פַּרְתַּם
𐤐𐤓𐤕𐤌
partam
H6579 noun
SILEX Entry
Definition
A high-ranking official, nobleman, or dignitary within the Persian imperial administration; denotes a person of significant social, political, or administrative status, particularly in the royal court. The term specifically refers to Persian grandees or nobles and does not have a native Israelite counterpart.
Semantic Range
grandee; noble; prince; high official or dignitary of the Persian empire; member of the Persian aristocracy
Root / Etymology
Borrowed from Old Persian, related to words such as Old Persian 'fratāma' meaning 'the first, foremost, chief'. This is a foreign term, adopted into Biblical Hebrew during the Persian period to designate an official Persian rank. The root and etymology are not native to Hebrew.
Historical & Contextual Notes
פַּרְתַּם (partam) occurs in the context of Persian imperial administration, specifically in the books of Ezra and Esther, reflecting the socio-political realities of Israelite and Judean exile and post-exilic life under Persian rule. The term is used for Persian officials of high standing, often translated as 'noble' or 'prince' in English Bibles; however, these translations can obscure its precise reference to Persian aristocracy. The word does not appear before the exilic period, and its usage is confined to contexts where Israelites interact with or reference the Persian court. English translations sometimes simply render it as 'nobles' or 'officials' which can lose the foreign and culturally specific nuance. Related to other Persian loanwords adopted into Hebrew during this period, פַּרְתַּם serves as evidence of linguistic and administrative influence. The term does not denote an Israelite office or title, but rather a social rank within the Persian imperial hierarchy.
Original Strong's Gloss (1890)
of Persian origin; a grandee; (most) noble, prince.
Bantu Hebrew
No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.
+ Add Bantu Hebrew WordRoot Family
פרתם (p-r-t-m) — foremost, chief, noble, high-ranking official
Word Forms
1 distinct form
| SIDANCE | Surface | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 | Occurrences |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6579-01 |
הַֽ/פַּרְתְּמִ֛ים | haparetemim | HTd/Ncmpa |
the nobles | the Persian grandees | 3 |
Occurrences in Scripture
3 total occurrences
| SIDANCE | Reference | Word | Transliteration | Morphology | Common | SIBI-P1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
H6579-01 |
Esther 1:3 | הַֽ/פַּרְתְּמִ֛ים | haparetemim | HTd/Ncmpa |
the nobles | the Persian grandees |
H6579-01 |
Esther 6:9 | הַֽ/פַּרְתְּמִ֔ים | haparetemim | HTd/Ncmpa |
the nobles | the Persian grandees |
H6579-01 |
Daniel 1:3 | הַֽ/פַּרְתְּמִֽים | haparetemim | HTd/Ncmpa |
the nobles | the Persian grandees |