אֲדַרְגָּזֵר
𐤀𐤃𐤓𐤂𐤆𐤓
ʼădargâzêr
H148 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A senior official in the Babylonian or Persian court, often involved in advisory, administrative, or judicial roles; in Aramaic contexts, typically denotes a high-ranking counselor, sometimes translated as 'chief magistrate,' 'royal counselor,' or 'minister.' The term points to someone entrusted with royal authority or governance, often in matters of law, administration, or counsel.
Semantic Range
senior court official, royal counselor, high magistrate, chief minister, government administrator
Root / Etymology
From Aramaic roots: the first element likely from אִדַּר ('mighty, noble') and the second, גְּזַר ('to decree, decide, cut'). The compound thus refers to a powerful or eminent official whose role involves decision-making, decrees, or authoritative governance.
Historical & Contextual Notes
In the Aramaic sections of Daniel (especially Daniel 3–6), אֲדַרְגָּזֵר is part of a list of high officers at the Babylonian or Persian court. The term is specific to later biblical Aramaic and does not occur in earlier Hebrew texts. Its precise function may have varied by king and period but always denotes a position of considerable authority. English translations are inconsistent: sometimes rendered 'judge,' 'magistrate,' or 'counselor,' but these do not fully capture the breadth of the position; the KJV's 'judge' is anachronistic and not reflective of Mesopotamian or Persian administrative structures. Later Jewish tradition sometimes linked these officials with magicians or astrologers, but the original role is broader. The word has possible etymological connections to Old Persian or Akkadian administrative titles, reflecting the cosmopolitan bureaucracy of the empires ruling Israelite/Judahite exiles.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
(Aramaic) from the same as אִדַּר, and גְּזַר; a chief diviner, or astrologer; judge.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
אדר, גזר (ʾ-d-r; g-z-r) — might, nobility; decree, decide, cut
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H148-01 |
אֲדַרְגָּזְרַיָּ/א֩ | adaregazeraya | ANcmpd/Td |
counselors | the mighty decree-officials | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H148-01 |
Daniel 3:2 | אֲדַרְגָּזְרַיָּ/א֩ | adaregazeraya | ANcmpd/Td |
the counselors | the mighty decree-officials |
H148-01 |
Daniel 3:3 | אֲדַרְגָּזְרַיָּ֣/א | adaregazeraya | ANcmpd/Td |
counselors | the mighty decree-officials |