Word Study for H5632 (סָרֵךְ)

çârêk /saw-rake'/ Ask about this word

Root(Aramaic) of foreign origin

Meaningan emir

KJV usagepresident.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of çârêk — 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 çârêk, represented by H5632, is a term of foreign origin for a high-ranking official, such as an emir or president. It appears 5 times across 5 unique verses, with all occurrences found in the book of Daniel. The word specifically denotes a top-tier administrator within the governmental hierarchy of the kingdom under King Darius.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H5632 is central to the administrative structure established by the king. King Darius appointed three presidents to oversee the realm, with Daniel being one of them Daniel 6:2. Daniel was soon preferred above the other presidents and princes because of his excellent spirit Daniel 6:3. This promotion incited jealousy among the other officials. The other presidents and princes then conspired against Daniel, seeking a reason to accuse him but finding none Daniel 6:4. Together, all the presidents of the kingdom, along with other officials, devised a royal decree intended to entrap Daniel through his faithfulness to God Daniel 6:7.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help to clarify the administrative hierarchy in which the presidents operated:

H324 ʼăchashdarpan (prince): These officials appear to be subordinate to the presidents, as they were required to give accounts to them to prevent any loss to the king Daniel 6:2.
H5460 çᵉgan (governor): This term identifies a prefect of a province and is listed alongside presidents and princes as part of the group that conspired against Daniel Daniel 6:7.
H1907 haddâbâr (counsellor): This word denotes a vizier or advisor to the king. The counsellors joined the presidents and other officials in establishing the decree against prayer Daniel 6:7.
H6347 pechâh (captain, governor): This term refers to a prefect, likely over a smaller district. Captains are also mentioned among the coalition of officials who sought to remove Daniel from his position Daniel 6:7.

Theological Significance

The significance of H5632 is primarily administrative and narrative, providing the context for a key test of faith.

Governmental Hierarchy: The word establishes the organized, three-tiered structure of governance under King Darius: the king, the three presidents, and the princes below them. This system was designed to ensure accountability and protect the king's interests Daniel 6:2.
Political Conspiracy: The presidents, as a collective group, are the primary antagonists in the story of Daniel in the lions' den. Their role highlights the dangers of jealousy and the abuse of power within a political system (Daniel 6:4, 6:6).
Integrity Under Scrutiny: The position of president serves as the platform from which Daniel's integrity is displayed. Despite the intense scrutiny from his peers in the same high office, no error or fault could be found in his work for the kingdom Daniel 6:4.

Summary

In summary, H5632 is a specific Aramaic term for a chief administrator or president within the Persian government. Though its usage is limited to Daniel chapter 6, it is indispensable for understanding the political conflict that frames one of the Old Testament's most famous stories. The word defines the office that Daniel held with integrity and that his jealous colleagues used for corrupt purposes, illustrating the moral challenges that accompany great authority.

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 5 occurrences, inflected in 3 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.

סָרְכַיָּ
סָרְכִין
סָרְכֵי

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

5 verses, all in Daniel — 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.