Governor

VIEW:36 DATA:01-04-2020

GOVERNOR.—This word represents various Heb. and Gr. words, technical and non-technical. In Gen_42:6 (Joseph, cf. 41:40) it is probably the Ta-te, the second after the king in the court of the palace; cf. 1Ki_18:3, Dan_2:48 for similar offices. It frequently represents an Assyr. [Note: Assyrian.] word, pechah, used of Persian satraps in general (Est_3:12; Est_8:8), and of Assyrian generals (2Ki_18:24, cf. 1Ki_20:24). It is applied particularly to Tattenai, the governor of the large Persian province of which Judæa was a sub-district (Ezr_5:3; Ezr_6:6 etc., cf. Neh_2:7). It is also, like tirshatha (wh. see), applied to the subordinate governor of Judæa (Ezr_5:14 [Sheshbazzar] 6:7 [Nehemiah], Hag_1:1; Hag_1:14 [Zerubbabel]). The first passage shows that the subordinate pechah was directly appointed by the king.
In the NT the word usually represents Gr. hçgemôn, and is used of Pontius Pilate (Luk_3:1 etc.), of Felix (Act_23:26), and of Festus (Act_26:30). The proper title of these governors was ‘procurator’ (Tac. Ann. xv. 44), of which originally eparchos and then epitropos were the Gr. equivalents. Josephus, however, uses hçgemôn, as well as these words, for the governor of Judæa, so that there is no inaccuracy in its employment by NT writers. But, being a general word, it does not help us to decide the nature of the ‘governorship’ of Quirinius (Luk_2:2). The procurator, originally a financial official, was appointed directly by the Emperor to govern provinces, such as Thrace, Cappadocia, and Judæa, which were in a transitional state, being no longer ruled by subject kings, but not yet fully Romanized, and requiring special treatment. The procurator was in a sense subordinate to the legate of the neighbouring ‘province,’ e.g. Cappadocia to Galatia, Judæa to Syria; but except in emergencies he had full authority, military, judicial, and financial. In 1Pe_2:14 the word is specially appropriate to any provincial governor, as ‘sent’ by the Emperor. In 2Co_11:32 it represents ‘ethnarch,’ a word apparently used originally of the ruler of a nation (ethnos) living with laws of its own in a foreign community; but as applied to Aretas it may mean no more than petty king. In Gal_4:2 it means ‘steward’ (RV [Note: Revised Version.] ), the ‘tutor’ controlling the ward’s person, the steward his property (Lightfoot, ad loc.). In Jam_3:4 RV [Note: Revised Version.] has ‘steersman.’ The ‘governor of the feast’ (Joh_2:8, RV [Note: Revised Version.] ‘ruler’) was probably a guest, not a servant, chosen to control and arrange for the feast; It is doubtful whether he is to be identified with the ‘friend of the bridegroom’ or best man.
C. W. Emmet.
Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible
Edited by James Hastings, D.D. Published in 1909

Governor. In the Authorized Version, this one English word is the representative of no less than ten Hebrew and four Greek words.
1. The chief of a tribe or family.
2. A ruler in his capacity of lawgiver and dispenser of justice.
3. A ruler considered especially as having power over the property and persons of his subjects. Gen_24:2; Jos_12:2; Psa_100:20. The "governors of the people," in 2Ch_23:20 appear to have been the king's body-guard; compare 2Ki_11:19.
4. A prominent personage, whatever his capacity. It is applied to a king as the military and civil chief of his people, 2Sa_5:2; 2Sa_6:21; 1Ch_29:22, to the general of an army, 2Ch_32:21. And to the head of a tribe. 2Ch_19:11. It denotes an officer of high rank in the palace, the lord high chamberlain. 2Ch_28:7. It is applied in 1Ki_10:15 to the petty chieftains who were tributary to Solomon, 2Ch_9:14, to the military commander of the Syrians, 1Ki_20:24, the Assyrians, 2Ki_18:24; 2Ki_23:8, the Chaldeans, Jer_51:23, and the Medes. Jer_51:38.
