### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **mᵉdîynâh**, represented by `{{H4082}}`, denotes a **province** or district under a specific jurisdiction. Derived from a root related to judgeship, it signifies a region ruled by a judge or other authority. It appears **44 times** across **40 unique verses** in the Bible, primarily describing administrative territories within large empires.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
In biblical narratives, `{{H4082}}` is frequently used to establish the setting within the Persian and Babylonian empires. The book of Esther, for example, defines the vast scope of King Ahasuerus's reign as stretching over "an hundred and seven and twenty **provinces**" from India to Ethiopia [[Esther 1:1]]. Royal decrees, both for harm [[Esther 3:13]] and for deliverance [[Esther 8:13]], were sent to every **province**, demonstrating the reach of imperial power. The term also identifies the people of Judah in exile, referring to them as "the children of the **province**" who returned from the captivity in Babylon [[Ezra 2:1]]. In Lamentations, Jerusalem's fall is mourned as a "princess among the **provinces**" becoming tributary [[Lamentations 1:1]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words clarify the administrative and political context of a **province**:
* `{{H4428}}` **melek** (king): The term for king is central, as provinces are the constituent parts of a kingdom. Royal authority extends over all the **provinces** of a king [[Esther 3:8]].
* `{{H6346}}` **pechâh** (governor): This word refers to a prefect or governor responsible for a small district or **province**. Haman's decree was sent to the governors over every **province** [[Esther 3:12]].
* `{{H323}}` **ʼăchashdarpan** (lieutenant): Of Persian origin, this term describes a satrap or governor of a main **province**. Mordecai's counter-decree was sent to the lieutenants and rulers of the **provinces** [[Esther 8:9]].
* `{{H1002}}` **bîyrâh** (palace): The palace, often located in a capital city like Shushan, served as the administrative center from which the **provinces** were ruled [[Daniel 8:2]].
### Theological Significance
The use of `{{H4082}}` illustrates several important concepts within the biblical story:
* **The Scope of Human Authority:** The word repeatedly emphasizes the vast administrative reach of Gentile empires. Decrees from the king were published and sent to every **province**, affecting every people according to their language and laws ([[Esther 1:22]], [[Esther 3:14]]).
* **The Vulnerability of the Exiled:** In the book of Esther, the Jews are described as a people "scattered abroad and dispersed" among all the **provinces** of the kingdom [[Esther 3:8]], highlighting their precarious position under foreign rule.
* **The Arena of Divine Providence:** While **provinces** are spheres of human rule, they become the stage for God's sovereign work. The affliction of the remnant in the **province** [[Nehemiah 1:3]] sets the scene for God's restoration, and the joy and gladness that erupts among the Jews in every **province** [[Esther 8:17]] demonstrates God's power to save His people, even when they are scattered.
### Summary
In summary, `{{H4082}}` is more than just a geographical marker; it is a term that defines a sphere of jurisdiction and governance. Though its primary use is administrative, particularly in the context of the Persian empire, it provides the essential backdrop for understanding the lives of the Israelites in exile. From the oppression seen in a **province** [[Ecclesiastes 5:8]] to the deliverance celebrated in every **province** [[Esther 9:28]], the word **mᵉdîynâh** frames the spaces where human authority is exercised and divine providence is ultimately revealed.
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