The Aramaic word ʼushsharnâʼ, represented by H846, refers to a wall. It appears 2 times across 2 unique verses in the Bible. Derived from a root suggesting uprightness, this term is used specifically in the book of Ezra to denote the large, structural walls of Jerusalem during the period of its rebuilding.
Both occurrences of H846 are found in a single narrative context where the authority of the Jewish people to rebuild is challenged. Tatnai, a local governor, confronts the elders, asking, "Who hath commanded you to build this house, and to make up this wall?" Ezra 5:3. This accusatory question is repeated almost verbatim when the elders are formally questioned about their work on the house and "these walls" Ezra 5:9. In this context, the wall is not just a construction project but a focal point of a political and jurisdictional dispute.
Several related Aramaic words provide a fuller picture of the construction and the controversy surrounding it:
- H1124 bᵉnâʼ ((Aramaic) or בְּנָה; (Aramaic), corresponding to בָּנָה; to build; build, make.): This verb for "to build" is directly tied to H846 in the questions posed to the elders, framing the central action of the conflict Ezra 5:3.
- H3635 kᵉlal ((Aramaic) corresponding to כָּלַל; to complete; finish, make (set) up.): This word is used to describe the finishing of the project, as in the phrase "to make up this wall," indicating the comprehensive nature of the rebuilding effort Ezra 5:3.
- H7761 sûwm ((Aramaic) corresponding to שׂוּם; {to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and elliptically)}; [phrase] command, give, lay, make, [phrase] name, [phrase] regard, set.): This verb is used to ask who "made" or issued the decree for the construction, establishing the theme of legal authority Ezra 5:9.
- H2942 ṭᵉʻêm ((Aramaic) from טְעַם, and equivalent to טַעַם; properly, flavor; figuratively, judgment (both subjective and objective); hence, account (both subjectively and objectively); [phrase] chancellor, [phrase] command, commandment, decree, [phrase] regard, taste, wisdom.): As the word for "decree" or "commandment," it is the legal basis being questioned. The entire legitimacy of building the wall H846 rests on this command Ezra 5:9.
The thematic significance of H846 in its limited context is directly tied to the restoration of Israel after the exile.
- Symbol of Authority: The wall is the physical object at the center of a debate over authority. The challenge from Tatnai is not about the construction itself but about who gave the permission, or decree H2942, to build it Ezra 5:3.
- National Restoration: Rebuilding the walls was a crucial step in re-establishing Jerusalem as a secure and sovereign city. Its construction, alongside the house of God, symbolized the renewal of the nation and its identity.
- Point of Contention: The term appears exclusively within a context of opposition. The wall H846 represents a visible and provocative sign of Jewish progress that draws the scrutiny and suspicion of neighboring governors Ezra 5:3.
In summary, ʼushsharnâʼ H846 is more than just an architectural term. Though it appears only twice, its context in Ezra makes it a potent symbol of the right to rebuild, the struggle for legitimacy, and the tangible evidence of a royal decree. The word is inseparable from the themes of authority and opposition that defined the Jewish return from exile.
TRV