Under the Persian viceroys, during the Babylonian captivity, the land of the Hebrews appears to have been portioned out among "governors" (pachoth) inferior in rank to the satraps, Ezr_8:30, like the other provinces which were under the dominion of the Persian king. Neh_2:7; Neh_2:9. It is impossible to determine the precise limits of their authority or the functions which they had to perform.
It appears from Ezr_6:8 that these governors were intrusted with the collection of the king's taxes; and from Neh_5:18; Neh_12:26, that they were supported by a contribution levied upon the people, which was technically termed "the bread of the governor". Compare Ezr_4:14.
They were probably assisted in discharging their official duties by a council. Ezr_4:7; Ezr_6:6. The "governor" beyond the river had a judgment-seat beyond Jerusalem, from which probably he administered justice when making a progress through his province. Neh_3:7. At the time of Christ, Judea was a Roman province, governed by a procurator (governor) appointed by Rome.
Smith's Bible Dictionary
By Dr. William Smith.Published in 1863

Judea having been reduced into a province by the Romans, they sent governors thither, who were subject not only to the emperors, but also to the governors of Syria, whereof Judea made a part.
Biblical and Theological Dictionary by Richard Watson
PRINTER 1849.

guv?ẽr-nẽr: The word ?governor? is employed in English Versions of the Bible in rendering a great variety of Hebrew and Greek words. In certain cases strict consistency is neither observed nor possible.
1. In the Old Testament
In the rendering of Hebrew terms account has naturally been taken of the translations offered in Septuagint, which, being the work of different hands, is both uneven in quality and inconsistent. But there are inherent difficulties which can never be entirely overcome. First and most important, there is the difficulty arising from our ignorance of many details of the government of the oriental nations to which the terms apply. Hardly less is the embarrassment occasioned by the vague employment of words in indiscriminate reference to persons of superior rank and somehow exercising authority. There is consequently much confusion in the use of titles such as ?deputy,? ?duke,? ?judge,? ?lawgiver,? ?overseer? ?prince? ?ruler? etc. for which the student may consult the special articles.
(1) אלּוּף, 'alluwph or אלּף, 'allūph, ?governor? (the Revised Version (British and American) ?chieftain?) in Judah (Zec_9:7; Zec_12:5 f).
(2) חוקק, ḥōḳēḳ (Jdg_5:9; Jdg_5:14, the King James Version margin?or lawgivers?). The word is variously rendered with ?ruler? or ?lawgiver? in English Versions of the Bible of Gen_49:10; Deu_33:21; Isa_33:22.
(3) משׁל, mōshēl, participle of משׁל, māshal, ?to be master,? ?to rule? (Gen_45:26, the Revised Version (British and American) ?ruler?).
(4) נשׂיא, nāsı̄' (2Ch_1:2, the Revised Version (British and American) ?prince?).
(5) סגן, ṣāghān (Dan_3:2 f; Jer_51:23, the Revised Version, margin ?or lieutenants?; Jer_51:28, Jer_51:57; Eze_23:6, Eze_23:12, Eze_23:23). The same word is rendered ?rulers? or ?deputies? (Isa_41:25; Ezr_9:2; Neh_2:16; Neh_5:7; Neh_7:5; Neh_12:40).
(6) פחה, peḥāh, is variously used: (a) of the military governor of a province among the Assyrians (Isa_36:9); (b) among the Chaldees (Eze_23:6, Eze_23:23; Jer_51:23, Jer_51:18, Jer_51:57); (c) among the Persians (Est_3:12; Est_8:9; Est_9:3); (d) of the governor-general of the province beyond the River (Euphrates) (Ezr_8:36; Neh_2:7 :9); (e) of Nehemiah as subordinate ?governor in the land of Judah? under him (Neh_5:14); (f) of Zerubbabel as ?governor of Judah? (Hag_1:1, Hag_1:14; Hag_2:2, Hag_2:21); (g) of Solomon's governors (1Ki_10:15; 1Ki_20:24 (in Syria)).
(7) פקיד, pāḳı̄dh (Jer_20:1, the Revised Version (British and American) ?chief officer?). Elsewhere it is rendered ?overseer? or ?officer? (compare Gen_41:34; 2Ki_25:19; Neh_11:9, Neh_11:22).
(8) שׂר, sar ?governor of the city? (1Ki_22:26). Elsewhere commonly rendered ?prince.?
