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בֵּלְשַׁאצַּר

𐤁𐤋𐤔𐤀𐤑𐤓

Beleshatsar

H1113 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

Belshatstsar (Belshazzar) is a personal name, specifically borne by the last figured monarch of Babylon in the book of Daniel. The name means 'Bel protect the king' or 'Bel has guarded the king,' deriving from a combination of the Babylonian deity Bēl (Marduk) and a verbal root meaning to protect or guard. Primarily refers to a historical figure who ruled as co-regent of Babylon, and in the Jewish scriptures, is portrayed as the son (or descendant) of Nebuchadnezzar.

Semantic Range

personal name, king of Babylon, royal designation, individual title; in later contexts, archetype of pagan ruler or divine judgment

Root / Etymology

The name is of Akkadian (Babylonian) origin, from 'Bēl-šar-uṣur,' meaning 'Bel, protect the king/prince.' The Hebrew rendering בֵּלְשַׁאצַּר transcribes this original Akkadian name, with 'Bel' (בֵּל) denoting the god Marduk, and 'shaʼtstsar' relating to the act of guarding or protecting a king/leader. Root: בל-(Bel, as deity); שַׁאצַּר (from Akkadian šar, king, and uṣur, protect/guard).

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the book of Daniel (ch. 5, 7, 8), Belshatstsar is characterized as the last monarch of Babylon, associated with the famous 'writing on the wall' episode. The name is not a traditional Israelite name but a phonetic adoption of the Babylonian name by Israelite scribes. Historically, the figure referred to is Bel-shar-usur, the eldest son of Nabonidus and nominal co-regent. The spelling reflects the underlying Mesopotamian theophoric naming convention, common for royal names of Babylonian rulers. English translations conventionally render the name as 'Belshazzar,' but this modern English form obscures its underlying Babylonian and theological significance. Post-biblical and English usage sometimes associates the name with general decadence or downfall, due to Daniel's narrative, but in Babylonian context, the name was neutral or reverential. The term does not denote ethnic, geographic, or religious identity, but rather serves as a proper royal title within the Babylonian context. Unlike similar personal names (e.g., Nebuchadnezzar/Nebu-kudurrī-uṣur), the name Belshatstsar appears exclusively in exilic and later compositions, reflecting increasing Israelite contact with and knowledge of foreign courts.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

lemma בֵּלְשַׁאצּר missing vowel, corrected to בֵּלְשַׁאצַּר; (Aramaic) corresponding to בֵּלְשַׁאצַּר; {Belshatstsar, a Babylonian king}; Belshazzar.

Bantu Hebrew

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Root Family

בלשצ״ר (b-l-š-ṣ-r) — Bel (deity), protect, guard, preserve, king

Root בלשצ״ר Bel (deity) + protect, guard, preserve, sustain

Word Forms

3 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H1113-01 בֵּלְשַׁאצַּ֣ר beleshatsar ANp Belshazzar Bel-protect-the-king Beleshatsar 5
H1113-03 בֵלְשַׁאצַּר֙ veleshatsar ANp Belshazzar Bel-guard-the-king Beleshatsar 1
H1113-02 לְ/בֵלְאשַׁצַּר֙ leveleshatsar AR/Np of Belshazzar to Bel-protect-the-king to Beleshatsar 1

Occurrences in Scripture

7 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H1113-01 Daniel 5:1 בֵּלְשַׁאצַּ֣ר beleshatsar ANp Belshazzar Bel-protect-the-king Beleshatsar
H1113-01 Daniel 5:2 בֵּלְשַׁאצַּ֞ר beleshatsar ANp Belshazzar Bel-protect-the-king Beleshatsar
H1113-03 Daniel 5:9 בֵלְשַׁאצַּר֙ veleshatsar ANp Belshazzar Bel-guard-the-king Beleshatsar
H1113-01 Daniel 5:22 בֵּלְשַׁאצַּ֔ר beleshatsar ANp O Belshazzar Bel-protect-the-king Beleshatsar
H1113-01 Daniel 5:29 בֵּלְשַׁאצַּ֗ר beleshatsar ANp Belshazzar Bel-protect-the-king Beleshatsar
H1113-01 Daniel 5:30 בֵּלְאשַׁצַּ֖ר beleshatsar ANp Belshazzar Bel-protect-the-king Beleshatsar
H1113-02 Daniel 7:1 לְ/בֵלְאשַׁצַּר֙ leveleshatsar AR/Np of Belshazzar to Bel-protect-the-king to Beleshatsar
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