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שְׁתַר בּוֹזְנַי

𐤔𐤕𐤓 𐤁𐤅𐤆𐤍𐤉

Shetar Bozenay

H8370 noun

SILEX Entry

Root uncertain uncertain, as the word is a proper noun of foreign origin

Definition

Shethar-Bozenai: the proper name of a Persian official (governor or regional administrator) who appears in Ezra 5–6 as an important figure in the political administration governing the region 'Beyond the River' (the western part of the Persian Empire, including Yehud/Judah) during the reign of Darius I. The name designates an individual holding authority over the local affairs relating to the reestablishment of the Jerusalem temple. While the precise etymology is uncertain, the name is recognized as foreign (non-Hebrew), likely of Old Persian or related Iranian origin.

Semantic Range

proper name of a Persian provincial official; personal name; possible administrative title

Root / Etymology

Etymology uncertain. שְׁתַר (Shethar) and בּוֹזְנַי (Bozenai) are not native Hebrew words and are generally understood to be of Persian or related Iranian derivation. Multiple theories have been proposed based on similar Persian terms, but there is no consensus. The names possibly represent titles or names reflecting Persian administrative posts or functions, but the precise elements have not been conclusively identified in extant Persian material.

Historical & Contextual Notes

The figure Shethar-Bozenai appears prominently in the Book of Ezra (Ezra 5:3, 6; 6:6, 13), acting as a Persian official overseeing affairs in the province of 'Beyond the River.' His role involves contact with the central Persian authorities regarding the rebuilding of the Jerusalem temple after the return from exile. The name’s foreign origin is reflected by its distinct structure and phonology, which differ from native Hebrew names of the same period. Shethar-Bozenai is one of several individuals named in Ezra-Nehemiah whose names reflect the Persian imperial administration and the broader multicultural context of the Achaemenid Empire. English translations render the name phonetically, and its components do not have discernible meaning in Biblical Hebrew. There is no evidence that the figure was of Israelite or Judahite ethnicity; his identity is defined by his administrative role.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

of foreign derivation; Shethar-Bozenai, a Persian officer; Shetharboznai.

Bantu Hebrew

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

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Root Family

uncertain (uncertain) — uncertain; foreign proper name of Persian origin

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1085 בִּלְדַּד Bildad
H1095 בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּר Belteshatsar
H1114 בִּלְשָׁן Bilshan
H1150 בִּנְעָא Bin'a
H116 אֱדַיִן and then

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H8370-01 בּוֹזְנַ֖י bozenay ANp bozenai Bozenai 4
H8370-03 וּ/שְׁתַ֥ר ushetar AC/Np and Shethar and Shethar-Bozenai 2
H8370-02 שְׁתַ֤ר shetar ANp Shethar Shethar-Bozenai 2

Occurrences in Scripture

8 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H8370-03 Ezra 5:3 וּ/שְׁתַ֥ר ushetar AC/Np and Shethar and Shethar-Bozenai
H8370-01 Ezra 5:3 בּוֹזְנַ֖י bozenay ANp bozenai Bozenai
H8370-03 Ezra 5:6 וּ/שְׁתַ֤ר ushetar AC/Np and-Shethar and Shethar-Bozenai
H8370-01 Ezra 5:6 בּוֹזְנַי֙ bozenay ANp bozenai Bozenai
H8370-02 Ezra 6:6 שְׁתַ֤ר shetar ANp Shethar Shethar-Bozenai
H8370-01 Ezra 6:6 בּוֹזְנַי֙ bozenay ANp -bozenai Bozenai
H8370-02 Ezra 6:13 שְׁתַ֥ר shetar ANp Shethar Shethar-Bozenai
H8370-01 Ezra 6:13 בּוֹזְנַ֖י bozenay ANp bozenai Bozenai
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