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אֲחַשְׁדַּרְפַּן

𐤀𐤇𐤔𐤃𐤓𐤐𐤍

ʼăchashdarpan

H323 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A Persian administrative official of high rank, often rendered as 'satrap' or 'provincial governor.' Refers specifically to one of the chief administrative officers governing a major province (satrapy) within the Achaemenid Persian Empire. In biblical texts, the term designates officials appointed by the imperial Persian authority, typically serving as military and civil governors over regions such as 'Media and Persia.' The nuance may vary between emphasizing executive administrative responsibility and territorial authority depending on context.

Semantic Range

satrap, chief governor, provincial governor in the Persian Empire, high-ranking Persian official

Root / Etymology

Hebrew אֲחַשְׁדַּרְפַּן is a loanword from Old Persian *xšaçapāvān, meaning 'protector of the realm' (from xšaça, 'realm, kingdom' + pāvan, 'protector'). The term was adopted into Aramaic and Hebrew during the Achaemenid period to reflect the Persian administrative system. The root is non-Semitic and reflects direct borrowing rather than derivation from a Hebrew root.

Historical & Contextual Notes

The word appears only in late biblical books set during or after the exile, notably in Daniel (3:2-3, 27; 6:2-8) and Esther (3:12; 8:9; 9:3), always describing Persian imperial officials. Its usage is tied to the actual historical structure of the Achaemenid Empire, which subdivided conquered territories into satrapies overseen by appointed satraps—an innovation distinct from earlier Israelite and Judahite models of tribal or monarchic governance. The Septuagint and later translations often use the Greek word 'satrapēs' or paraphrase with 'governor,' while some medieval rabbinic commentaries attempt to relate it to local structures. The term never refers to an Israelite or Judahite official and does not appear outside narratives depicting Persian rule. In English translations, 'satrap,' 'provincial governor,' or sometimes 'lieutenant' are used, but 'satrap' is the most historically precise. The word's presence reflects the integration of Persian administrative vocabulary into biblical literature of the Persian or early Hellenistic period.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

of Persian derivation; a satrap or governorof amain province (of Persia); lieutenant.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

אחשדרפן (ʾ-ḥ-š-d-r-p-n) — to govern, to protect, to administer

Root uncertain to govern, to protect, to administer (by loan meaning, from Persian context)
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H324 אֲחַשְׁדַּרְפַּן the provincial governors

Word Forms

4 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H323-01 אֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנֵֽי achashedarepeney HNcmpc satraps of provincial governors of satraps of 1
H323-02 הָ/אֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנִֽים haachashedarepenim HTd/Ncmpa the satraps the realm-protecting governors the satraps 1
H323-03 לַ/אֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנֵי֙ laachashedarepeney HR/Ncmpc to the satraps to the provincial governors of to the provincial governors of 1
H323-04 וְ/הָ/אֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנִ֣ים vehaachashedarepenim HC/Td/Ncmpa and the satraps and the realm-protecting governors and the satraps 1

Occurrences in Scripture

4 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H323-01 Esther 3:12 אֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנֵֽי achashedarepeney HNcmpc satraps of provincial governors of satraps of
H323-02 Esther 8:9 הָ/אֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנִֽים haachashedarepenim HTd/Ncmpa the satraps the realm-protecting governors the satraps
H323-04 Esther 9:3 וְ/הָ/אֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנִ֣ים vehaachashedarepenim HC/Td/Ncmpa and the satraps and the realm-protecting governors and the satraps
H323-03 Ezra 8:36 לַ/אֲחַשְׁדַּרְפְּנֵי֙ laachashedarepeney HR/Ncmpc to the satraps to the provincial governors of to the provincial governors of
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