Reference: Governor
Easton
(1.) Heb nagid, a prominent, conspicuous person, whatever his capacity: as, chief of the royal palace (2Ch 28:7; comp. 1Ki 4:6), chief of the temple (1Ch 9:11; Jer 20:1), the leader of the Aaronites (1Ch 12:27), keeper of the sacred treasury (1Ch 26:24), captain of the army ([1ch 13:1|), the king (1Sa 9:16), the Messiah (Da 9:25).
(2.) Heb nasi, raised; exalted. Used to denote the chiefs of families (Nu 3:24,30,32,35); also of tribes (Nu 2:3; 7:2; 3:32). These dignities appear to have been elective, not hereditary.
(3.) Heb pakid, an officer or magistrate. It is used of the delegate of the high priest (2Ch 24:11), the Levites (Ne 11:22), a military commander (2Ki 25:19), Joseph's officers in Egypt (Ge 41:34).
(4.) Heb shallit, one who has power, who rules (Ge 42:6; Ezr 4:20; Ec 8:8; Da 2:15; 5:29).
(5.) Heb aluph, literally one put over a thousand, i.e., a clan or a subdivision of a tribe. Used of the "dukes" of Edom (Ge 36), and of the Jewish chiefs (Zec 9:7).
(6.) Heb moshel, one who rules, holds dominion. Used of many classes of rulers (Ge 3:16; 24:2; 45:8; Ps 105:20); of the Messiah (Mic 5:2); of God (1Ch 29:12; Ps 103:19).
(7.) Heb sar, a ruler or chief; a word of very general use. It is used of the chief baker of Pharaoh (Ge 40:16); of the chief butler (Ge 40:2, etc. See also Ge 47:6; Ex 1:11; Da 1:7; Jg 10:18; 1Ki 22:26; 20:15; 2Ki 1:9; 2Sa 24:2). It is used also of angels, guardian angels (Da 10:13,20-21; 12:1; 10:13; 8:25).
(8.) Pehah, whence pasha, i.e., friend of the king; adjutant; governor of a province (2Ki 18:24; Isa 36:9; Jer 51:1; 52:34; 23/6/type/darby'>Eze 23:6,23; Da 3:2; Es 3:12), or a perfect (Ne 3:7; 5:14; Ezr 5:3; Hag 1:1). This is a foreign word, Assyrian, which was early adopted into the Hebrew idiom (1Ki 10:15).
(9.) The Chaldean word segan is applied to the governors of the Babylonian satrapies (Da 3:2,27; 6:7); the prefects over the Magi (Da 2:48). The corresponding Hebrew word segan is used of provincial rulers (Jer 51:23,28,57); also of chiefs and rulers of the people of Jerusalem (Ezr 9:2; Ne 2:16; 4:14,19; 5:7,17; 7:5; 12:40).
In the New Testament there are also different Greek words rendered thus.
(1.) Meaning an ethnarch (2Co 11:32), which was an office distinct from military command, with considerable latitude of application.
(2.) The procurator of Judea under the Romans (Mt 27:2). (Comp. Lu 2:2, where the verb from which the Greek word so rendered is derived is used.)
(3.) Steward (Ga 4:2).
(4.) Governor of the feast (Joh 2:9), who appears here to have been merely an intimate friend of the bridegroom, and to have presided at the marriage banquet in his stead.
(5.) A director, i.e., helmsman; Lat. gubernator, (Jas 3:4).
See Verses Found in Dictionary
To the woman he said, I will greatly increase thy travail and thy pregnancy; with pain thou shalt bear children; and to thy husband shall be thy desire, and he shall rule over thee.
And Abraham said to his servant, the eldest of his house, who ruled over all that he had, Put thy hand, I pray thee, under my thigh,
And Pharaoh was wroth with his two chamberlains with the chief of the cup-bearers and with the chief of the bakers;
And when the chief of the bakers saw that the interpretation was good, he said to Joseph, I also was in my dream, and behold, three baskets of white bread were on my head.
Let Pharaoh do this: let him appoint overseers over the land, and take the fifth part of the land of Egypt during the seven years of plenty,
And Joseph, he was the governor over the land he it was that sold the corn to all the people of the land. And Joseph's brethren came and bowed down to him, the face to the earth.
And now it was not you that sent me here, but God; and he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and governor over all the land of Egypt.
