← H7247 H7249 →

רַב־מָג

𐤓𐤁־𐤌𐤂

Rab-Mâg

H7248 noun

SILEX Entry

Root רבב to be great, to be chief, to be many

Definition

Title for a high-ranking official at the Babylonian court, typically rendered as 'chief of the magicians' or 'chief temple official.' The term refers to a leader among the religious or scholarly functionaries in Mesopotamian administration, especially those concerned with interpretation, divination, or priestly roles. Its usage denotes an office of significant rank, not a personal name or merely an ethnic or religious designation.

Semantic Range

chief Magian, head magus, chief religious official, court official, chief of the magicians, Rab-Mag (title)

Root / Etymology

Compound of רַב (rav, 'chief, great, leader') and possibly derived from Akkadian magā or magû, referencing a class of priests, wise men, or scholarly officials (magus; cf. the Greek magos). The component מָג does not appear elsewhere in Hebrew and is presumed to be a direct loan or adaptation from a Mesopotamian term.—Root ר-ב-ב: 'to be many, great,' providing the sense of 'chief' in combination. The etymology of מָג is uncertain in Hebrew, but Mesopotamian parallels suggest an origin from priestly or learned classes.

Historical & Contextual Notes

The term occurs in Jeremiah 39:3,13 as the title of a Babylonian court official—often understood as 'chief magus' or 'head of the magi.' The actual function of the Rab-Mag in Babylonian administration is debated but is likely to have encompassed religious, diplomatic, and interpretive roles, distinct from purely mantic or magical activity. English versions vary: 'Rab-mag,' 'chief of the magicians,' or sometimes transliterated. The possible association with later 'Magi' (as in the Gospel of Matthew) is coincidental; in the Neo-Babylonian context of Jeremiah, it refers to an official of prominence in the court's administrative and religious hierarchy. This title differs from other Babylonian rankings (e.g., Rab-saris, chief eunuch). The Hebrew text preserves the Assyro-Babylonian administrative vocabulary, probably through direct contact during the Neo-Babylonian period. 'Jew' or 'Judaism' are not relevant to the context of this Babylonian title.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from רַב and a foreign word for a Magian; chief Magian; Rab-Mag, a Babylonian official; Rab-mag.

Bantu Hebrew

No Bantu Hebrew comparisons have been submitted for this word yet.

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

רבב (r-b-b) — greatness, chiefness, multiplicity

Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H1337 בַּת רַבִּים many
H2579 חֲמַת רַבָּה great
H4764 מֵרָב Abundant one
H7227 רַב many
H7228 רַב his archers

Word Forms

2 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H7248-01 מָ֔ג mag HNcmsa mag chief magian 2
H7248-02 רַב rav HNcmsa chief great 2

Occurrences in Scripture

4 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H7248-02 Jeremiah 39:3 רַב rav-2 HNcmsa Rab great
H7248-01 Jeremiah 39:3 מָ֔ג mag HNcmsa mag chief magian
H7248-02 Jeremiah 39:13 רַב rav-3 HNcmsc chief great
H7248-01 Jeremiah 39:13 מָ֑ג mag HNcmsa mag chief magian
← H7247 Hebrew Lexicon H7249 →