Original Word: עֱפִי
Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
Transliteration: `ophiy
Pronunciation: oh-fee
Phonetic Spelling: (of-ee')
KJV: leaves
Word Origin: [(Aramaic) corresponding to H6073 (עֳפֶא - Baking)]

1. a twig
2. bough, i.e. (collectively) foliage

leaves

(Aramaic) corresponding to ophe'; a twig; bough, i.e. (collectively) foliage -- leaves.

see HEBREW ophe'

[עֳפִי] noun masculine^{Dan 4:9} leafage, foliage; — suffix עָפְיֵהּ Daniel 4:9; Daniel 4:11; Daniel 4:18.

Occurrences and Narrative Setting

Strong’s Hebrew 6074, ʿĕp̱î (“foliage, leafy crown”), appears exclusively in the Aramaic section of Daniel, three times in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the great tree (Daniel 4:12; Daniel 4:14; Daniel 4:21). The dream dominates chapter 4, forming both a royal testimony and a didactic parable in which the Most High humbles an earthly king. The luxuriant foliage of the tree pictures the outward splendor and reach of the Babylonian empire before divine judgment intervenes.

Literary Function in Daniel 4

1. Prosperity and universal provision

Daniel 4:12: “Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all.” The beautiful foliage signals aesthetic majesty, while the phrase “food for all” underscores the benevolent, comprehensive scope of the empire’s influence.

2. Imminent stripping as judgment

Daniel 4:14 records the angelic decree to “strip off its leaves.” The same foliage that once advertised life and stability will be ruthlessly removed, dramatizing how swiftly God dethrones pride.

3. Testimony restored

In Daniel 4:21 the foliage is again “beautiful,” but now in Nebuchadnezzar’s retelling after his humiliation. The repetition bookends the narrative: initial glory, disciplinary stripping, and eventual restoration marked by lessons learned about heaven’s rule (Daniel 4:34–37).

Symbolic Themes

• Transient Glory

Leaves are seasonal. Their splendor can vanish overnight. The dream warns that empires, like foliage, flourish only under divine allowance (Psalm 37:35–36; Isaiah 40:6–8).

• Shelter and Responsibility

The tree’s leafy covering provides shade for beasts and nesting for birds—imagery reminiscent of the kingdom parables (Matthew 13:32). Rulers are entrusted with the welfare of the vulnerable; failure invites accountability (Proverbs 29:14).

• Divine Sovereignty Over Nature and Nations

Just as the Creator governs plant life, He also ordains the rise and fall of kings (Jeremiah 27:5). The stripping of foliage is a visual sermon on God’s prerogative to discipline and restore.

Historical Background

Babylon boasted famed gardens and agricultural abundance fed by the Euphrates. Such imagery would resonate powerfully with an audience steeped in Mesopotamian iconography where trees often symbolized cosmic order and royal vigor. Daniel appropriates that cultural symbol, reinterpreting it through a theocentric lens: the “watcher” (angel) and the decree come from heaven, not Babylonian deities.

Canonical Connections

• Psalm 1:3 and Jeremiah 17:8 describe the righteous as leafy trees by streams, anchoring prosperity in covenant faithfulness rather than geopolitical might.

• Ezekiel 17 and Ezekiel 31 employ arbor imagery to critique arrogant kingdoms. Daniel 4 stands in that prophetic tradition, stressing that robust foliage without humility invites God’s axe.

• Revelation 22:2 portrays leaves of the tree of life as healing for the nations, pointing to the eschatological hope that transcends all earthly empires.

Ministry and Discipleship Applications

1. Pride checked by Providence

Use the metaphor of stripped foliage to exhort believers toward humility: every achievement is derivative of God’s grace (1 Corinthians 4:7).

2. Leadership as shade

Pastors, parents, and civic leaders should emulate the tree’s original function—providing nourishment and refuge—while remembering they are stewards, not owners (1 Peter 5:2–3).

3. Assurance in divine restoration

Nebuchadnezzar’s renewed foliage after repentance encourages those under discipline. God wounds to heal (Hebrews 12:5–11).

4. Evangelistic bridge

The universal imagery of a tree offering “food for all” invites gospel proclamation that Christ is the true vine whose branches shelter every tribe and tongue (John 15:1–8; Revelation 7:9).

Theological Reflection

ʿĕp̱î underscores that outward beauty and societal success, though gifts from God, are insufficient safeguards against downfall when detached from reverence. Daniel 4 links the visible (foliage) to the invisible (human pride, divine sovereignty). The passage ultimately magnifies the Lord who “does according to His will in the host of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth” (Daniel 4:35).

וְעָפְיֵ֤הּ ועפיה עָפְיֵ֖הּ עָפְיֵ֤הּ עפיה ‘ā·p̄ə·yêh ‘āp̄əyêh afeYeh veafeYeh wə‘āp̄əyêh wə·‘ā·p̄ə·yêhInterlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel Texts