(9) שׁלּיט, shallı̄ṭ (Gen_42:6). Elsewhere rendered ?ruler? or ?captain.?
(10) תּרשׁתא, tirshāthā' the Revised Version (British and American) ?the governor,? the King James Version ?the Tirshatha? (Ezr_2:63; Neh_7:70). See TIRSHATHA.
2. In the New Testament
The word ?governor? in English Versions of the Bible represents an almost equal variety of Greek words. Here again the usage is for the most part lax and untechnical; but since reference is chiefly had to officers of the Roman imperial administration, concerning which we possess ample information, no embarrassment is thereby occasioned. The words chiefly in use for ?governor? are derived from root ag-, ?drive,? ?lead?:
(1) ἡγέομαι, hēgéomai, ?lead? (Mat_2:6; of Joseph as grand vizier of Egypt, Act_7:10).
(2) ἡγεμών, hēgemṓn, ?leader? (Mat_10:18; 1Pe_2:14; of Pilate, Mat_27:2, Mat_27:11, Mat_27:14, Mat_27:15, Mat_27:21, Mat_27:27; of Felix, Act_23:24, Act_23:26, Act_23:33; of Festus, Act_24:1, Act_24:10; Act_26:30).
(3) ἡγεμονεύω, hēgemoneúō, ?function as leader? (Luk_2:2; of Pilate, Luk_3:1).
To these are added terms of more specific meaning:
(4) ἐθνάρχης, ethnárchēs, ?ethnarch? or ?ruler of a nation? (2Co_11:32). See GOVERNMENT, 6, 7.
(5) εὐθύνω, euthúnō ?direct,? ?guide? (Jam_3:4). Here the Revised Version (British and American) properly render it ?steersman.?
(6) ἀρχιτρίκλινος, architrı́klinos, ?president of a banquet? (Joh_2:8 f, the American Standard Revised Version ?ruler of the feast?).
(7) οἰκονόμος, oikonómos, ?steward,? ?manager of a household or estate? (Gal_4:2, the Revised Version (British and American) ?stewards?).
It is thus seen that in the New Testament ?governor? in the political sense occurs chiefly in reference to the Roman procurators of Judea - Pilate, Felix, and Festus. See PILATE; FELIX; FESTUS. It remains for us here to speak briefly of the government of Roman provinces.
Latin provincia signifies a magistrate's sphere of duty or authority, either (a) judicially or legally, defining the scope of his competence, or (b) geographically, designating the territorial limits within which he may exercise authority. It is in the latter sense that we are now considering the word. When, in the 3rd century bc, Rome began to rule conquered lands outside Italy, each territory was set under the authority of a single magistrate, and hence came to be called a ?province.? Conquered territories left under the rule of native princes or kings were not so designated, although their government was practically directed by Rome. At first provinces were governed by proconsuls or proprietors (i.e. ex-consuls or ex- praetors); but with the steady multiplication of provinces various expedients became necessary in order to provide governors of suitable rank and dignity. Thus, the number of praetors was largely augmented, and the term of possible service as governor was extended. Under Augustus the provinces were parceled out between the emperor and the senate, the former reserving for himself such as seemed to require the maintenance of a considerable armed force. In these the emperor was himself proconsul. Early in the Empire imperial provinces of a different type appear, in which the emperor, regarded as sovereign proprietor, governs by a viceroy (praefectus) or steward (procurator). In some of these, tributary kings or princes ruled with the emperor's representative - a legatus or a procurator - by their side, much as England now rules Egypt. Among the provinces so ruled were Egypt and Judea, partly, no doubt, because of their strategic position, partly because of the temper of their inhabitants.

International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
PRINTER 1915.

Governor
a term used by the A.V. to denote various degrees of authority and power absolute and limited, acquired by birth or by election, military and civil. The numerous and mostly vague original terms are found in other passages translated by "ruler," "chief," "prince, "captain," etc.
