כְּרַז
𐤊𐤓𐤆
kᵉraz
H3745 verb
SILEX Entry
Definition
To make an official proclamation or public announcement, particularly a royal or governmental edict that is to be made known to the populace.
Semantic Range
to make a proclamation, to announce a royal or official decree, to declare publicly and formally, to issue an edict
Root / Etymology
Borrowed from Greek κηρύσσω (kēryssō), meaning 'to proclaim, announce publicly.' This Aramaic verb is not native to the Hebrew root system and reflects a loanword adapted into Imperial Aramaic during the Persian and Hellenistic periods.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The verb כְּרַז occurs only in the Aramaic sections of the Hebrew Bible (notably Daniel 3:4; 5:29; 6:26), in contexts of governmental or royal proclamations issued by Persian or Babylonian authorities. Its usage is distinct from native Semitic terms for 'calling' or 'announcing,' highlighting a context of formal, public, and typically imperial declarations. The close parallel to the Greek term suggests cultural and administrative influence during periods of Greek and Persian dominance, reflecting linguistic borrowing in the Aramaic used for official court documents and decrees. The later use of related terms in post-biblical literature continues with the sense of formal proclamation, but always connected to an official or authoritative source rather than general announcement. Standard English translations (e.g., 'proclaim,' 'make a proclamation') capture the sense well but may obscure the foreign origin and specifically formal, governmental nuance of the original term.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
(Aramaic) probably of Greek origin; to proclaim; make a proclamation.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
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כרז (k-r-z) — proclaiming, public announcement, issuing an edict
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H3744 | כָּרוֹז | and the herald |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3745-01 |
וְ/הַכְרִ֣זֽוּ | vehakherizu | AC/Vhp3mp |
and made proclamation | and they issued proclamation | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 total occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H3745-01 |
Daniel 5:29 | וְ/הַכְרִ֣זֽוּ | vehakherizu | AC/Vhp3mp |
and made proclamation | and they issued proclamation |