סָגָן (H5461) — Hebrew Lexicon

סָגָן

𐤎𐤂𐤍

çâgân

H5461 noun

SILEX Entry

Root uncertain to govern, to administrate (loanword; root uncertain)

Definition

A high-ranking official or dignitary, particularly an administrative or civil governor of a province or region within an imperial structure. The term designates someone entrusted with oversight, authority, or delegated rule, especially in the context of imperial government.

Semantic Range

provincial governor, civil administrator, high official, prefect, dignitary (esp. under imperial rule); term of administrative rank; one of a governing council

Root / Etymology

Root/Etymology: The root is uncertain; Strong's suggests derivation from an unused root meaning 'to superintend,' but there is no direct evidence for a Hebrew root סגן with this meaning. The word appears to be a loanword, possibly from Akkadian or Old Persian ('šaknu,' an administrator, governor, or agent), reflecting administrative terminology of the Neo-Babylonian, Persian, and later periods.

Historical & Contextual Notes

Historical & Contextual Notes: The term סָגָן is absent from earlier Israelite sources and is attested primarily in exilic and post-exilic biblical texts, particularly in Ezra, Nehemiah, Daniel, and Esther, books concerned with life under foreign (Babylonian and Persian) administration. The סָגָן is not equivalent to earlier Israelite tribal or family leaders but corresponds more closely to appointed regional officials within an imperial governance hierarchy. English translations such as 'prince' or 'ruler' can be misleading, as they may imply independent authority or hereditary rank. The term is better understood as a civil or administrative governor, often one of several within a satrapy or province, responsible for implementing imperial policy, maintaining order, and sometimes managing taxation or public works. In later periods, the term's meaning and administrative status continued to shift as Judean society interacted with successive empires. Related terms include פֶּחָה (pechah, 'governor' more generally) and אֵפַרְכְיָה (medinah, 'province').

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from an unused root meaning to superintend; a prefect of a province; prince, ruler.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

סגן (s-g-n) — governance, administration (loanword; root uncertain)

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H5460	סְגַן	the deputy-governors

Word Forms

7 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H5461-01`	הַ/סְּגָנִים֙	haseganim	`HTd/Ncmpa`	the officials	the provincial governors	6
`H5461-05`	וּ/סְגָנִֽים	useganim	`HC/Ncmpa`	and commanders	and provincial governors	4
`H5461-06`	וְ/הַ/סְּגָנִ֗ים	vehaseganim	`HC/Td/Ncmpa`	and-the-officials	and the provincial governors	3
`H5461-07`	וְ/לַ/סְּגָנִ֗ים	velaseganim	`HC/Rd/Ncmpa`	and-to-the-officials	and to the provincial governors	1
`H5461-03`	סְגָנִים֙	seganim	`HNcmpa`	rulers	provincial governors	1
`H5461-04`	וּ/סְגָנֶ֨י/הָ֙	useganeyha	`HC/Ncmpc/Sp3fs`	and-deputies-of-her	and her provincial governors	1
`H5461-02`	סְגָנֶ֑י/הָ	seganeyha	`HNcmpc/Sp3fs`	deputies of her	her provincial governors	1

Occurrences in Scripture

17 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H5461-03`	Isaiah 41:25	סְגָנִים֙	seganim	`HNcmpa`	rulers	provincial governors
`H5461-05`	Jeremiah 51:23	וּ/סְגָנִֽים	useganim	`HC/Ncmpa`	and-officials	and provincial governors
`H5461-02`	Jeremiah 51:28	סְגָנֶ֑י/הָ	seganeyha	`HNcmpc/Sp3fs`	deputies of her	her provincial governors
`H5461-04`	Jeremiah 51:57	וּ/סְגָנֶ֨י/הָ֙	useganeyha	`HC/Ncmpc/Sp3fs`	and-deputies-of-her	and her provincial governors
`H5461-05`	Ezekiel 23:6	וּ/סְגָנִ֔ים	useganim	`HC/Ncmpa`	and rulers	and provincial governors
`H5461-05`	Ezekiel 23:12	וּ/סְגָנִ֤ים	useganim	`HC/Ncmpa`	and commanders	and provincial governors
`H5461-05`	Ezekiel 23:23	וּ/סְגָנִים֙	useganim	`HC/Ncmpa`	and-commanders	and provincial governors
`H5461-06`	Ezra 9:2	וְ/הַ/סְּגָנִ֗ים	vehaseganim	`HC/Td/Ncmpa`	and-the-rulers	and the provincial governors
`H5461-06`	Nehemiah 2:16	וְ/הַ/סְּגָנִ֗ים	vehaseganim	`HC/Td/Ncmpa`	and-the-officials	and the provincial governors
`H5461-07`	Nehemiah 2:16	וְ/לַ/סְּגָנִ֗ים	velaseganim	`HC/Rd/Ncmpa`	and-to-the-officials	and to the provincial governors
`H5461-01`	Nehemiah 4:8	הַ/סְּגָנִים֙	haseganim	`HTd/Ncmpa`	the-deputies	the provincial governors
`H5461-01`	Nehemiah 4:13	הַ/סְּגָנִים֙	haseganim	`HTd/Ncmpa`	the-rulers	the provincial governors
`H5461-01`	Nehemiah 5:7	הַ/סְּגָנִ֔ים	haseganim	`HTd/Ncmpa`	the officials	the provincial governors
`H5461-06`	Nehemiah 5:17	וְ/הַ/סְּגָנִ֜ים	vehaseganim	`HC/Td/Ncmpa`	and-the-officials	and the provincial governors
`H5461-01`	Nehemiah 7:5	הַ/סְּגָנִ֛ים	haseganim	`HTd/Ncmpa`	the rulers	the provincial governors
`H5461-01`	Nehemiah 12:40	הַ/סְּגָנִ֖ים	haseganim	`HTd/Ncmpa`	of the officials	the provincial governors
`H5461-01`	Nehemiah 13:11	הַ/סְּגָנִ֔ים	haseganim	`HTd/Ncmpa`	the officials	the provincial governors

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