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שַׂר

𐤔𐤓

sar

H8269 noun

SILEX Entry

Definition

A leader, official, or chief; one who has authority or exercises command within a social, political, or military context. The term is broadly used for persons of rank or responsibility, often denoting an official of high status but applicable from the highest princes to lesser officials depending on context. Semantic range includes ruler, noble, official, commander, leader, or chief.

Semantic Range

official, chief, leader, prince, commander, noble, steward, officer, governor, person of rank, overseer, ruler

Root / Etymology

From the root שׂרר (to rule, to exert dominion, to govern). The noun שַׂר is a substantive denoting one who embodies or exercises authority, often but not exclusively in political or military roles.

Historical & Contextual Notes

In early Israelite texts (patriarchal through early monarchy), שַׂר refers broadly to leading figures, including tribal heads, military commanders, and key officials at court. In later monarchy and exilic/post-exilic writings, the term acquires more specialized bureaucratic meanings—officials of administration, military officers, provincial governors. Unlike the term מֶלֶךְ (king), שַׂר does not inherently imply sovereignty but delegated or assigned authority, whether over people (e.g., officers, princes) or specific domains or responsibilities (e.g., horticulural stewards, temple officers). In Persian and Hellenistic periods, שַׂר refers to officials of various ranks under imperial administration. Septuagint translations often render שַׂר as ἄρχων (archōn) or στρατηγός (stratēgos) depending on context. English 'prince', 'leader', or 'official' sometimes narrowly construes usage; the Hebrew term is more flexible and socially embedded. In some poetic and prophetic texts, שַׂר can apply figuratively to supernatural or angelic beings understood as rulers or 'princes' of nations (e.g., Daniel 10:13).

Translation Consistency

primary "chief" 49 occurrences

“Chief” is the most natural, widely used English equivalent across the semantic range (leader, ruler, commander, official, prince). It matches the majority of existing renderings for שַׂר (highest frequency in the data), conveys rank and authority without forcing a specific office (prince/commander/official), and will read naturally when inflected (chiefs, the chief, chief's).

Alternatives (1 occurrence):
"rulers" (1x)

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

from שָׂרַר; a head person (of any rank or class); captain (that had rule), chief (captain), general, governor, keeper, lord,(-task-)master, prince(-ipal), ruler, steward.

Bantu Hebrew

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

Root Family

שׂרר (Sarah) — to rule, to govern, to exercise authority

Root שׂרר to rule, to govern, to exercise authority
Strong's Lemma SIBI-P1
H8283 שָׂרָה to Princess Sarah
H8323 שָׂרַר they caused to rule

Word Forms

36 distinct forms

SIDANCE Surface Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2 Occurrences
H8269-17 שָׂרֵ֧י sarey HNcmpc captains chiefs of chiefs of 132
H8269-12 שַֽׂר sar HNcmsc commander ruling-chief of chief of 85
H8269-03 הַ/שָּׂרִים֙ hasarim HTd/Ncmpa the princes the rulers the chiefs 33
H8269-31 וְ/שָׂרֵ֣י vesarey HC/Ncmpc and captains of and chiefs of and chiefs of 32
H8269-21 שָׂרִ֖ים sarim HNcmpa princes ruling officials chief officials 21
H8269-02 הַ/שָּׂ֔ר hasar HTd/Ncmsa the chief the ruler the chief 14
H8269-25 וְ/הַ/שָּׂרִים֙ vehasarim HC/Td/Ncmpa and the princes and the ruling-officials and the chiefs 14
H8269-15 שָׂרָ֔י/ו sarayv HNcmpc/Sp3ms his princes his officials his chiefs 12
H8269-30 וְ/שָׂרָ֣י/ו vesarayv HC/Ncmpc/Sp3ms and his princes and his officials and his chiefs 11
H8269-18 שָׂרֶ֛י/הָ sareyha HNcmpc/Sp3fs her princes her rulers her chiefs 10