1. נָגִידnagid' (Phcan. נָגִדָא נָגִד; Ar. najid; Syr. nagida; from נָגִד, a verb only used in Hiph. and Hoph. in the signification of to tell). The original meaning of this root is to rise, to become conspicuous, visible, to be in front (comp. נֶגֶד), pacesto, vorstehen, to lead, to be first (compare Germ. Fürst=prince). The noun נָגִידtherefore, denoten a prominent personage, whatever his capacity, and is used of a chief or praefect, "governor" of the royal palace, Azriksm (2Ch_28:7; compare 1Ki_4:6; Isa_22:15; οἰκόνομος, chamberlain, secretary of state), whose power (מֶמְשֶׁלֶת) seems to have been very considerable (compare Isa_22:21 sq. "Shebnah... a nail to the throne"), and who, it would appear, was distinguished from the aother court officers by a particularly brilliant uniform (girdle and robe), and to whose insignia belonged a key worn over the shoulder. In a wider sense the word is applied to the chief of the Temple: Azariah, the high-priest, "a ruler of the house of God." (1Ch_9:11; comp. 2Ch_31:13); Pasur, "chief governor of the house of God" (Jer_20:1); further, to the "leader of the aronites," Jehoiadah (1Ch_12:27). Again,"it is used of the keeper of the sacred treasury, "Shebuel, ruler of the treasures" (1Ch_26:24); of the chieftains of a tribe, "Zebadiab, the ruler of the house of Judah" (2Ch_19:11) of the "captains" of the army (1Ch_13:1; 2Ch_32:21); of the oldest son of the kiteg, the heir apparent, "Abijab, the son of Maacbah [the chief], to be ruler among his brethren" (2Ch_11:22). It is finally applied to the king himself: to Saul (A. Vers. "anoint him to be captain, "1Sa_9:16, etc.), to "Messiah [the Anointed], the Prince" (Dan_9:25, etc.). In the plural the word occurs in the more, general sense of aristocracy, "Nobles" (Pro_8:16). The Targum renders שופטיהם"their judges," by מנגיִדיהוןand in the Talmud נגידאis used parabalically for "leader of a flock." "'When the shepherd is angry with his flock he gives it a blind leader"' (Baba K. 52) — a corrupt generation to which God appoints a bad king. How far the Talmudical use of נגד, in the sense of "flagellate" (Pes. 52) and of "extend'' (Baba Mez. 74), may be connected with the notion of supremacy, reign, we cannot decide here.
2. נָשַׁא, nasi' (from נָשִׂא, to carry, lift up; lit. raised, exalted, elected; Sept. ἡγούμενος, ἄρχων), a word applied to the chiefs of. the families of which a. tribe was composed (Num_3:24; Num_3:30; Num_3:32; Num_3:35; Num_16:2, etc.; as many as 250 on one occasion, Num_16:2);. And who, as deputies (commoners) at the National Assembly, are also called Nasis of the congregation, or Nasis of Israel (elected, called to the assembly). But it was also used, of the twelve supreme chiefs of the triales themselves (Num_2:3 sq.; Num_7:2 sq.; Num_3:32, etc.). Both these dignities, the chiefdom of a family as well as that of a tribe, would appear to have been elective corresponding to the word נָשִׂיא not hereditary, as Michaelis and Winer hold. The Nasi of Judah, e.g. Nahshon ben-Aminadab, does not descend from the first line of the tribe (Numbers 2; compare 1Ch_2:9-10). The Nasi of Issachars again, is called Nathaniel ben- Shuar, a name not found among the eldest sons of this tribe (1Ch_7:1-3). Finally, in the table of the Nasis — no doubt the chiefs of the tribes — to whom the division of the Promised Land was intrusted by Moses at his death no son of the Nasts of the desert occurs (Munk, Palaest. page 194). נָישַׁא is further employed for generals, under a head (ראשׁ), 1Ch_7:40; of Abraham, a Nasi of God, a mighty sheik; for non-Israelitish "princes:” of the Midianites (Jos_13:21), and of the Hivites (Shechem) (Gen_34:2). On the Maccabaean coins Simeon is called "Nasi of Israel." Nasi was also the official name of the president of the Sanhedrim (under whom stood the "father of the tribunal, or vice-president"), whose seat was in the middle of the seventy-one manem bers (Maim. Jad. Chaz. 14, Syn. 1).
