### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew term `{{H1597}}` (ginzak) is defined as "a treasury" or "storehouse." Its etymology indicates it is a prolonged form of `{{H1596}}` (genez), which carries the same core meaning. Both terms denote a designated place for the storage of valuable items, particularly wealth, royal funds, or important documents. The semantic range of `{{H1597}}` is quite narrow, focusing exclusively on this function of a secure repository for riches within a royal or governmental context. It signifies a physical location of significant financial or administrative importance.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The term `{{H1597}}` (ginzak) appears only once in the Hebrew Bible, specifically in the book of Esther:
* **[[Esther 3:9]]**: "If it pleases the king, let it be decreed that they be destroyed, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who manage the king's business, that they may put it into the king's treasuries (`{{H1597}}`)."
* In this sole occurrence, Haman, in his plot to annihilate the Jewish people, offers an enormous sum of 10,000 talents of silver to King Ahasuerus. The destination for this vast sum is explicitly stated as the king's "treasuries" (`{{H1597}}`). This context firmly establishes `{{H1597}}` as a royal treasury, a place where the immense wealth of the Persian empire was stored. The sheer amount of silver offered underscores the gravity of Haman's proposal and the perceived value of the decree he sought. It highlights the significant financial resources at the disposal of ancient empires and the role of such treasuries in funding their operations and policies.
### Related Words & Concepts
As noted in its definition, `{{H1597}}` is directly related to `{{H1596}}` (genez), from which it is prolonged, both signifying a "treasury" or "storehouse." Other Hebrew terms that share a semantic field related to storage, wealth, and administration include:
* `{{H214}}` (otsar): This is a much more common and broader term, referring to a treasury, storehouse, or even the stored treasure itself. It is used for royal treasuries, temple treasuries, and general storehouses.
* `{{H618}}` (asuppah): Denotes a collection or storehouse, often implying a gathering of items.
* `{{H2794}}` (charon): Can refer to a storehouse or granary, particularly for agricultural produce.
The concept of a "treasury" also intersects with broader themes of wealth, royal power, economic administration, tribute, and the resources available to a governing authority.
### Theological Significance
While `{{H1597}}` (ginzak) itself is a purely descriptive term for a physical location, its single appearance in the narrative of Esther carries implicit theological weight. The "treasury" in [[Esther 3:9]] represents the vast material wealth and political power of the Persian Empire, which Haman attempts to leverage for his destructive agenda. Haman's offer of 10,000 talents into the king's treasuries underscores the immense value placed on human life (or its destruction) by worldly powers.
However, the subsequent events in Esther demonstrate that even such immense worldly resources and the decrees they enable are ultimately subject to divine sovereignty. God's providence works through unexpected means to overturn Haman's plot, revealing that no amount of human wealth or power can thwart the divine plan for His people. The "treasury" thus becomes a symbol of the limitations of earthly power when confronted with the will of the Almighty. It serves as a stark reminder that while nations may amass great riches and wield formidable influence, the ultimate authority and protection belong to God.
### Summary
The Hebrew term `{{H1597}}` (ginzak) precisely denotes a "treasury" or "storehouse," particularly for royal wealth. Its unique occurrence in [[Esther 3:9]] places it within the context of the vast financial resources of the Persian Empire, where Haman sought to deposit an enormous sum to facilitate his genocidal plot. As a prolonged form of `{{H1596}}` (genez), it functions literally as a secure repository for riches. Theologically, `{{H1597}}` serves as a backdrop against which the narrative of divine providence unfolds, highlighting that while worldly powers may wield immense material wealth and influence, God's sovereign will ultimately prevails over all human schemes and resources.
TRV