נְבוּשַׁזְבָּן
𐤍𐤁𐤅𐤔𐤆𐤁𐤍
Nevushazeban
H5021 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A proper name designating an individual identified in the book of Jeremiah as a high-ranking court official—specifically, a chief eunuch (court officer)—under Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. The word is used exclusively as a personal name, with no broader semantic use in Hebrew outside this context.
Semantic Range
Nebushazban (personal name); Nebuchadnezzar’s chief eunuch; name of a high-ranking Babylonian court official
Root / Etymology
Of Akkadian origin; likely derived from components related to names of Babylonian deities and official titles. The first element, 'Nebu-', references the Babylonian god Nabu (Akkadian Nabû), and the remaining elements are possibly linked to verbal roots signifying 'to save', 'to deliver', or refer to a position or function. The precise breakdown and meaning are uncertain, but the structure is consistent with theophoric and titulary names in Neo-Babylonian.
Historical & Contextual Notes
The name נְבוּשַׁזְבָּן appears in Jeremiah 39:13 as one of the principal Babylonian officials overseeing Jerusalem’s conquest. He is distinguished as the 'chief eunuch' (רַב־סָרִיסִים, rab-sarisim), paralleling known Babylonian court titles. The name is clearly of foreign (Babylonian/Akkadian) derivation and is not Hebrew in form or usage. English translations typically render the name 'Nebushazban', but this transliteration conceals its Babylonian character and probable theophoric references. In the Hebrew Bible, its singular appearance limits our ability to discern shifts or developments in meaning. The term does not specify ethnic identity; contextually, Nebushazban is an officer serving Nebuchadnezzar during the Neo-Babylonian period. As with other foreign names in biblical texts, the Hebrew rendering represents an adaptation into the local writing system, not a translation of the name’s meaning.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of foreign derivation; Nebushazban, Nebuchadnezzar's chief eunuch; Nebushazban.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
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נבשזבן (uncertain Akkadian origin) (n-b-š-z-b-n (uncertain)) — uncertain; theophoric personal name; associated with Babylonian officialdom
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5021-01 |
וּ/נְבֽוּשַׁזְבָּ | unevushazeba | HC/Np |
and Nebushazban | and Nebushazban | and Nevushazeban | 1 |
Occurrences in Scripture
1 occurrence
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | SIBI-P2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H5021-01 |
Jeremiah 39:13 | וּ/נְבֽוּשַׁזְבָּ | unevushazeba | HC/Np |
and Nebushazban | and Nebushazban | and Nevushazeban |