The land of Egypt is before thee; in the best of the land settle thy father and thy brethren: let them dwell in the land of Goshen. And if thou knowest men of activity among them, then set them as overseers of cattle over what I have.
And they set over them service-masters to oppress them with their burdens. And they built store-cities for Pharaoh, Pithom and Rameses.
And for those encamping eastward toward the sun-rising there shall be the standard of the camp of Judah according to their hosts; and the prince of the sons of Judah shall be Nahshon the son of Amminadab;
And the prince of the father's house of the Gershonites was Eliasaph the son of Lael.
And the prince of the father's house of the families of the Kohathites was Elizaphan the son of Uzziel.
And the prince of princes of the Levites was Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest: he had the oversight of them that kept the charge of the sanctuary.
And the prince of princes of the Levites was Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest: he had the oversight of them that kept the charge of the sanctuary.
And the prince of the father's house of the families of Merari was Zuriel the son of Abihail. They encamped on the side of the tabernacle northward.
that the princes of Israel, the heads of their fathers' houses, the princes of the tribes, they that were over them that had been numbered, offered;
And the people, the leaders of Gilead, said one to another, "Who is the man that will begin to fight against the Ammonites? He shall be head over all the inhabitants of Gilead."
To-morrow about this time I will send thee a man out of the land of Benjamin, and thou shalt anoint him prince over my people Israel; and he will save my people out of the hand of the Philistines; for I have looked upon my people, because their cry is come unto me.
and Ahishar was over the household; and Adoniram the son of Abda was over the levy-service.
besides what came by the dealers, and by the traffic of the merchants, and by all the kings of Arabia, and by the governors of the country.
How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master's servants? And thou reliest upon Egypt for chariots and for horsemen!
And out of the city he took a chamberlain that was set over the men of war, and five men of them that were in the king's presence, who were found in the city, and the scribe of the captain of the host, who enrolled the people of the land; and sixty men of the people of the land that were found in the city.
and Azariah the son of Hilkijah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the ruler of the house of God;
And Jehoiada the prince of Aaron, and with him were three thousand seven hundred;
And Shebuel the son of Gershom, the son of Moses, was overseer of the treasures.
and riches and glory are of thee, and thou rulest over everything; and in thy hand is power and might; and in thy hand it is to make all great and strong.
And it came to pass at the time the chest was brought for the king's control by the hand of the Levites, and when they saw that there was much money, the king's scribe and high priest's officer came, and they emptied the chest, and took it, and carried it to its place again. Thus they did day by day, and gathered money in abundance.
And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king's son, and Azrikam the governor of the house, and Elkanah the second to the king.
And there have been mighty kings over Jerusalem, who have ruled over all beyond the river; and tribute, tax, and toll were paid to them.
At that time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shethar-boznai, and their companions, and said thus to them: Who gave you orders to build this house and to complete this wall?
for they have taken of their daughters for themselves and for their sons, and have mingled the holy seed with the peoples of the lands; and the hand of the princes and rulers has been chief in this unfaithfulness.
And the rulers did not know whither I went or what I did, for I had not as yet told it to the Jews, nor to the priests, nor to the nobles, nor to the rulers, nor to the rest that did the work.
And next to them repaired Melatiah the Gibeonite, and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon and of Mizpah, to the seat of the governor on this side the river.
And I looked, and rose up, and said to the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, Be not afraid of them: remember the Lord who is great and terrible, and fight for your brethren, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your houses.
And I said to the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, The work is great and extended, and we are scattered upon the wall, one far from another:
And I consulted with myself; and I remonstrated with the nobles and the rulers, and said to them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother! And I set a great assembly against them.
Moreover from the time that I was appointed to be their governor in the land of Judah, from the twentieth year even to the thirty-second year of Artaxerxes the king, twelve years, I and my brethren have not eaten the bread of the governor.
And there were at my table a hundred and fifty of the Jews and the rulers, besides those that came to us from among the nations that were about us.
And my God put into my heart to gather together the nobles, and the rulers, and the people, for registration by genealogy. And I found a genealogical register of those that had come up at the first, and I found written in it:
And the overseer of the Levites at Jerusalem was Uzzi the son of Bani, the son of Hashabiah, the son of Mattaniah, the son of Mica, of the sons of Asaph, the singers, for the work of the house of God.
