אִגְּרָא
𐤀𐤂𐤓𐤀
ʼiggᵉrâʼ
H104 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A writ, letter, or official document, most often referring in Aramaic contexts to formal correspondence or missives. The word commonly appears in official or bureaucratic settings involving communication by writing, especially as transmitted among governmental authorities or between rulers and their subjects in the Persian period. While it can generically denote a 'letter,' its primary sense in the Hebrew Bible carries overtones of formality and official purpose.
Semantic Range
written letter, official dispatch, formal epistle, state document, missive
Root / Etymology
Derived from Persian (Old Persian *angara, ‘message’ or ‘dispatch’), itself influenced by the verb root אנגר (to send). The Aramaic word אִגְּרָא as attested in the Hebrew Bible is borrowed from Persian administrative vocabulary into Imperial Aramaic. The Hebrew spelling reflects its adaptation into the Aramaic sections of the Tanakh. While it shares usage with the Hebrew root כתב (to write), its origin and primary association are with the world of Persian-era written communication.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term אִגְּרָא is found in the Aramaic portions of the Hebrew Bible, specifically in the post-exilic books (Ezra, Nehemiah, Daniel), where it refers to letters or written decrees within Persian imperial administration. It differs from Hebrew סֵפֶר (sefer, 'scroll, document, or book'), which can refer to a broader range of written materials, including books or literary works, whereas אִגְּרָא is typically a formal letter or dispatch, often bearing the authority of an official. In translation, English 'letter' or 'epistle' is sometimes too general, failing to reflect the official-bureaucratic nuance of the original. In its biblical usage, the term appears exclusively in Aramaic contexts; it is not found in pre-exilic Hebrew. Its use reflects the linguistic influence of Persian rule and the adoption of imperial administrative terminology in late biblical texts. Later Jewish literature sometimes adopted related terms for letters or epistles, but the distinctively Persian-Aramaic origin of אִגְּרָא sets it apart in the biblical context. Not to be confused with Greek ἐπιστολή (epistolē, 'epistle') in later literature.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
(Aramaic) of Persian origin; an epistle (as carried by a state courier or postman); letter.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אגר (ʾ-g-r) — gather, collect, assemble; dispatch, send in writing
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H103 | אָגַר | she gathered |
| H107 | אִגֶּרֶת | in official letters |
| H94 | אָגוּר | Agur |
| H95 | אֲגוֹרָה | for a small silver-coin of |
Word Forms
2 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H104-01 |
אִגַּרְתָּ֔/א | igareta | ANcfsd/Td |
of-the-letter | the official dispatch | 2 |
H104-02 |
אִגְּרָ֥ה | igerah | ANcfsa |
a letter | official dispatch | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H104-02 |
Ezra 4:8 | אִגְּרָ֥ה | igerah | ANcfsa |
a letter | official dispatch |
H104-01 |
Ezra 4:11 | אִגַּרְתָּ֔/א | igareta | ANcfsd/Td |
of-the-letter | the official dispatch |
H104-01 |
Ezra 5:6 | אִ֠גַּרְתָּ/א | igareta | ANcfsd/Td |
of-the-letter | the official dispatch |