רַבְרְבָן
𐤓𐤁𐤓𐤁𐤍
rabrᵉbân
H7261 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
An official or high-ranking noble; one who holds prominent authority in the court or provincial administration. The term is used to identify persons of elevated status, often in governmental contexts within Aramaic portions of the Hebrew Bible, and implies considerable social and political power.
Semantic Range
high-ranking official, magnate, noble, courtier, prince, lord
Root / Etymology
From the Aramaic root ר-ב-ר-ב (רַבְרַב), meaning 'great' or 'noble.' The word רַבְרְבָן is a derivative form indicating someone possessing or characterized by greatness or high rank.
Historical & Contextual Notes
רַבְרְבָן appears predominantly in the Aramaic sections of the Hebrew Bible, particularly in the books of Daniel and Ezra, where it designates officials or nobles among the administrative class during the Babylonian and Persian periods. Its meaning is contextually distinguished from terms like שָׂר (sar, 'chieftain', 'official') in Hebrew sections. English translations tend to render it as 'prince,' 'noble,' or 'lord,' but such renderings can obscure its technical status as a member of a governing elite under foreign imperial systems. It is not limited to any ethnic identity; rather, it denotes a rank or office, and would have included local leaders recognized by imperial authorities. The term does not reflect later religious or cultural connotations associated with European or medieval nobility. Its governmental and social nuance may vary slightly depending on context and period, but consistently signifies high administrative stature.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
(Aramaic) from רַבְרַב; a magnate; lord, prince.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
רבב (r-b-b) — to be great, to be numerous, to be mighty
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H1337 | בַּת רַבִּים | many |
| H2579 | חֲמַת רַבָּה | great |
| H4764 | מֵרָב | Abundant one |
| H7227 | רַב | many |
| H7228 | רַב | his archers |
Word Forms
6 distinct forms
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7261-05 |
וְ/רַבְרְבָנ֔וֹ/הִי | veraverevanohi | AC/Ncmpc/Sp3ms |
and-his-lords | and his great nobles | 4 |
H7261-06 |
ו/רברבני/ך | vrvrvnykh | AC/Ncmpc/Sp2ms |
your nobles | and your great nobles | 1 |
H7261-02 |
רַבְרְבָנ֔וֹ/הִי | raverevanohi | ANcmpc/Sp3ms |
of-his-lords | his great nobles | 1 |
H7261-01 |
לְ/רַבְרְבָנ֖וֹ/הִי | leraverevanohi | AR/Ncmpc/Sp3ms |
for his nobles | to his great nobles | 1 |
H7261-03 |
וְ/רַבְרְבָנָ֜/ךְ | veraverevanakhe | AC/Ncmsc/Sp2ms |
your nobles | your great noble | 1 |
H7261-04 |
וְ/רַבְרְבָנַ֖/י | veraverevanay | AC/Ncmsc/Sp1cs |
and-my-nobles | and my high official | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
9 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H7261-04 |
Daniel 4:33 | וְ/רַבְרְבָנַ֖/י | veraverevanay | AC/Ncmsc/Sp1cs |
and-my-nobles | and my high official |
H7261-01 |
Daniel 5:1 | לְ/רַבְרְבָנ֖וֹ/הִי | leraverevanohi | AR/Ncmpc/Sp3ms |
for his nobles | to his great nobles |
H7261-05 |
Daniel 5:2 | וְ/רַבְרְבָנ֔וֹ/הִי | veraverevanohi | AC/Ncmpc/Sp3ms |
and-his-lords | and his great nobles |
H7261-05 |
Daniel 5:3 | וְ/רַבְרְבָנ֔וֹ/הִי | veraverevanohi | AC/Ncmpc/Sp3ms |
and his lords | and his great nobles |
H7261-05 |
Daniel 5:9 | וְ/רַבְרְבָנ֖וֹ/הִי | veraverevanohi | AC/Ncmpc/Sp3ms |
and-his-lords | and his great nobles |
H7261-05 |
Daniel 5:10 | וְ/רַבְרְבָנ֔וֹ/הִי | veraverevanohi | AC/Ncmpc/Sp3ms |
and his lords | and his great nobles |
H7261-06 |
Daniel 5:23 | ו/רברבני/ך | vrvrvnykh | AC/Ncmpc/Sp2ms |
your nobles | and your great nobles |
H7261-03 |
Daniel 5:23 | וְ/רַבְרְבָנָ֜/ךְ | veraverevanakhe | AC/Ncmsc/Sp2ms |
your nobles | your great noble |
H7261-02 |
Daniel 6:18 | רַבְרְבָנ֔וֹ/הִי | raverevanohi | ANcmpc/Sp3ms |
of-his-lords | his great nobles |