And both choirs stood in the house of God, and I, and the half of the rulers with me;
Then were the king's scribes called, in the first month, on the thirteenth day of the month, and there was written according to all that Haman commanded unto the king's satraps, and to the governors over every province, and to the princes of every people; to every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people according to their language: in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king's ring.
Jehovah hath established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom ruleth over all.
There is no man who hath control over the spirit to retain the spirit; and no one hath control over the day of death; and there is no discharge in that war, neither shall wickedness deliver those that are given to it.
How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master's servants? And thou reliest upon Egypt for chariots and for horsemen!
And Pashur the son of Immer, the priest and he was chief officer in the house of Jehovah heard Jeremiah prophesy these things.
Thus saith Jehovah: Behold, I will raise up against Babylon, and against them that dwell in the heart of those that rise against me, a destroying wind;
and with thee will I break in pieces the shepherd and his flock; and with thee will I break in pieces the husbandman and his yoke of oxen; and with thee will I break in pieces governors and rulers.
Prepare nations against her, the kings of the Medes, their governors and all their rulers, yea, all the land of their dominion.
And I will make drunk her princes, and her wise men, her governors, and her rulers, and her mighty men; and they shall sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake, saith the King, whose name is Jehovah of hosts.
and his allowance was a continual allowance given him by the king of Babylon, every day a portion until the day of his death, all the days of his life.
clothed with blue, governors and rulers, all of them attractive young men, horsemen riding upon horses.
The children of Babylon, and all the Chaldeans, Pekod and Shoa and Koa, all the children of Asshur with them; all of them attractive young men, governors and rulers, great lords and renowned, all of them riding upon horses.
And the prince of the eunuchs gave them names: to Daniel he gave the name Belteshazzar, and to Hananiah, Shadrach, and to Mishael, Meshach, and to Azariah, Abed-nego.
he answered and said to Arioch the king's captain, Why is the decree so rigorous from the king? Then Arioch made the thing known to Daniel.
Then the king made Daniel great, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.
And Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the justices, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
And Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the justices, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
And the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had had no power, nor was the hair of their head singed, neither were their hosen changed, nor had the smell of fire passed on them.
Then Belshazzar commanded, and they clothed Daniel with purple, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made proclamation concerning him that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom.
All the presidents of the kingdom, the prefects, and the satraps, the counsellors, and the governors have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any god or man for thirty days, except of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.
And through his cunning shall he cause craft to prosper in his hand; and he will magnify himself in his heart, and by prosperity will corrupt many; and he will stand up against the Prince of princes: but he shall be broken without hand.
Know therefore and understand: From the going forth of the word to restore and to build Jerusalem unto Messiah, the Prince, are seven weeks, and sixty-two weeks. The street and the moat shall be built again, even in troublous times.
But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.
But the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me one and twenty days; and behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me; and I remained there with the kings of Persia.
And he said, Knowest thou wherefore I am come unto thee? And now I return to fight with the prince of Persia; and when I go forth, behold, the prince of Greece shall come. However, I will declare unto thee that which is set down in the scripture of truth; and there is not one that sheweth himself strong with me against these, but Michael your prince.
And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince who standeth for the children of thy people; and there shall be a time of distress, such as never was since there was a nation until that time. And at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that is found written in the book.
(And thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, little to be among the thousands of Judah, out of thee shall he come forth unto me who is to be Ruler in Israel: whose goings forth are from of old, from the days of eternity.)
In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, came the word of Jehovah by the prophet Haggai unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying,
and I will take away his blood out of his mouth, and his abominations from between his teeth; but he that remaineth, he also shall belong to our God, and shall be as a leader in Judah, and Ekron as a Jebusite.
And having bound him they led him away, and delivered him up to Pontius Pilate, the governor.
But when the feast-master had tasted the water which had been made wine (and knew not whence it was, but the servants knew who drew the water), the feast-master calls the bridegroom,
In Damascus the ethnarch of Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes shut up, wishing to take me;
but he is under guardians and stewards until the period fixed by the father.
Behold also the ships, which are so great, and driven by violent winds, are turned about by a very small rudder, wherever the pleasure of the helmsman will.