3. פָּקִיד, paktd' (from פָּקִד, to appoint), an officer, official, magistrate, applied to the ecclesiastical delegate of the high-priest, who, together with the king's scribe, had to empty the chest cotaining the contribution to the Temple (2Ch_24:11); to the Levites (Neh_11:22);. to the "chief " of the Temple (Jer_20:1-2); to "officers in the house of the Lord" (Jer_29:26); to a military commander (2Ki_25:19; Jeremiah 53:25), and to his adjutant or principal manager (Jdg_9:28). Further, to the officers whom Joseph suggested that Pharaoh should put over Egypt during the years of the famine (Gen_41:34); to those who were to gather all the virgins unto Shushan for Ahasuerus (Est_2:3); to praefects, "overseers," etc. (Neh_11:9; Neh_12:42); and, finally, to the nobles or "princes" of the king (Jer_20:1; 2Ch_35:8).
4. שִׁלִּיט, Shallit', Heb. and Aram. (from שָׁלִט to rule, have power, Arab. id. comp. Sultan); "one who hath power" (Ecc_8:8); "Arioch, the king's captain" (Dan_2:15); "Joseph, the governor over the land" (Gen_42:6); a "mighty man" or hero (Ecc_7:19); a "king" or satrap (Ezr_4:20); Daniel, the third "ruler" (Dan_5:29), etc. The verb שָׁלִט is also used in later Hebrew in the sense "to have power," of evil hours, evil spirits, etc
5. אִלּוּ, Allûph´ (from אָלִ; Arab. id. to join, etc.); originally, one who is put over a "thousand," or אֶל ֶviz. the round number of families which constitute a clan or subdivision of a tribe; (comp. old Saxon "Hundred"). It is first used of the chiefs, "dukes," of Edom (Genesis 36; 1Ch_1:51); we find it at a later period also applied to Jewish chiefs (Zec_9:7; Zec_12:5-6). This word is not to be confounded either with the captain of a body of a thousand men, or with the "rulers of thousands," a kind of magistrates selected by Moses, on the advice of Jethro, for the purpose of judging the smaller matters during the sojourn of the Israelites in the desert; and who were, at a later period, superseded by the regular institution of the judges. The further use of the word in the sense of "friend" (parallel with רֵ , companion, Mic_7:5; Pro_16:28, or מְיֻרָ , acquaintance, Psa_55:14) must be traced directly to the root (אָלִ, to accustom one's self). It may further be noticed here that Mat_2:6 seems to have read the passage in Mic_5:2, בְּאִלְפֵי, יְהוּדָה"among the thousands [clans] of Judah," as בְּאִלּוּפֵי יְהוּדה "among the princes of Judah."
Derived from the partic. act. (Kal and Piel) are the following four: 6. מְהֹקֵק חֹקֵק, Chokêk´, Mechokek' (from חָקִק), lit. an engraver, a writer — scil. of laws (חֵקֶק חֻקִּק חֹק, law, decree); a lawgiver (Gen_49:10; Deu_33:21); one who decides by the law: a judge (Isa_10:1, parallel with "they that write;" with "they that handle the pen of the writer," Jdg_5:14); "the Lord is our judge, the Lord is our lawgiver, the Lord is our king" (Isa_33:22); "princes decree justice" (Pro_8:15), etc. The Talmud has retained the original meaning of engraving, painting, writing, e.g. יונתן חקוקה(Gem. Pes. 1, a), is explained by “of the engravers, scribes" (Aruch, s.v.), and the imitation implied in the notion of "drawing" has become fixed in the word ür. (Talm. Chul. 41, b, "that he shall not imitate the Sadducees").
7. משֵׁל, Moshel' (מָשֵׁל, to be strong), one who reigns, holds dominion, "rules;" used for nearly all degrees of power: of the taskmaster of the ant (Pro_6:7), the husband who rules his wife (Gen_3:16), Eliezer, who had the management of Abraham's house (Gen_24:2), Joseph, the second in command over a country (Gen_45:8), an absolute king (Psa_105:20; Isa_16:1); also in the bad sense of despot (Isa_14:5); of the Messiah (Mic_5:1); of God (1Ch_29:12; Psa_103:19), etc. No less is the word applied.to the sway which the sun and moon hold over day and night (Gen_1:18 ["eomnium moderator et dux sol," Cic. Tusc. 1:68; sol coeli rector," Pliny, 2:4]). In the Talmudical tract Jad. 76, מושלis used for Pharaoh.
