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אֱסָר

𐤀𐤎𐤓

ʼĕçâr

H633 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A formal prohibition, ban, or interdict; a binding legal or royal decree that places restrictions, often understood as an explicit command forbidding certain actions, especially in official or authoritative contexts. The term refers to a formal prohibition put in place by a ruler or authority, generally with the force of law, and carries an implication of binding obligation.

Semantic Range

ban, prohibition, interdict, binding decree, legal prohibition, royal edict forbidding an action

Root / Etymology

From the root אסר, which in Hebrew means 'to bind, tie, restrain.' The Aramaic noun אֱסָר derives from this root with a nominalizing pattern, indicating something that binds or restrains, here in the sense of an official prohibition or binding decree.

Historical & Contextual Notes

אֱסָר occurs only in the Aramaic portions of the Hebrew Bible, specifically in the book of Daniel, where it denotes formal decrees issued by royal authority—such as bans or interdicts that legally prevent certain actions (Daniel 6:8, 9, 10, 13, 16). Its legalistic nuance sets it apart from more general terms for 'command' (e.g., פקודה, טעם) by emphasizing the prohibitory and binding nature of the command. In later Aramaic (including Jewish literary Aramaic), the word continues to carry the sense of a ban or prohibition, often with juridical or religious force. Traditional English translations such as 'decree' or 'interdict' only partially capture the weight of the term, which connotes not just a command but a binding restriction enforced by law or authority. Unlike broader terms for decree or command, אֱסָר is always associated with a prohibition or restriction, not a positive enactment. In post-biblical use, related forms in Aramaic and Hebrew (such as אסור in rabbinic literature) continue the sense of a prohibitory ruling, reinforcing this semantic lineage.

Translation Consistency

primary "ban" 6 occurrences

'Ban' is the most natural, widely understood English word that captures a formal, binding prohibition. It succinctly covers the typical semantic range (legal or royal prohibition/interdict) better than the adjectival 'binding' and is more common and accessible than 'interdict' or the more formal 'decree' or 'prohibition.' Using 'ban' ensures clear, consistent rendering across all forms.

Alternatives (1 occurrence):
"binding decree" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

(Aramaic) corresponding to אֱסָר in a legal sense; an interdict; decree.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been recorded for this word yet.

Root Family

אסר (mâçôreth) — to bind, tie, secure

Root אסר to bind, restrain, prohibit, tie
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H4562 מָסֹרֶת in a binding-cord of
H612 אֵסוּר bound ones
H615 אָסִיר turned-aside one
H632 אֱסָר her binding vows

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H633-01 אֱסָ֑ר esar ANcmsa decree binding decree ban 4
H633-02 אֱסָרָ֖/א esara ANcmsd/Td the injunction the binding decree the ban 2
H633-03 וֶ/אֱסָרָֽ/א veesara AC/Ncmsd/Td and prohibition and the binding decree and the binding decree 1

Occurrences in Scripture

7 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H633-01 Daniel 6:8 אֱסָ֑ר esar ANcmsa interdict binding decree ban
H633-02 Daniel 6:9 אֱסָרָ֖/א esara ANcmsd/Td the injunction the binding decree the ban
H633-03 Daniel 6:10 וֶ/אֱסָרָֽ/א veesara AC/Ncmsd/Td and prohibition and the binding decree and the binding decree
H633-01 Daniel 6:13 אֱסָ֣ר esar ANcmsc interdict binding decree ban
H633-01 Daniel 6:13 אֱסָ֣ר esar-2 ANcmsa decree binding decree ban
H633-02 Daniel 6:14 אֱסָרָ֖/א esara ANcmsd/Td the-interdict the binding decree the ban
H633-01 Daniel 6:16 אֱסָ֥ר esar ANcmsc decree binding decree ban
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