Definition of H1881: דָּת (Dat)
A royal edict or statute with the binding authority of imperial law. This Persian loanword entered Hebrew during the exile period, carrying the weight of unchangeable royal decrees that governed entire empires. Unlike other Hebrew words for law, dat specifically denotes administrative regulations issued by earthly rulers.
What This Word Actually Means
When you encounter dat in Scripture, you’re stepping into the world of ancient imperial administration. This word specifically refers to “a royal edict or statute” – not just any law, but the kind that comes with the full weight of monarchical authority behind it.
The word carries a sense of formality and unchangeability that’s crucial to understanding its biblical usage. It appears 22 times in Scripture, and in most cases, we’re dealing with laws that cannot be altered once they’re issued – particularly in the Persian administrative system.
Think of it this way: while Hebrew has other words for law (like torah or mishpat), dat is specifically about governmental decree-making. It’s the difference between divine instruction and royal administration.
Etymology Alert
Everyone agrees that the word dat comes from a Persian word – data, showing how Hebrew vocabulary expanded during the exile period to handle new governmental realities.
The Word Behind the Word
Here’s where things get fascinating: dat is actually a foreign import. Scholars note it’s “of uncertain (perhaps foreign) derivation”, but the evidence points clearly to Persian origins.
The word connects to Persian “داد” (dad) meaning “right, justice,” from “دادن” (dadan) meaning “to give, to set, to command”. This reveals how the Hebrew Bible absorbed vocabulary from the administrative languages of the empires that governed God’s people.
The Persian connection isn’t just linguistic curiosity – it’s historically significant. When the Israelites encountered Persian administrative efficiency during their exile and return, they needed vocabulary to describe these new governmental realities.
Cultural Context
In modern Hebrew, “dati” means religious, and the Ashkenazic pronunciation gives us “dosim,” which has a derogatory tone in secular Israeli culture – showing how this ancient word for royal law evolved into contemporary religious identity language.
How Scripture Uses It
The distribution of dat is telling. It occurs 22 times in 21 verses, with the heaviest concentration in Esther and Daniel – books dealing directly with Persian imperial administration.
It’s translated as “law” 9 times, “decree” 9 times, “commandment” 2 times, “manner” 1 time, and “commission” 1 time. This translation variety shows how English struggles to capture the specific governmental flavor of the Hebrew term.
In Esther 1:19, we see the classic usage: the king issues a dat that “cannot be revoked” – the unchangeable nature of royal Persian decrees. This legal principle becomes crucial to the story’s drama.
Daniel 6:8 provides another perfect example, where the officials ask the king to “establish the edict” – literally, the dat – knowing that once signed, it cannot be changed.
Translation Challenge
It would be more appropriate to translate dat as “decree” rather than the more generic “law,” since it specifically denotes royal administrative edicts rather than general legal principles.
Cultural Context Changes Everything
Understanding dat requires grasping ancient Near Eastern governmental systems. In the Persian Empire, royal decrees carried absolute authority and were famously unchangeable – even by the king who issued them.
This governmental reality shapes several biblical narratives. The unchangeable nature of Persian dat creates the dramatic tension in both Daniel’s lion’s den story and Esther’s rescue of the Jewish people. The king cannot simply revoke his edict; he must issue a counter-edict.
The word’s first biblical appearance in Deuteronomy 33:2 is particularly intriguing, where it appears in Moses’ final blessing. Some scholars suggest this might be a later editorial insertion, while others see it as prophetic anticipation of Israel’s future encounters with imperial administration.
Where You’ll Find This Word
Primary passages where this word appears:
- Esther 1:8 – The royal banquet operates “according to the law” (dat)
- Esther 3:14 – Haman’s genocidal decree is proclaimed as dat
- Daniel 6:15 – The unchangeable nature of Persian dat traps the king
- Esther 4:16 – Esther prepares to violate royal protocol (dat)
- Deuteronomy 33:2 – Mysterious early appearance in Moses’ blessing
Notable translations across versions:
- ESV: Usually “law” or “decree” depending on context
- NIV: Prefers “law” but uses “edict” in clearly governmental contexts
- NASB: Most consistent with “decree” for governmental contexts
Other translation options: edict, statute, royal law, imperial decree, administrative regulation
Words in the Same Family
Related Aramaic form:
- H1882 – דָּת (dat) – The Aramaic equivalent used in Daniel and Ezra
Contrasting Hebrew legal terms:
- H8451 – תּוֹרָה (torah) – Divine instruction/teaching
- H4941 – מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat) – Justice/judgment
- H2706 – חֹק (choq) – Statute/prescribed ordinance
“When Scripture uses dat instead of torah, it’s highlighting human governmental authority rather than divine instruction – a crucial distinction for understanding the text’s political theology.”
Key Takeaway
Understanding dat helps us recognize when Scripture is dealing with earthly governmental authority versus divine law. This Persian loanword reminds us that God’s people lived under various imperial systems, each with its own administrative vocabulary. The unchangeable nature of these royal decrees often created the very situations where God’s sovereignty became most visible.
Dig Deeper
Internal Resources:
- Torah (H8451) – Divine instruction contrasted with royal decree
- Esther 1:19 Analysis – The unchangeable nature of Persian law
- Daniel 6:8 Study – Royal decrees and divine sovereignty
External Scholarly Resources:
- Blue Letter Bible entry – Comprehensive lexical data
- Bible Hub concordance – Usage examples and translations
- Balashon Hebrew Language Detective – Modern Hebrew evolution of the term
- StudyLight Hebrew Lexicon – Etymological analysis and cognates
All external links open in new windows for continued study