8. שִׂר, Sar (from שָׂרִר,.to rule, reign; comp. Phcen. סדאסיד סרגד; Assyr. סד, king, e.g. "Nabukudurrusur Sar Babilu," Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, Inscr. Borsippa, etc.), a word used of nearly all degrees of chiefdom or wardenship. It is applied to the chief baker of Pharaoh (Gen_40:16), to the chief butler (Gen_40:2), to the "ruler over the cattle" (Gen_47:6), to the keeper of the prison (Gen_39:21), to the taskmaster of the Israelites (Exo_1:11), to the "prince of the eunuchs" (Dan_1:7), to the "master of the song," Chenaniah (1Ch_15:27); further, to prsefects, civil or military, of very limited or very extensive authority: Zebul, the "ruler of Shechem" (Jdg_9:30); "Amon, the governor of the city" (1Ki_22:26); prefects of the provinces (1Ki_20:15); "decurion" (Exo_18:21); "a captain of fifty," πεντηκόνταρχος (2Ki_1:9); captains (judges) over hundreds (Deu_1:15); over a thousand (1Sa_18:3); over many thousands (1Ch_15:25); "captain over half of the chariots of war" (1Ki_16:9); "captain of the host" (2Sa_24:2); general-in-chief (Gen_21:22; 1Sa_12:9): hence used after God of hosts of God himself (Dan_8:11). It occurs by itself in the absolute state as a parallel to "judge:" "who has made the a prince and a judge over us?" (Exo_2:14); to "elder" (Ezr_10:8), to "counselor" (Ezr_8:25), to "king" (Hos_3:4). The merchants of Tyre are called שָׂרִים, merchant princes (Isa_23:9); the same term is applied to noblemen and courtiers, "the princes of Pharaoh"' (Gen_12:15); "princes of Zoan" (Isa_19:11; Isa_19:13) The priests are called chiefs or princes of the sanctuary (Isa_43:28; 1Ch_25:5), and the chiefpriests again are called princes of the priests. Gradually the word came to be used of angels, as patrons and representatives of special nations (guardian angels): of Persia (Dan_10:13; Dan_10:20); of Greece (Dan_10:20); of Israel (Dan_10:21); Michael, "the great prince" (Dan_12:1); the chief princes (10:13); "the Prince of princes" God (8:25; comp. Sept. in Deu_32:8). The use of שִׂדas guardian angel is retained in, the Midrash, but the word is also applied in the Talmud to "a hero at the table, a mighty drinker" (Nidd. 16, etc.). SEE CAPTAIN.
Of foreign origin is,
9. פֶּחָה, Pechah", פִּחָה, פִּח; Josephus, ἔπαρχος, of Tatnai (Ant. 11:4, 4). This word has been variously derived from the Persian for "magnates" (Bohlen); Persic "to cook"' (Ewald); Persic for "Satelles," "Pedisequus" (Gesenius); from; the Turkish for "general" (Frahn); from the Assyrian Pa/kha (Sanscr. Pakhshca); whence pasha — friend [of the king], adjutant, governor of a province (Benfey, Stern); from the Arab. Pe, "the lower," and gh, "royal office" = Pegah, sub-king (Furst); from the Arab. verb פחו, wallen" (Jahn); and, finally, from the Hebrew פחה= חקקταγέω. It is applied to a subpraefect of a province, who is subject to the authority of the praefect or real governor, in contradistinction. from אחשדרפון, a satrap (Est_8:9); from שִׁן (ib.); from סָגָן, "sagan," municipal officer (Jer_51:28); and from מֶלֶךְ, "king" or sub-king (2Ch_9:14). It is used of the "chiefs" of provinces in the Assyrian (2Ki_18:24; Isa_36:9), Babylonian [Chaldee] (Jer_51:57; Eze_23:6; Eze_23:23; Dan_3:2), Median, and Persian empires (Jer_51:28; Est_3:12; Est_8:9). Palestine stood, while under Persian dominion, under such officers, called "praefects over the river" (Euphrates), whose official residence [כסא] was in Jerusalem (Neh_3:7; Ezr_5:3; Ezr_6:6; Neh_2:7; Neh_2:9). They were also called praefects of Judah (Hag_1:1); e.g. Zerubbabel (Ezr_2:63; Hag_2:21, etc.); Nehemiah, who succeeded Sheshbazzar (Nehemiah 5:5, 14;: 18:12). The word seems to have been adopted intothe Hebrew idiom at an early period, since we find it used in 1Ki_10:15 (2Ch_9:14) of the tributary chieftains "of the country" — together with the "kings of Arabia;" further, of Syrian captains to be put in the room of the (vice) kings at the.time of Ben-hadad (1Ki_20:24); and, finally, it passed current for any person in high authority who was to be propitiated by gifts (Mal_1:8). With respect to the Judaea, introduced by Persian rule, it would appear that their remuneration ("bread of the governor," Ezr_4:14) consisted partly in kind, partly in money ("bread, wine, and forty shekels of silver," Neh_5:15), chargeable upon the people (Neh_5:18 : "One ox and six choice sheep, also fowls, and once in ten days store of all sorts of wine"). Their office seems chiefly to have consisted in collecting the taxes of the province (Ezr_6:8); an office at a later period in the hands of the high-priest, and still later let out on lease. SEE PAHATH-MOAB.