Hastings
This word represents various Heb. and Gr. words, technical and non-technical. In Ge 42:6 (Joseph, cf. 41:40) it is probably the Ta-te, the second after the king in the court of the palace; cf. 1Ki 18:3; Da 2:48 for similar offices. It frequently represents an Assyrian word, pechah, used of Persian satraps in general (Es 3:12; 8:8), and of Assyrian generals (2Ki 18:24, cf. 1Ki 20:24). It is applied particularly to Tattenai, the governor of the large Persian province of which Jud
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And Joseph, he was the governor over the land he it was that sold the corn to all the people of the land. And Joseph's brethren came and bowed down to him, the face to the earth.
And Ahab called Obadiah, who was the steward of his house (now Obadiah feared Jehovah greatly;
And do this: take the kings away, every man out of his place, and put governors in their stead;
How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master's servants? And thou reliest upon Egypt for chariots and for horsemen!
At that time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shethar-boznai, and their companions, and said thus to them: Who gave you orders to build this house and to complete this wall?
And the vessels also of gold and silver of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was at Jerusalem and brought into the temple of Babylon, those did king Cyrus take out of the temple of Babylon, and they were delivered to one Sheshbazzar by name, whom he had appointed governor.
Therefore Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shethar-boznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, who are beyond the river, be ye far from thence:
And I said to the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may set me forward till I come into Judah;
Then were the king's scribes called, in the first month, on the thirteenth day of the month, and there was written according to all that Haman commanded unto the king's satraps, and to the governors over every province, and to the princes of every people; to every province according to the writing thereof, and to every people according to their language: in the name of king Ahasuerus was it written, and sealed with the king's ring.
Write ye then for the Jews as seems good to you, in the king's name, and seal it with the king's ring. For a writing that is written in the king's name, and sealed with the king's ring, cannot be reversed.
Then the king made Daniel great, and gave him many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief of the governors over all the wise men of Babylon.
In the second year of Darius the king, in the sixth month, on the first day of the month, came the word of Jehovah by the prophet Haggai unto Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, saying,
And Jehovah stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of all the remnant of the people; and they came and worked at the house of Jehovah of hosts, their God,
Now in the fifteenth year of the government of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod tetrarch of Galilee, and Philip his brother tetrarch of Ituraea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,
And he says to them, Draw out now, and carry it to the feast-master. And they carried it.
And the king stood up, and the governor and Bernice, and those who sat with them,
In Damascus the ethnarch of Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes shut up, wishing to take me;
but he is under guardians and stewards until the period fixed by the father.
Behold also the ships, which are so great, and driven by violent winds, are turned about by a very small rudder, wherever the pleasure of the helmsman will.
or to rulers as sent by him, for vengeance on evildoers, and praise to them that do well.
Morish
There are ten Hebrew words thus translated, signifying any ruler, captain, viceroy, etc., that was set over the people. The term is also so used in the N.T. except the following:
1. ???????? 'governor of a nation,' an ethnarch, as the ruler of Damascus was called. 2Co 11:32.
2. ???????, 'one who directs, guides,' used of the 'steersman of a ship.' Jas 3:4.
3. ??????, the procurator of Judaea. Mt 27:2; Lu 20:20, etc.
4. ?????????, 'manager of a house, steward.' Ga 4:2.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And having bound him they led him away, and delivered him up to Pontius Pilate, the governor.
And having watched him, they sent out suborned persons, pretending to be just men, that they might take hold of him in his language, so that they might deliver him up to the power and authority of the governor.
In Damascus the ethnarch of Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes shut up, wishing to take me;
but he is under guardians and stewards until the period fixed by the father.
Behold also the ships, which are so great, and driven by violent winds, are turned about by a very small rudder, wherever the pleasure of the helmsman will.
Smith
Governor.
In the Authorized Version this one English word is the representative of no less than ten Hebrew and four Greek words.
1. The chief of a tribe or family.
2. A ruler in his capacity of lawgiver and dispenser of justice.
3. A ruler consider especially as having power over the property and persons of his subjects.
The "governors of the people," in
appear to have been the king's body-guard; cf.
4. A prominent personage, whatever his capacity. It is applied to a king as the military and civil chief of his people,
to the general of an army,
and to the head of a tribe.
It denotes an officer of high rank in the palace, the lord high chamberlain.
It is applied in
to the petty chieftains who were tributary to Solomon,
to the military commander of the Syrians,
the Assyrians,
the Chaldeans,
and the Medes.
Under the Persian viceroys, during the Babylonian captivity, the land of the Hebrews appears to have been portioned out among "governors" (pachoth) inferior in rank to the satraps,
like the other provinces which were under the dominion of the Persian king.
