← H782 H784 →

אַרְתַּחְשַׁשְׁתָּא

𐤀𐤓𐤕𐤇𐤔𐤔𐤕𐤀

Aretacheshasheta

H783 noun

SILEX Entry

Root uncertain not applicable (loanword); refers to royal name/title

Definition

An official Persian royal name borne by multiple kings of the Achaemenid dynasty, likely equivalent to Artaxerxes. The term functions as a proper noun denoting a specific king of Persia in biblical context, especially those who reigned during the Persian period influencing Jewish (Judean) return and restoration. The semantic range is limited to its function as a royal name, but may also connote the authority and dominance associated with the Persian empire.

Semantic Range

Artaxerxes (the Persian king), royal Persian king, title/bearing of imperial Persian authority, name applied to successive Persian monarchs

Root / Etymology

The word is a direct borrowing from Old Persian 𐎠𐎼𐎫𐎧𐏁𐏂 (Artaxšaçā, rendered in Greek as Ἀρταξέρξης, 'Artaxerxes'). It is not derived from a native Hebrew root; its origin lies in the combination of Old Persian words meaning 'whose reign is through truth' or 'he who reigns by justice.' The various biblical forms (אַרְתַּחְשַׁשְׁתָּא, אַרְתַּחְשַׁשְׁתְּא, אַרְתַּחְשַׁסְתְּא) reflect differing transliterations of the Persian name into Aramaic-Hebrew script traditions.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, אַרְתַּחְשַׁשְׁתָּא appears primarily in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, referring to Persian kings under whose rule critical events in post-exilic Judahite history took place, such as the granting of permissions for Jerusalem's restoration. The term is not a native Hebrew name but a transliteration of the royal Persian title/name. While many English translations use 'Artaxerxes,' this is a Greek rendering; the original is Persian. Multiple kings bore the title, so biblical context is necessary to identify which historical ruler is meant (typically Artaxerxes I or II). The name itself carries no specific religious or theological connotation in Hebrew but denotes the imperial authority of the Persian ruler.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

or אַרְתַּחְשַׁשְׁתְּא; or by permutation אַרְתַּחְשַׁסְתְּא; of foreign origin; Artachshasta (or Artaxerxes), a title (rather than name) of several Persian kings; Artaxerxes.

Bantu Hebrew

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

+ Add Bantu Hebrew Word

Root Family

(loanword; uncertain) (n/a) — royal Persian throne-name; imperial authority

Word Forms

5 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 Occurrences
H783-02 אַרְתַּחְשַׁ֖שְׂתְּ aretacheshasete HNp Artaxerxes Artaxerxes 8
H783-03 לְ/אַרְתַּחְשַׁ֥שְׂתְּא learetacheshasete AR/Np of Artaxerxes to Artaxerxes 5
H783-04 ארתחששתא rtchshsht HNp Artaxerxes Artaxerxes 2
H783-05 וְ/אַרְתַּחְשַׁ֖שְׂתְּא vearetacheshasete AC/Np and Artaxerxes and Artaxerxes 1
H783-01 אַרְתַּחְשַׁ֗שְׂתָּא aretacheshaseta HNp Artaxerxes Artaxerxes 1

Occurrences in Scripture

17 total occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1
H783-01 Ezra 4:7 אַרְתַּחְשַׁ֗שְׂתָּא aretacheshaseta HNp Artaxerxes Artaxerxes
H783-04 Ezra 4:7 ארתחששתא rtchshsht HNp Artaxerxes Artaxerxes
H783-02 Ezra 4:7 אַרְתַּחְשַׁ֖שְׂתְּ aretacheshasete HNp king Artaxerxes
H783-03 Ezra 4:8 לְ/אַרְתַּחְשַׁ֥שְׂתְּא learetacheshasete AR/Np to Artaxerxes to Artaxerxes
H783-02 Ezra 4:11 אַרְתַּחְשַׁ֖שְׂתְּא aretacheshasete ANp Artaxerxes Artaxerxes
H783-04 Ezra 4:23 ארתחששתא rtchshsht ANp Artaxerxes Artaxerxes
H783-02 Ezra 4:23 אַרְתַּחְשַׁ֣שְׂתְּ aretacheshasete ANp king Artaxerxes
H783-05 Ezra 6:14 וְ/אַרְתַּחְשַׁ֖שְׂתְּא vearetacheshasete AC/Np and Artaxerxes and Artaxerxes
H783-02 Ezra 7:1 אַרְתַּחְשַׁ֣סְתְּא aretacheshasete HNp Artaxerxes Artaxerxes
H783-03 Ezra 7:7 לְ/אַרְתַּחְשַׁ֥סְתְּא learetacheshasete HR/Np of Artaxerxes to Artaxerxes
← H782 Hebrew Lexicon H784 →