Occurrences in Scripture

421 occurrences

SIDANCE Reference Word Transliteration Morphology Common SIBI-P1 SIBI-P2
H8269-17 Genesis 12:15 שָׂרֵ֣י sarey HNcmpc princes chiefs of chiefs of
H8269-12 Genesis 21:22 שַׂר sar HNcmsc commander ruling-chief of chief of
H8269-12 Genesis 21:32 שַׂר sar HNcmsc the commander ruling-chief of chief of
H8269-12 Genesis 26:26 שַׂר sar HNcmsc commander ruling-chief of chief of
H8269-12 Genesis 37:36 שַׂ֖ר sar HNcmsc chief ruling-chief of chief of
H8269-12 Genesis 39:1 שַׂ֤ר sar HNcmsc chief ruling-chief of chief of
H8269-12 Genesis 39:21 שַׂ֥ר sar HNcmsc the chief ruling-chief of chief of
H8269-12 Genesis 39:22 שַׂ֤ר sar HNcmsc the chief ruling-chief of chief of
H8269-12 Genesis 39:23 שַׂ֣ר sar HNcmsc keeper ruling-chief of chief of
H8269-12 Genesis 40:2 שַׂ֣ר sar HNcmsc chief ruling-chief of chief of
H8269-12 Genesis 40:2 שַׂ֥ר sar-2 HNcmsc chief ruling-chief of chief of
H8269-12 Genesis 40:3 שַׂ֥ר sar HNcmsc of the captain ruling-chief of chief of
H8269-12 Genesis 40:4 שַׂ֣ר sar HNcmsc captain ruling-chief of chief of
H8269-12 Genesis 40:9 שַֽׂר sar HNcmsc chief ruling-chief of chief of
H8269-12 Genesis 40:16 שַׂר sar HNcmsc chief ruling-chief of chief of
H8269-12 Genesis 40:20 שַׂ֣ר sar HNcmsc chief ruling-chief of chief of
H8269-12 Genesis 40:20 שַׂ֥ר sar-2 HNcmsc chief ruling-chief of chief of
H8269-12 Genesis 40:21 שַׂ֥ר sar HNcmsc chief ruling-chief of chief of
H8269-12 Genesis 40:22 שַׂ֥ר sar HNcmsc chief ruling-chief of chief of
H8269-12 Genesis 40:23 שַֽׂר sar HNcmsc chief ruling-chief of chief of
H8269-12 Genesis 41:9 שַׂ֣ר sar HNcmsc chief ruling-chief of chief of
H8269-12 Genesis 41:10 שַׂ֣ר sar HNcmsc captain ruling-chief of chief of
H8269-12 Genesis 41:10 שַׂ֥ר sar-2 HNcmsc the chief ruling-chief of chief of
H8269-04 Genesis 41:12 לְ/שַׂ֣ר lesar HR/Ncmsc to the captain to a chief to a chief
H8269-17 Genesis 47:6 שָׂרֵ֥י sarey HNcmpc overseers chiefs of chiefs of
H8269-17 Exodus 1:11 שָׂרֵ֣י sarey HNcmpc masters of chiefs of chiefs of
H8269-12 Exodus 2:14 שַׂ֤ר sar HNcmsa a prince ruling-chief of chief of
H8269-17 Exodus 18:21 שָׂרֵ֤י sarey HNcmpc rulers of chiefs of chiefs of
H8269-17 Exodus 18:21 שָׂרֵ֣י sarey-2 HNcmpc rulers of chiefs of chiefs of
H8269-17 Exodus 18:21 שָׂרֵ֥י sarey-3 HNcmpc rulers of chiefs of chiefs of
H8269-31 Exodus 18:21 וְ/שָׂרֵ֥י vesarey HC/Ncmpc and rulers of and chiefs of and chiefs of
H8269-17 Exodus 18:25 שָׂרֵ֤י sarey HNcmpc rulers-of chiefs of chiefs of
H8269-17 Exodus 18:25 שָׂרֵ֣י sarey-2 HNcmpc rulers-of chiefs of chiefs of
H8269-17 Exodus 18:25 שָׂרֵ֥י sarey-3 HNcmpc rulers-of chiefs of chiefs of
H8269-31 Exodus 18:25 וְ/שָׂרֵ֥י vesarey HC/Ncmpc and rulers-of and chiefs of and chiefs of
H8269-21 Numbers 21:18 שָׂרִ֗ים sarim HNcmpa the leaders ruling officials chief officials
H8269-17 Numbers 22:8 שָׂרֵֽי sarey HNcmpc princes chiefs of chiefs of
H8269-17 Numbers 22:13 שָׂרֵ֣י sarey HNcmpc princes of chiefs of chiefs of
H8269-17 Numbers 22:14 שָׂרֵ֣י sarey HNcmpc princes of chiefs of chiefs of
H8269-21 Numbers 22:15 שָׂרִ֔ים sarim HNcmpa princes ruling officials chief officials
H8269-17 Numbers 22:21 שָׂרֵ֥י sarey HNcmpc the princes chiefs of chiefs of
H8269-17 Numbers 22:35 שָׂרֵ֥י sarey HNcmpc princes chiefs of chiefs of
H8269-26 Numbers 22:40 וְ/לַ/שָּׂרִ֖ים velasarim HC/Rd/Ncmpa and to the princes and to the rulers and to the rulers
H8269-17 Numbers 23:6 שָׂרֵ֥י sarey HNcmpc princes chiefs of chiefs of
H8269-31 Numbers 23:17 וְ/שָׂרֵ֥י vesarey HC/Ncmpc and princes of and chiefs of and chiefs of
H8269-17 Numbers 31:14 שָׂרֵ֤י sarey HNcmpc the captains chiefs of chiefs of
H8269-31 Numbers 31:14 וְ/שָׂרֵ֣י vesarey HC/Ncmpc and captains and chiefs of and chiefs of
H8269-17 Numbers 31:48 שָׂרֵ֥י sarey HNcmpc captains chiefs of chiefs of
H8269-31 Numbers 31:48 וְ/שָׂרֵ֥י vesarey HC/Ncmpc and captains and chiefs of and chiefs of
H8269-17 Numbers 31:52 שָׂרֵ֣י sarey HNcmpc captains chiefs of chiefs of
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