.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
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בלטשׁעצר (b-l-ṭ-š-ʿ-ṣ-r (from Akkadian balāṭu + Bēl)) — protect, preserve life; Bel (Marduk)
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1096-01 |
בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּ֑ר | beleteshatsar | ANp |
Belteshazzar | Bel-protect-his-life | 7 |
H1096-02 |
בֵלְטְשַׁאצַּר֙ | veleteshatsar | ANp |
Belteshazzar | Bel-protect-his-life | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
8 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H1096-01 |
Daniel 2:26 | בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּ֑ר | beleteshatsar | ANp |
was Belteshazzar | Bel-protect-his-life |
H1096-01 |
Daniel 4:5 | בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר֙ | beleteshatsar | ANp |
Belteshazzar | Bel-protect-his-life |
H1096-01 |
Daniel 4:6 | בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר֮ | beleteshatsar | ANp |
Belteshazzar | Bel-protect-his-life |
H1096-01 |
Daniel 4:15 | בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּ֜ר | beleteshatsar | ANp |
Belteshazzar | Bel-protect-his-life |
H1096-01 |
Daniel 4:16 | בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּ֗ר | beleteshatsar | ANp |
Belteshazzar | Bel-protect-his-life |
H1096-01 |
Daniel 4:16 | בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר֙ | beleteshatsar-2 | ANp |
Belteshazzar | Bel-protect-his-life |
H1096-02 |
Daniel 4:16 | בֵלְטְשַׁאצַּר֙ | veleteshatsar | ANp |
Belteshazzar | Bel-protect-his-life |
H1096-01 |
Daniel 5:12 | בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּ֑ר | beleteshatsar | ANp |
Belteshazzar | Bel-protect-his-life |