10. The Chaldee term סְגִן, Segan' (in,the plur סִגְנִין) is applied (Dan_3:2; Dan_3:27; Dan_6:8) to the governors of the Babylonian satrapies, in a general way, in connection with other official terms, from which it is not clearly distinguishable, except that it appears to designate the provincial prsefects or viceroys; and elsewhere (Dan_2:48) it is applied to the praefects over the Magi, of whom one is especially entitled as chief or supreme (דִב) over his colleagues. The corresponding Heb. term סָגָן, sagan', is spoken of the provincial rulers under the Chaldee supremacy (Jer_2:23; Jer_2:28 where it distinguished from פֶּחָה, above; Eze_23:6; Eze_23:12; Eze_23:23; comp. Isa_41:25); also to the chiefs and rulers of the people of Jerusalem under the Persian supremacy (Ezr_9:2; Neh_2:16; Neh_4:8; Neh_4:13; Neh_5:7; Neh_5:17; Neh_7:5; Neh_12:40; Neh_13:11; in many of which passages it is associated with other titles of office or honor); and in the Targums it is used of the vicar of the high-priest, or the presiding officer of the Temple. Corresponding to this term are the modern Persian, Arabic, and Syriac words for satrap. It is apparently of Sanscrit origin.
The Greek terms rendered in the N.T. "governor" are the following, of which the first two relate to public or military officers, and the last two to domestic usages:
11. Ε᾿θνάρχης, Ethnarch (2Co_11:32), an officer of rank under Aretas, the Arabian king of Damascus. It is not easy to determine the capacity in which he acted. The term is applied in 1Ma_14:47; 1Ma_15:1, to Simon the high-priest, who was made general and ethnarch of the Jews as a vassal of Demetrius. From this the office would appear to be distinct from a military command. The jurisdiction of Archelaus, called .by Josephus (War, 2:6, 3) an ethnarchy, extended over Idumaea and all Judaea, the half of his father's kingdom, which he held as the emperor's vassal.: But, on' the other hand, Strabo (17:13), in enumerating the officers who formed part of the machinery of the Roman government in Egypt, mentions ethnarchs apparently as inferior both to the military commanders, .and to the monarchs, or governors of districts. Again, the praefect of the colony of Jews in Alexandria (called by Philo , lib. in Flacc. § 10) is designated by this title in the edict of Claudius given by Josephus Ant. 19:5, 2). According to Strabo (Joseph. Ant. 14:7, 2), he exercised the prerogatives of an ordinary independent ruler. It has therefore beep conjectured that the ethnarch of Damascus was merely the governor of the resident Jews, and this conjecture receives some support from the parallel narrative in Act_9:24, where the Jews alone are said to have taken part in the conspiracy against the apostle. But it does not seem probable that an officer of such limited jurisdiction would be styled "the ethnarch of Aretas the king; and as the term is clearly capable of a wide range of ineaning, it was most liketly intended to denote one who held the city and district of Damascus as the king's vassal or representative. SEE ETHNARCH.
