מֶלְצָר
𐤌𐤋𐤑𐤓
meltsâr
H4453 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A title or designation referring to a steward, attendant, or court official responsible for provisioning or oversight in the palace, specifically in the context of the Babylonian royal administration. In Daniel 1, the מֶלְצָר is tasked with supervising the welfare and dietary regimen of Israelite youths in royal training.
Semantic Range
steward, overseer, attendant, court official (specifically in the context of food or provisions); in some translations, regarded as a personal name (Melzar)
Root / Etymology
The precise root is uncertain; the form is widely recognized as a loanword from another language (possibly Old Persian or Akkadian). The element מֶלְ may reflect a Semitic adaptation, while -צָר may parallel administrative titles from Persian or Akkadian. Etymology uncertain; not derived from a native Hebrew root.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The term מֶלְצָר occurs in Daniel 1 as a title for a palace official under the Babylonian regime, most likely of foreign (Persian or Akkadian) derivation, which reflects the administrative Innovations introduced during the Neo-Babylonian and subsequent Persian governance of Mesopotamia. English translations (e.g., 'Melzar') sometimes treat the term as a proper name, but evidence from early translations (including the Septuagint and Vulgate) generally regard it as a title or office. The role differs from other court functionaries—such as רב־סריסים (chief eunuch, H7249)—in being specifically tasked with managing food and provisions. There is no evidence the term existed in pre-exilic Hebrew usage; it appears unique to the Persian-Babylonian context described in Daniel. The rendering 'butler' or 'steward' conveys the sense of an official responsible for some aspect of daily court life rather than a servile domestic attendant. Later tradition sometimes confused the figure with a personal name, reflecting interpretive uncertainty.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Persian derivation; the butler or other officer in the Babylonian court; Melzar.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
לא ידוע (unknown) — overseeing, guarding, being in charge (uncertain, loanword)
| Strong's | Lemma | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|
| H175 | אַהֲרוֹן | and to Aharon |
| H176 | אוֹ | or |
| H1834 | דַּמֶּשֶׂק | Damascus |
| H2051 | וְדָן | Vedan |
| H2261 | חֲבַצֶּלֶת | splendid wildflower |
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4453-01 |
הַ/מֶּלְצַ֑ר | hameletsar | HTd/Ncmsa |
the steward | the palace steward | 2 |
Occurrences in Scripture
2 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H4453-01 |
Daniel 1:11 | הַ/מֶּלְצַ֑ר | hameletsar | HTd/Ncmsa |
the steward | the palace steward |
H4453-01 |
Daniel 1:16 | הַ/מֶּלְצַ֗ר | hameletsar | HTd/Ncmsa |
the steward | the palace steward |