It is impossible to determine the precise limits of their authority or the functions which they had to perform. It appears from
that these governors were intrusted with the collection of the king's taxes; and from
that they were supported by a contribution levied upon the people, which was technically termed "the bread of the governor" comp.
They were probably assisted in discharging their official duties by A council.
The "governor" beyond the river had a judgment-seat beyond Jerusalem, from which probably he administered justice when making a progress through his province.
At the time of Christ Judea was a Roman province, governed by a procurator (governor) appointed by Rome.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
And Abraham said to his servant, the eldest of his house, who ruled over all that he had, Put thy hand, I pray thee, under my thigh,
Sihon the king of the Amorites, who dwelt at Heshbon, and ruled from Aroer, which is upon the bank of the river Arnon, and from the middle of the ravine, and over half Gilead, as far as the river Jabbok, which is the border of the children of Ammon;
Even aforetime, when Saul was king over us, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel; and Jehovah said to thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be prince over Israel.
And David said to Michal, It was before Jehovah, who chose me rather than thy father, and than all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of Jehovah, over Israel; and I played before Jehovah.
besides what came by the dealers, and by the traffic of the merchants, and by all the kings of Arabia, and by the governors of the country.
And do this: take the kings away, every man out of his place, and put governors in their stead;
And he took the captains of the hundreds, and the bodyguard, and the couriers, and all the people of the land; and they brought down the king from the house of Jehovah, and came by the way through the gate of the couriers into the king's house. And he sat upon the throne of the kings.
How then wilt thou turn away the face of one captain of the least of my master's servants? And thou reliest upon Egypt for chariots and for horsemen!
And he brought all the priests out of the cities of Judah, and defiled the high places where the priests had burned incense, from Geba even to Beer-sheba; and he broke down the high places of the gates, those at the entrance of the gate of Joshua the governor of the city, and those on the left hand of any going in at the gate of the city.
besides what dealers and merchants brought, and what all the kings of Arabia and the governors of the country brought of gold and silver to Solomon.
And behold, Amariah the chief priest is over you in all matters of Jehovah, and Zebadiah the son of Ishmael, prince of the house of Judah, in all the king's matters; and ye have the Levites before you as officers. Be strong and do it, and Jehovah will be with the good.
And he took the captains of the hundreds, and the nobles, and the governors of the people, and all the people of the land, and brought down the king from the house of Jehovah; and they came through the upper gate into the king's house, and set the king upon the throne of the kingdom.
And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king's son, and Azrikam the governor of the house, and Elkanah the second to the king.
And Jehovah sent an angel, who cut off all the mighty men of valour, and the princes and the captains in the camp of the king of Assyria. And he returned with shame of face to his own land. And when he was come into the house of his god, they that came forth of his own bowels made him fall there with the sword.
And in the days of Artaxerxes, Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of his companions, wrote to Artaxerxes king of Persia; and the writing of the letter was written in Aramaic, and interpreted in Aramaic.
Now, since we eat the salt of the palace, and it is not right for us to see the king's injury, therefore have we sent and informed the king;
Therefore Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shethar-boznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, who are beyond the river, be ye far from thence:
Moreover, I give orders what ye shall do to these elders of the Jews, for the building of this house of God: that of the king's goods, of the tribute beyond the river, expenses be diligently given to these men, that they be not hindered.
And the priests and the Levites received by weight the silver and the gold and the vessels, to bring them to Jerusalem unto the house of our God.
And I said to the king, If it please the king, let letters be given me to the governors beyond the river, that they may set me forward till I come into Judah;
And I came to the governors beyond the river, and gave them the king's letters. Now the king had sent captains of a force and horsemen with me.
And next to them repaired Melatiah the Gibeonite, and Jadon the Meronothite, the men of Gibeon and of Mizpah, to the seat of the governor on this side the river.
For Jehovah is good; his loving-kindness endureth for ever; and his faithfulness from generation to generation.
and with thee will I break in pieces the shepherd and his flock; and with thee will I break in pieces the husbandman and his yoke of oxen; and with thee will I break in pieces governors and rulers.
Watsons
GOVERNOR. Judea having been reduced into a province by the Romans, they sent governors thither, who were subject not only to the emperors, but also to the governors of Syria, whereof Judea made a part.