Word Study for H1596 (גְּנַז)

gᵉnaz /ghen-az'/ Ask about this word

Root(Aramaic) corresponding to גֶּנֶז

Meaningtreasure

KJV usagetreasure.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of gᵉnaz — the range of meaning it carries, how Scripture actually uses it, and where it points. Written for readers who don’t know the original language.

Core Meaning & Semantic Range

The Aramaic word gᵉnaz, represented by H1596, is defined as treasure. It appears only 3 times across 3 unique verses, exclusively within the book of Ezra. Its usage specifically refers to a royal treasury or storehouse, a secure location for holding a king's valuable assets and official records.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H1596 is central to the administrative events surrounding the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. When questioned about their authority to rebuild, the Jewish elders ask that a search be made in the king's treasure house in Babylon to find the original decree from King Cyrus Ezra 5:17. In response, King Darius orders a search in the "house of the rolls, where the treasures were laid up" Ezra 6:1. Later, the term is used in a decree that provides funding for the temple, stating that any needs should be paid for out of the king's treasure house Ezra 7:20.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related Aramaic words clarify the context of H1596:

H1240 bᵉqar (inquire, make search): This action is directly associated with the treasure house, as officials are commanded to search its contents for historical decrees (Ezra 5:17, Ezra 6:1).
H4430 melek (a king): The treasure house is always designated as belonging to the king, emphasizing that these vast resources are under royal authority and control (Ezra 5:17, Ezra 7:20).
H5609 çᵉphar (a book; book, roll): The treasures are located in the "house of the rolls," showing that these repositories protected not only material wealth but also vital state documents and records Ezra 6:1.

Theological Significance

The theological significance of H1596 is demonstrated through its role in God's providential care for Israel.

Royal Provision for God's Work: The narrative shows the wealth of a pagan king's treasure house being designated to supply whatever is needful for the house of God, illustrating how God directs earthly resources to fulfill His purposes Ezra 7:20.
Preservation of God's Command: The decree to rebuild God's house, an outworking of God's will, was preserved among the royal treasures. Its retrieval from the archives of Babylon validates the rebuilding effort and shows God's sovereignty over human record-keeping Ezra 6:1.
Sovereignty Over Earthly Kingdoms: The use of the Persian king's treasure to enact God's plan for Jerusalem demonstrates that the power and wealth of worldly empires are ultimately subject to God's authority Ezra 5:17.

Summary

In summary, H1596 refers specifically to the royal treasuries of the Persian empire. While a simple administrative term, it plays a key role in the book of Ezra, functioning as the repository of both wealth and the legal decrees that enabled the restoration of God's house. It highlights a powerful theological truth: God's sovereign plan is accomplished using the very structures and resources of the world's most powerful rulers.

How the KJV Renders It

Translation

Strong’s lists the renderings but not their weight. These are counted from the King James text of the tagged verses — the bar under each is how often the translators actually reached for it. Select one to filter the occurrences below.

Grammatical Forms

Morphology

In the Hebrew Old Testament, this word appears as a noun across 3 occurrences, inflected in 2 grammatical forms — each row is one form, and the bar is how often it is that form. Select any form to read what each part of its name means, and to filter the occurrence list to it.

גִּנְזַיָּ
גִּנְזֵי

Theographic Context

Context

The people, places, and span of history the verses containing this word touch on — drawn from the theographic tagging of Scripture. Select any name to isolate its verses in the occurrence list.

Biblical Distribution

Distribution

3 verses, all in Ezra — and none of the other 38 Old Testament books.

Every Occurrence

Concordance

Every verse where the word is tagged in the King James text. Filter by book, by the English word the translators chose, by grammatical form, or search within the verses.

Sources. Definition and numbering: James Strong, Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible (1890). Morphology: STEPBible / Tyndale House (CC BY). Verse tagging: the King James text keyed to Strong’s numbers. Every count on this page is computed from the tagged corpus, not estimated.