12. ῾Ηγεμών, the Procurator of Judaea under the Romans (Mat_27:2, etc.). The verb is employed (Luk_2:2, etc.) to denote the nature of the jurisdiction of Quirinus over the imperial province of Syria (see Gerlach, Die romischen Statthalterin Syrien und Judaea, Berl. 1865). SEE PROCURATOR.
13. Οἰκονομός (Gal_4:2), a steward, apparently intrusted with the management of a minor's property. SEE STEWARD.
14. Α᾿ρχιτρίκλινος (Joh_2:9), "the governor of the feast." It has been conjectured, but without much show of probability, that this officer corresponded to the συμποσίαρχος of the Greeks, whose duties are described by Plutarch (Sympos. Quaest. 4), and to the arbiter ibendi of the Romans. Lightfoot supposes him to have been a kind of chaplain, who pronounced the blessings upon the wine that was drunk during the seven days of the marriage feast. Again, some have taken him to be equivalent to the τραπεζοποιός, who is defined by Pollux (Onom. 6:1) as one who had the charge of all the servants at a feast, the carvers, cup-bearers, cooks, etc. But there is nothing in the narrative of the marriage feast at Cana which would lead to the supposition that the ἀρχιτρίκλινος held the rank of a servant. He appears rather to have been on intimate terms with the bridegroom, and to have presided at the banquet in his stead. The duties of the master of a feast are given at full length in Sirach 35 (32). SEE ARCHITRICLINUS.
In the apocryphal books, in addition to the common words ἄρχων, δεσπότης, στρατηγός, which are rendered "governor," we find ἐπιστάτης (1Es_1:8; Jdt_2:14), which closely corresponds to פָּקִיד ; ἔπαρχος used of Zerubbabel and Tatnai (1Es_6:3; 1Es_6:29; 1Es_7:1), and προστάτης, applied to Sheshbazzar (1Es_2:12), both of which represent פֶּהָה; ἱεροστάτης (1Es_7:2) and προστάτης τοῦ ἱεροῦ (2Ma_3:4), "the governor of the temple"= נָגִיד(comp. 2Ch_35:8); and σατράπης (1Es_3:2; 1Es_3:21), "a satrap," not always used in its strict sense, but as the equivalent of στρατηγός (Jdt_5:2; Jdt_7:8). — Smith, s.v. SEE PRINCE.
15. In Jam_3:4, the Greek term rendered "governor" is εὐθύνων, a guide or director, i.e., helmsman (prop. κυβερνήτης, whence Lat. gubernator, Eng. governor, the last in a different sense). SEE SHIP.
The following list (modified from the Biblical Repository, 1832, page 381, 382) of the presiding officers of Judaea (q.v.) will be found useful in comparing the history of those times. See each name in its place. For those of Syria, SEE SYRIA.
PROCURATORS OF JUDEA. A.D.
(1.) Coponius — 6- 9
(2.) Marcus Ambivius — 9-12
(3.) Annius Rufus. These three were appointed by Augustus; the two following by Tiberius—12-15
(4.) Valerius Gratus — 15-26
(5.) Pontius Pilatus—26-36
(6.) Marcellus, sent by Vitellius, the governor of Syria, in place of Pilate — 36-37
(7.) Marullus, sent by Cligula — 37-40
(8.) Publius Petronius, who was at the same time governor of Syria, managed the affairs of the Jews himself. Under his successor Marsus also, there seems to have been no distinct procurator of Judaea for two or three years — 40-42
(9.) Cuspius Fadus, sent by Claudius — 45-46
(10.) Tiberius Alexander — 47-49
(11.) Ventidius Cumanus — 49-53
(12.) A. Claudius Felix — 53-55
(13.) Portius Festus, under Nero — 55-62
(14.) Albinus — 62-64
(15.) Gessius Florus, the last procurator of Judaea — 65
(16.) Josephus, however, speaks (War, 6:4, 3) of a Marcus Antonius Julianus as being (or having been) procurator () of Judaea in the last struggle with the Romans, A.D. 70.

CYCLOPEDIA OF BIBLICAL, THEOLOGICAL AND ECCLESIASTICAL
press 1895.

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