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פֶּחָה

𐤐𐤇𐤄

pechâh

H6347 noun

SILEX Entry

Root uncertain to govern, to administer (loanword; not a native Hebrew root)

Definition

A provincial governor or administrative official, often appointed by an imperial authority to oversee a district, province, or region; can refer to both local rulers and foreign-appointed officials. The term is used to designate the political leader or overseer of a defined territory, usually under larger imperial rule (e.g., Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian empires).

Semantic Range

provincial governor, administrative official, imperially appointed overseer, ruler of a district, regional captain, Persian-period political leader

Root / Etymology

The term פֶּחָה is borrowed from Akkadian pīḫātu (administrative district or its governor), reflecting West Semitic adaptation of a Mesopotamian term for a provincial governor. The root is not native to Hebrew, and does not systematically derive from a triliteral Semitic root in Hebrew. Loanword etymology from Akkadian.

Historical & Contextual Notes

פֶּחָה (pechâh) appears exclusively in texts reflecting the late monarchic, exilic, and especially post-exilic/Persian periods, when imperial administration was in place. The title is applied to both Israelites/Judahites (e.g., Nehemiah as governor of Yehud) and non-Israelite officials governing districts in the land of Israel and its surroundings. The term often implies subordination to a greater imperial authority, distinguishing פֶּחָה from native tribal elders, kings (מֶלֶךְ, melekh), or judges (שֹׁפֵט, shofet). Septuagint translations often render פֶּחָה as Greek σατράπης (satrapēs) or ἡγεμών (hēgemōn), indicating a sense of viceroyalty or provincial government, but do not always capture nuanced differences. English versions frequently translate פֶּחָה as 'governor,' but this can obscure local administrative nuance and variation depending on period and imperial context. The role varied — some פֶּחָה had military authority, others primarily administrative. In the Persian period, the פֶּחָה of Yehud (Judah) was the highest official locally, but was subordinate to the larger imperially-appointed satrap. Distinct from other titles for leadership (such as nasi, sar, shalit). In Aramaic portions of Daniel and Ezra, the form פַּחֲוָה (pachăwāʾ) is used similarly, reflecting the same term through dialectal variation.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

(Aramaic) corresponding to פֶּחָה; {a prefect (of a city or small district)}; captain, governor.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

פחה (p-ḥ-h) — to govern, to administer (loanword)

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H6347-02 פַּחַ֧ת pachat ANcmsc governor provincial governor of 5
H6347-03 וּֽ/פַחֲוָתָ֡/א ufachavata AC/Ncmpd/Td and the governors and the provincial governors 4
H6347-01 פֶחָ֖ה fechah ANcmsa governor provincial governor 1

Occurrences in Scripture

10 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H6347-03 Daniel 3:2 וּֽ/פַחֲוָתָ֡/א ufachavata AC/Ncmpd/Td and the governors and the provincial governors
H6347-03 Daniel 3:3 וּֽ/פַחֲוָתָ֡/א ufachavata AC/Ncmpd/Td and the governors and the provincial governors
H6347-03 Daniel 3:27 וּ/פַחֲוָתָ/א֮ ufachavata AC/Ncmpd/Td and the governors and the provincial governors
H6347-03 Daniel 6:8 וּ/פַחֲוָתָ֔/א ufachavata AC/Ncmpd/Td and treasurers and the provincial governors
H6347-02 Ezra 5:3 פַּחַ֧ת pachat ANcmsc governor provincial governor of
H6347-02 Ezra 5:6 פַּחַ֣ת pachat ANcmsc governor provincial governor of
H6347-01 Ezra 5:14 פֶחָ֖ה fechah ANcmsa governor provincial governor
H6347-02 Ezra 6:6 פַּחַ֨ת pachat ANcmsc governor provincial governor of
H6347-02 Ezra 6:7 פַּחַ֤ת pachat ANcmsc governor of provincial governor of
H6347-02 Ezra 6:13 פַּחַ֧ת pachat ANcmsc governor provincial governor of
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