### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Aramaic term rabrᵉbân (`{{H7261}}`) is a plural noun derived from rabrab (`{{H7260}}`), which itself is an intensified form of rab (`{{H7227}}`), meaning "great" or "much." The reduplication in rabrab signifies "very great" or "chief." Consequently, rabrᵉbân refers to individuals of exceptionally high rank, power, or influence. Its semantic range encompasses "magnate," "lord," "prince," "chief official," or "high-ranking dignitary." It denotes members of an aristocracy or ruling elite, emphasizing their elevated status and authority within a kingdom or society, often implying wealth and significant social standing.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The term rabrᵉbân (`{{H7261}}`) appears exclusively in the Aramaic portions of the Book of Daniel, specifically within Chapter 5, which recounts Belshazzar's feast and the fall of Babylon. Its consistent use in this narrative provides crucial contextual insight:
* [[Daniel 5:1]]: "King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his rabrᵉbân and drank wine in front of the thousand." Here, the term immediately establishes the high social and political standing of the attendees, emphasizing the scale and importance of the gathering.
* [[Daniel 5:3]]: "Then they brought the golden vessels that had been taken from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his rabrᵉbân, his wives, and his concubines drank from them." This verse highlights the rabrᵉbân's complicity in the sacrilege, underscoring their shared responsibility and involvement in the king's defiant act against God.
* [[Daniel 5:9]]: "Then King Belshazzar was greatly troubled, and his face turned pale, and his rabrᵉbân were perplexed." This shows their proximity to the king and their shared experience of the divine manifestation, indicating their direct witness to God's judgment.
* [[Daniel 5:10]]: "The queen, because of the words of the king and his rabrᵉbân, came into the banqueting hall." This further confirms their central presence and role in the court's affairs.
* [[Daniel 5:23]]: Daniel's direct rebuke to Belshazzar includes the charge: "But you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And they have brought before you the vessels of his house, and you and your rabrᵉbân, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them." This verse explicitly links the rabrᵉbân to the king's profound sin of pride and desecration, making them participants in the offense against the Most High God.
In all occurrences, rabrᵉbân consistently refers to the powerful, high-ranking officials and nobles of the Babylonian court, whose elevated status amplifies the gravity of their collective sin and the scope of God's impending judgment.
### Related Words & Concepts
rabrᵉbân (`{{H7261}}`) is closely related to several terms denoting authority and greatness:
* **rab (`{{H7227}}`):** The foundational Hebrew/Aramaic root meaning "great, much, many." rabrᵉbân signifies individuals who are "great ones."
* **rab (`{{H7225}}`):** A Hebrew term often used for "chief," "captain," or "master," designating high-ranking officials (e.g., rab-saris - chief eunuch, rab-shakeh - chief cupbearer). While rab can denote a chief, rabrᵉbân specifically emphasizes the *magnate* or *prince* status.
* **rabrab (`{{H7260}}`):** The Aramaic intensive adjective "very great" or "chief," from which rabrᵉbân is directly derived.
* **sar (`{{H8269}}`):** A common Hebrew term for "prince," "chief," or "ruler." While rabrᵉbân and sar can sometimes overlap in meaning, rabrᵉbân carries a specific connotation of extraordinary greatness and often refers to the most elite members of the nobility.
The concept conveyed by rabrᵉbân is one of human power, nobility, influence, and the highest echelons of a court or aristocracy. It encapsulates the idea of worldly greatness, often in contrast to divine omnipotence.
### Theological Significance
The theological significance of rabrᵉbân (`{{H7261}}`) in Daniel 5 is profound, primarily serving to highlight the stark contrast between human authority and divine sovereignty. The "magnates" represent the zenith of human power and prestige within a pagan empire, yet they are shown to be utterly powerless before the God of heaven.
1. **Human Hubris and Divine Judgment:** The presence of the rabrᵉbân at Belshazzar's feast amplifies the scale of the king's sacrilege. Their participation in drinking from the holy vessels symbolizes the collective pride and defiance of an empire that dared to mock the God of Israel. God's immediate judgment, manifested by the writing on the wall, demonstrates that no level of human power or status, represented by these rabrᵉbân, can withstand divine wrath when it is provoked by arrogance and blasphemy. The fall of Babylon is depicted as a comprehensive judgment upon its king and its most powerful rabrᵉbân.
2. **God's Ultimate Sovereignty:** The narrative of Daniel 5, with its focus on the rabrᵉbân, powerfully underscores the biblical truth that "the Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind and gives it to whomever he wills" [[Daniel 5:21]]. Even the most exalted human "lords" are ultimately subject to the divine will. Their sudden perplexity and the swift downfall of their kingdom serve as a dramatic testament to God's absolute control over all earthly rulers and empires, regardless of their perceived greatness. The rabrᵉbân become a vivid illustration that all human authority is delegated and temporary, subservient to the eternal reign of God.
### Summary
The Aramaic term rabrᵉbân (`{{H7261}}`) designates a high-ranking dignitary, a magnate, lord, or prince, emphasizing their significant power and influence. Derived from rab (great), it literally refers to "very great ones." Its exclusive biblical occurrences in [[Daniel 5]] consistently depict the powerful Babylonian nobles present at Belshazzar's impious feast. The theological significance of rabrᵉbân is deeply interwoven with the narrative of divine judgment on human pride. These powerful individuals represent the pinnacle of worldly authority, yet their shared participation in the desecration of God's holy vessels underscores the hubris of a kingdom that defied the Almighty. Ultimately, the presence of the rabrᵉbân serves to highlight the dramatic contrast between the transient, arrogant power of human rulers and the eternal, absolute sovereignty of the Most High God, who judges pride and orchestrates the rise and fall of nations and their rabrᵉbân.
TRV