(Aramaic) corresponding to גִּזְבָּר; {treasurer}; treasurer.
Transliteration:gizbâr
Pronunciation:ghiz-bawr'
Detailed Word Study
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### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Aramaic term גִּזְבָּר (transliterated *gizbâr*, Strong's `{{H1490}}`) denotes a "treasurer" or "steward of finances." This noun describes an official responsible for the management and oversight of financial resources, typically within a royal or imperial administration. The root concept points towards the custody and disbursement of "treasure" or "stored wealth." As an Aramaic word, its presence in the biblical text is confined to the Aramaic portions of Daniel and Ezra, reflecting the administrative language of the Neo-Babylonian and Persian empires. The role of a *gizbâr* was one of significant trust and authority, involving the handling of state revenues, expenditures, and valuable assets.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The term *gizbâr* appears four times in the biblical text, exclusively in the books of Daniel and Ezra, always in the context of high-ranking imperial officials:
* **Daniel 3:2:** King Nebuchadnezzar sends out to assemble "the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers ([[H1490]]), the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces" for the dedication of the golden image. Here, the *gizbâr* is listed among a comprehensive array of governmental functionaries, underscoring their integral role in the Babylonian administrative hierarchy. Their mandatory presence at such a significant state event highlights their importance and proximity to the king's authority.
* **Daniel 3:3:** The same list of officials, including the treasurers ([[H1490]]), is reiterated, emphasizing their collective attendance at the dedication ceremony. This repetition reinforces the idea that these individuals were key figures in the empire's power structure.
* **Daniel 3:27:** After Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego emerge unharmed from the fiery furnace, the same group of officials—including the "treasurers ([[H1490]])"—gather to inspect them. Their witness to this divine miracle is significant, as they represent the highest levels of the pagan state.
* **Ezra 7:21:** King Artaxerxes issues a decree to "all the treasurers ([[H1490]]) in the province Beyond the River," instructing them to provide whatever Ezra requests for the house of God. This passage reveals the practical function of the *gizbâr* within the Persian imperial system. They were responsible for managing the royal treasury in their respective provinces and were obligated to disburse funds or resources according to the king's command, even for religious purposes related to the Judean exiles.
In all occurrences, the *gizbâr* is depicted as a vital member of the imperial bureaucracy, entrusted with significant financial responsibilities and operating under direct royal authority.
### Related Words & Concepts
The term *gizbâr* belongs to a semantic field encompassing administration, finance, and stewardship within ancient Near Eastern governmental structures.
* **`{{H1491}}` (גִּזְבָּרוּת *gizbârûth*):** This related Aramaic noun, occurring once in Ezra 7:20, refers to the "treasury" or "treasurership" itself, denoting the office or the place where the treasurer's duties are performed, directly derived from *gizbâr*.
* **`{{H1596}}` (גְּנַזְכָּא *gĕnazkâ*):** Another Aramaic term, found in Ezra 7:20, meaning "treasury" or "storehouse," which is the physical location managed by a *gizbâr*.
* **`{{H214}}` (אוֹצָר *'ôtsâr*):** A more common Hebrew term for "treasury," "storehouse," or "treasure," often used in the context of royal or temple treasuries (e.g., [[1 Kings 7:51]], [[Jeremiah 17:3]]). While distinct in language, it describes a similar concept of managed wealth.
* **`{{H6485}}` (פְּקִיד *pĕqîd*):** A Hebrew term meaning "overseer" or "officer," a more general administrative title that could encompass the duties of a treasurer, though not specifically financial.
* **`{{H7706}}` (שָׁלִיט *shālît*):** A Hebrew and Aramaic term for "ruler" or "one having authority," indicating the power inherent in positions like that of a *gizbâr*.
Conceptually, the role of the *gizbâr* highlights the importance of financial administration in ancient states and indirectly touches upon themes of stewardship, accountability, and the management of resources, whether human or material.
### Theological Significance
While *gizbâr* is primarily a secular administrative title, its appearance in the biblical narrative carries subtle theological implications:
* **Divine Sovereignty in Gentile Empires:** The presence of *gizbârîm* (plural of *gizbâr*) in the court of Nebuchadnezzar and Artaxerxes underscores God's sovereign control over all earthly powers, even those hostile to His people. These officials, though serving pagan kings, are unwittingly part of God's larger plan. In Daniel, they witness God's miraculous intervention, serving as unwilling testaments to His power. In Ezra, they are instruments through whom God provides for the rebuilding of His temple in Jerusalem, demonstrating His providence even through secular channels ([[Ezra 7:21-23]]).
* **Stewardship and Resources:** The role of a treasurer, managing vast sums and resources, implicitly relates to the broader biblical theme of stewardship. While these are not God's people managing His resources, the concept of responsible oversight of wealth is pervasive throughout Scripture. Believers are called to be faithful stewards of the resources, talents, and opportunities God entrusts to them, recognizing that all belongs to Him ([[Psalm 24:1]]).
* **Contrast with Earthly vs. Heavenly Treasures:** The focus on earthly treasurers and their material wealth in these narratives can serve as a subtle contrast to the New Testament emphasis on storing up "treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal" ([[Matthew 6:20]]). The transient nature of earthly power and wealth, even that managed by powerful *gizbârîm*, is set against the eternal value of spiritual riches.
### Summary
The Aramaic term *gizbâr* (`{{H1490}}`) designates a "treasurer," a high-ranking official responsible for financial administration within the Neo-Babylonian and Persian empires. Occurring four times in the biblical books of Daniel and Ezra, the *gizbâr* is consistently depicted as an integral part of the imperial bureaucracy, entrusted with significant financial oversight. In Daniel, these officials witness God's miraculous deliverance of His servants from the fiery furnace ([[Daniel 3:2-27]]). In Ezra, they are commanded by King Artaxerxes to provide resources for the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem ([[Ezra 7:21]]). The word highlights the administrative structures of the ancient world and, by extension, illuminates God's sovereign use of all human institutions, even pagan ones, to accomplish His divine purposes, while also implicitly touching on themes of stewardship and the nature of earthly versus heavenly treasures.
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