Word Study for H7248 (רַב־מָג)

Rab-Mâg /rab-mawg'/ Ask about this word

Rootfrom רַב and a foreign word for a Magian

Meaningchief Magian; Rab-Mag, a Babylonian official

KJV usageRab-mag.

Word Study

In depth

A plain-language study of Rab-Mâg — 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 Hebrew term Rab-Mâg, represented by H7248, is a title for a Babylonian official, defined as chief Magian. It appears 2 times across 2 unique verses in the Bible. The name is composed of rab, meaning chief or great, and a foreign word for a Magian, indicating a high-ranking position within the Babylonian hierarchy.

Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis

In the biblical narrative, H7248 appears exclusively within the context of the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians. The title identifies one of the officials present after the city's capture. In Jeremiah 39:3, Rabmag is listed among the princes of the king of Babylon who entered Jerusalem and took their seats in the middle gate. He is mentioned again in Jeremiah 39:13 as one of the Babylonian princes sent by Nebuzaradan, the captain of the guard, to carry out their duties.

Related Words & Concepts

Several related words help clarify the context of rank and authority in which Rab-Mâg is found:

H7227 rab (captain, great, officer, prince): This is the root of the title and signifies greatness or a position of command. It is used to describe the Babylonian princes involved in the conquest Jeremiah 39:13.
H8269 sar (captain, chief, prince, ruler): This is the general term used for the Babylonian princes who came into Jerusalem, a group that included the Rabmag Jeremiah 39:3.
H4428 melek (a king): This term establishes the ultimate authority whom the Rabmag served. He is identified as one of the princes of the king of Babylon Jeremiah 39:3.
H7249 Rab-Çârîyç (chief chamberlain; Rab-saris): This is another Babylonian title, held by an official who appears alongside the Rabmag in both biblical occurrences, highlighting the specific ranks within the Babylonian command Jeremiah 39:13.

Theological Significance

The significance of H7248 is not theological in nature but historical and contextual. It provides specific detail about the structure of the invading force that fulfilled God's judgment on Jerusalem.

Evidence of Foreign Dominion: The presence of a Rabmag among other officials like the Rabsaris H7249 demonstrates the organized, hierarchical power of Babylon H894 that subjugated Judah Jeremiah 39:3.
Title of Rank: The title itself, meaning "chief Magian," points to a specific role within the Babylonian court, adding a layer of historical detail to the biblical account.
Fulfillment of Prophecy: The appearance of the Rabmag and other Babylonian princes H8269 in Jerusalem is a direct account of the events prophesied by Jeremiah, cementing the reality of the conquest.

Summary

In summary, H7248 Rab-Mâg is a specific title identifying a high-ranking Babylonian official. Though its use is limited to two verses, its appearance in the book of Jeremiah is significant. It serves to document the specific individuals and ranks involved in the historic fall of Jerusalem, underscoring the authority of the king of Babylon and providing a detailed record of the event.

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 4 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.

מָג
רַב

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

2 verses, all in Jeremiah — 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.